Blogathon 2005 – Fibro drive
Some of my very closest friends and extended family have suffered through fibromyalgia. Others have recently found out they have it, or are dealing with the agony of having symptoms but no concrete diagnosis.
One friend of mine, perfect_autumn is participating in Blogathon 2005 on the 6th in order to raise money for fibro research and treatment. She’s seeking sponsors and pledges. If you’ve been thinking about contributing somewhere, of donating a little of your money or time, this is a damned fine time and place to do it. She’ll be staying up for 24 hours in order to participate, and that’s a huge sacrifice when you need 10 hours of sleep in order to function near normalcy.
Donate here, and hopefully you’ll help save people in your own family from this maddeningly inscrutible illness.
From perfect_autumn‘s journal:
Pain is an unknowable, unstoppable enemy, who we must fight with every weapon hoping, praying, pleading, that this time this will work, that maybe this time there is a chance the pain will go away forever.
As a Fibro sufferer, I live with pain each and every day. Some days are better then others, but it is always present, always there. It haunts my dreams, focuses my thoughts, and makes me weigh each decision, each action, each dream. I watch others I love – friends and family, strangers and clients – suffer deeply. I hear the weariness in their voices, tired from the burden the pain lays on their life. We ask the question, each day, “How are you?” in hopes that maybe today the answer will be good, that today we feel “better” or “good”.
Pain alters your goals in ways that are nearly unimaginable to the pain-free. For my wedding, a few short weeks away, my goal and aim is to simply make it through the day with needing a nap. I want to be able to walk the aisle towards my beloved without a cane in hand, though I will have one in hand while taking pictures and getting ready. Among the wedding day responsibilities, one person will be in charge of a small folding stool, on which I may rest my weak body as the need arises.
It is because of things like these that this Saturday I will be risking my health, chancing the pain and the suffering that staying awake for 24 hours may cause. I believe that should we continue to raise funds, research and keep fighting we will be able to ease and, one day, even erase this pain and the fear it causes.
I ask only that you help support me, and others like me, with a donation or passing on my information to someone you think may be able to donate. This is a disease that shatters lives, please help us piece them back together.
Thank you
For your donation of $$ and blog space.
It means so much to me, and so many others. It’s such a wonderful thing to work on, and I’m very excited about Saturday. I’ve got so many great things to blog about, and I’m making up shirts to sell with profits going to NFRA.
Don’t forget to stop by on Saturday, any time. I’ll be up. ;)
Re: Thank you
*grin* de nada. I know the feeling of absolute relief when a debilitating, bed-ridden type pain disappears… and I’d like to see that for you, and the others. :)
Just.Wow.
My mom has suffered from fibromyalgia for a long, long time. She was diagnosed about 7 years ago, I think. She hasn’t been able to work for roughly the past 10 years. The conclusion that I’ve come to about the affliction is that depression is it’s worst effect. I mean, sure, the pain is nigh-unbearable (most of the time), but everything that fibro carries with it causes depression. For instance, after my mom takes a bath, she has to take a nap just to regain strength and energy from the bath.
She has Hoshimoto’s Disease too, which I know is a large contributor to her problems. It’s a tough thing for the friends and family around the patient to cope with too at times. Fibromyalgia causes a person to become needy and even clingy. Not because they are a spaz or anything, just because they actually are in real need.
I think I could go on for a little bit more, but I’m way too tired.
Thank you for your thoughts. Feel free to stop by on Saturday, I’m hoping that people with family that suffer from Fibro will chime in, explaining how this illness effects those who don’t have the diagnosis.
CoffeeJedi, my fabulous fiance’ is going to be writing some, to help people see how hard this disease is on loved ones and care takes. I’m also asking some of my closest friends to chime in with pieces, explaining how hard it is to keep connected to someone so ill.
You are right about the needs. And as a patient, I hate it. The fact that days I need someone else to lift on to my own two feet, that I need someone else to shower me, or get a drink for me. The dreary thought that some days should I manage to make it up and down the stairs once, I’ve acheived a miracle…
Thank you so much for your support, of you mother, and others like us. For those of us who are suffering, it means the world.