Looking To The Future.

Something turned up on my doorstep this morning. I'd been expecting it, but when it was actually delivered I began to get a little anxious.

The package has the potential to do one of two things: scare the living hell out of me, or enable me to relax for the next thirty or forty years (or however long God allows me to remain a part of this wonderful world of ours)

I'll be writing more about this delivery in the coming weeks, but for those who desperately want to know what it is here's a tantalising clue:

More to follow soon...........

A Bit of Non-Scientific Research

With projects in development I need to undertake a little research. Over the next few weeks I'll be asking a few questions the answers to which will determine future developments. I'd be obliged if you could answer the following question.

The poll will provide me with the following information in relation to site visitors: Gender and Geographic location.

Many thanks in advance of your participation. Look out for a new poll over the next few days.

Gary

Do You Want to be in a Book About Fibromyalgia?

We've been approached by author Cris Williams to help her source respondents for a new book she is currently writing which will seek to raise awareness of chronic pain conditions - fibro, IBS and so on - and get the message out there about how it affects each and every one of us.

The writer is looking for responses from anyone touched by Fibromyalgia - male and female patients, carers, partners, children and even doctors - to enable her to write from all perspectives.

If you're interested, or know of someone who might be willing to complete a short(ish) questionnaire, please email voices4chronicpain@gmail.com in the first instance.

For my part I have already received the questionnaire and it looks relatively straightforward from a patient's perspective - how it affects my day to day activities, how I feel about the illness etc etc.

I have also roped in my long suffering wife and her questionnaire from a partner's perspective is equally straightforward!

The questionnaires can be completed in your own time and total anonymity is guaranteed if you wish it. (Never one to shy away from these things I'm having my name in huge letters across anything used in the published tome!! - after all we must all play our part in raising awareness of this hideous condition!!)

So, please, step up, email the writer and get your, your partners, carers, childrens voices heard.

Email voices4chronicpain@gmail.com

So Many Unanswered Questions

It's been a torrid time this past few weeks and months. My pain levels have been pretty constant - around a seven for most of the time - so I've been feeling quite depressed about life in general and mourning the life I once had really badly.

When I was a teenager I took part in a great many physical activities. Hiking, kayaking, orienteering, rock climbing, mountaineering, abseiling, swimming (to gold life-saving award standard), camping and general sports activities - I was never any good at team sports like football or athletics, but I loved the other stuff. These days I'm lucky to manage a half hour swimming session without completely exhausting myself for days after. 

I'd love to know why. What happened between then and now? Did I cause all this myself through too much inactivity - between 20 and 37 I didn't do much sport, though up until 2010 I went hiking across the moors quite regularly and was a member of my local gym - or did I cause it through overdoing it when I was a teenager??? Was I always predisposed to fibro?  is it genetic? Did some earlier illness cause it? Were the agonising leg cramps I had as a young boy the start of it, or was it the pneumonia I contracted when I was 23?

Will the pain ever stop?

Will I ever be cured?

Will the medical profession find a treatment that works without causing other symptoms or side effects?

There are so many unanswered questions with fibromyalgia.