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Visualizing a Different Day

© Cynthia Webber (Jausten)

Struggling with pain and fatigue on a daily basis isn't exactly how any of us have wanted to spend our lives. Having little or no energy to do all the things that we want to do each day can cause us great grief.

For some of us, just getting out of bed in the morning is a major chore. We have to gently stretch and move carefully so as not to cause great pain as we struggle out of our warm cocoon into a cold morning. Gone are the days when we could hop out of bed, dash into the shower, get dressed quickly, make coffee and breakfast, and climb into our cars and head off to a full day of work. Those of us who have had to give up jobs which we loved sometimes don't know how to fill our days with activities which we can enjoy and actually do without causing ourselves more pain and fatigue.

Others of us, who still manage to work outside the home, don't have the time or energy to enjoy the simple pleasures of life because by the end of our day, we are so exhausted that all we want to do is just sit and rest or fall into bed to sleep fitfully.

I would love to have the energy to walk up a mountain, or enjoy a sunset along the beach. I've managed to do some of the things which I love, but sometimes the price of pain and fatigue are too much to ask of myself.

Just sitting in a movie theatre for an hour or more has to be planned and thought out. I have to decide whether or not it will be worth it for me during the following days, which will no doubt be filled with even more pain. I have chosen to wait until most movies come out on video, but occasionally there is something that I want to see in a theatre.

Likewise, going on a trip or just spending a day outside in nature must be looked at as whether it will be worth it for me to deal with the increase in pain and fatigue. Recently, I drove several hours to see a friend, and, although it was worth it for me, the price I paid was several days of increased pain and exhaustion once I returned home. It is frustrating to have to weigh all our choices as to whether or not some activity will be worth the price of pain and fatigue. However, this is our opportunity to refocus on what is really important to us and what is not.

The copyright of the article Visualizing a Different Day in Fibromyalgia is owned by Cynthia Webber (Jausten). Permission to republish Visualizing a Different Day in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.