This was posted in a FB group on Sep 7th and the author kindly gave her permission to share it here
By Jessica Booth; POSTED: September 16, 2022
The following is a message that I posted on social media for my 40th birthday. I hadn’t been “public” with my diagnosis and many people did not know that I was struggling. This is how I chose to open up and I received many truly touching and supportive messages from friends and extended family. If you do not have fibromyalgia, I hope that you find something in this message that brings understanding and if you do share the diagnosis, know that you are not alone.
I’ve been debating on whether or not to write this as FB is not a place where I usually post personal information and there can be a stigma attached to what I’m going to say.
However, today I turn 40 and it’s also fibromyalgia awareness week so I’m about to get real with all of you.
In July 2021, I had to stop working and go on disability because my health issues became too much. Despite getting back to a good mental state, my physical health continued to deteriorate to the point where I could barely walk. This year I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and I didn’t really know much about it, I thought it was a “catch all” that was used when they couldn’t explain what was going on. But it’s not so let me tell you what it is for me.
I have pain everywhere (literally everywhere). Sometimes it hurts to even have someone place a hand on me or to wear certain clothes. I am very sensitive to light and migraines are now a friend that visits a couple of times a month. My skin can burn, tingle or itch for no reason at all. My balance and muscle strength can change overnight. My body doesn’t regulate temperature well so hot flashes and cold chills come on. I get nausea that can last for weeks. Sleep is something that I enjoyed as a child because at this point, the pain, restless legs and night sweats have claimed that too. Oh and brain fog to the point where I’ve even had to ask my husband what our address is. I’ll also say that it affects the bowels and leave it at that.
This syndrome has taken a job that I loved, my ability to drive outside of my community, sometimes my ability to walk, being able to do active things with my family, my independence and it often feels like I am living my life in bed while others live full, enriched lives.
I’m not sharing this for sympathy, I am sharing this for awareness. A lot of people fight battles that you know nothing about. If you see me and I look “normal” it’s because I am having one of those rare days where I am functional or I’ve taken a lot of medication to participate in something important (if it’s this reason, I have intentionally sacrificed my body knowing that I will likely be bedridden for the following week).
I am still hopeful that treatment will help me gain back what I have lost however there is still a lot of research left to be done to understand how to treat this illness.
I encourage you to look at the link below to learn about this syndrome and if you are able to, make a donation.
If you’ve made it to this point in this very long post, thank you so much for listening 
.