# The Mask of CFIDS and FMS: Coping with Chronic Illness and Pain



## M&M (Jan 20, 2002)

I thought this article was beautiful, and definitely deserved to be passed on. From Co-Cure:*********************************The Mask of CFIDS and FMS: Coping With Chronic Illness and Pain08-24-2005By Carol Sveilich(Reprinted with author's permission)Has someone ever said to you, "You look great!" while inside you felt fatigued or were in profound pain? People who live with fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome face this sort of dilemma every day.Since chronic pain and ongoing exhaustion seldom manifests outwardly, people sometimes have a difficult time believing that a person with a healthy appearance and lively demeanor can have so many profound symptoms and limitations.Unfortunately, no instruction book exists to guide people living with the easily concealed but often challenging symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromyalgia. People who live with these disorders must sometimes learn to adapt to new routines or limitations. There was a time in their lives when they would promptly recover after being sick or feeling poorly. But now they find themselves riding a wave of symptoms that wax and wane and never quite go away. This is a tricky ride to maneuver, especially for someone who is accustomed to having good health and a prompt recovery.Life turns on a dime when the onset of a chronic illness or condition rears its head. Personal and career-related goals that once seemed reasonable become out of reach. Former goals must be replaced with more attainable ones, and new lifestyle rules must be developed and adhered to. Days are often filled with doctor visits, new medications, and medical tests. Social activities and trips are either rescheduled or canceled. Jobs are difficult to maintain and are sometimes lost or altered. Relationships are affected and altered.First the body, and then the spirit take a hit as the person adjusts to a new and unpredictable way of living. However, the news is not all bad. There are also benefits to this upheaval. New skills such as flexibility, wisdom, and compassion are learned, and a new resilience and strength can emerge as a result of these disruptions and challenges.For some, the worst part of living with ongoing pain is simply this -- not having control over whether or not they will have a nice day! It is impossible to make plans, commit to vacations, or even take a trip to see a movie. This lack of control over symptoms can leave a person feeling as though they live within the body of an unpredictable stranger. For people who are in the habit of planning a month or a year in advance, simply making plans for activities the next day becomes a challenge and a frustration.Not surprisingly, Nazi concentration camp survivor and psychiatrist, Viktor E. Frankl, compared his loss of control in prison to that of a person imprisoned in a body with chronic illness. His inspiring attempt to control attitude, if not circumstances, is one that can easily apply to the growing population who live with chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromyalgia.Read the complete article athttp://www.immunesupport.com/library/bulle...cle.cfm?ID=6658[AOL: Here]


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