Thank you Glee!
I watched the new episode tonight and heard these words spoken:
"Her mom has fibromyalgia and can't work."
Of course it was in reference to a cannon, but I'll take it.
Thank you!
Thank you!
Who knows how many millions of people will watch that episode.
Disability examiners.
Insurance company executives, present and future.
Thank you for saying this. Right now, I have fibromyalgia, and can't work.
I hope that I will be able to work someday.
But right now, I am stunned and grateful that fibromyalgia is considered a legitimate enough disease to mention on one of the most popular shows in the country.
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6 comments:
It really stinks that in addition to chronic pain, you have to deal with discrimination against the SOURCE of your pain. I hope that the world accepts disease as disease soon, and that you feel much better even sooner.
Thanks, Sara. I totally agree.
I also cannot work due to Fibromyalgia. Right now it's a blessing because I have 5 children, (3 adopted & two of the 3 with major special needs like FASD, RAD, BP, ADHD and hearing loss) This pretty much takes up most of my time and energy. People who don't understand will say, "So you can take care of 5 kids but can't hold down a job." Yes I can. Because if I have a bad fibro day I can lay down when the kids go to preschool, I can take a nap or sit or lay on the floor and do my stretching. Maybe today I can lift my 2 year old but tomorrow I can't so my husband can do it. If I can't get dressed because I'm having a bad day or raise my hand to comb my hair I can stay in my PJ's with bedhead. The nature of Fibro is what makes people not believe in it because you can be totally fine one minute and not able to walk the next. I have had months where I was totally fine until the weather changed to snow or I overdid it on exercise because people with FM don't get the chemical message that they are overdoing it and have flares. My kids and husband know when I have a flare they really need to pitch in. I worked several jobs with FM and got let go from all of them because as much as they loved me I wasn't always able to function. The one job I was a reporter and they liked my work so much that when they had to let me go because I wasn't functioning (such a bad flare that I had a Bell's Palsy stroke) at my job but they asked me to write articles in for them. Another Job I had to sit all day at a computer doing data entry. I was in such a bad flare from sitting that I had a cyst pop up on my lower spine. They loved my work there but I would spend half my time in the bathroom rubbing ben gay on my spine. They didn't want to let me go so they looked into getting a desk that I can stand up at but Dr. said no. He said I needed to stop before I ended up in a wheelchair. So it's not even that the people I worked for didn't like my work. I just could not do everything everyday. I would have a couple week run where I was super worker and then something as minor as the weather or not being able to sleep or a stressful event would turn me into a mess! It's a miserable disease to have and I hate that people will see my happy pictures on FB or even pics of when I go out a couple times a month to my Brother's bar and say stuff like, "She doesn't look sick." Actually people in my family have said that. They don't realize that maybe I was dancing and smiling but the next day I can't get out of bed, do my hair, wash myself and need my husbands help with the kids. My Mother had Fibro and she said it's a horrible illness because people can't physically see your pain and it comes and goes so people think you are making it up. I remember when people were giving me a really hard time that they didn't believe me and I went to have a Lupus panel run and I actually cried when I didn't have Lupus. The Dr. said, "But Michele. You don't have it why are you crying?" I said, "Because if I had Lupus people know you are sick and they allow you to be sick without saying you are making it up in your head. Now I have to deal with people thinking I'm a hypochondriac for the rest of my life!" Pretty sad when I would prefer a disease like Lupus over Fibro. So I'm glad that it's get recognition! I understand where you are coming from Sister! Chin up!
Michele in Pa.
I found your blog because I googled, "Fibromyalgia reference in Glee". I wanted to see if anyone else shouted in ... well, glee, when Sue said that. I was SO happy. It was like, real mainstream recognition. I've been diagnosed now five years and it's been a struggle to make people understand what I go through on a daily basis. I hope this is just one small step in the right direction for all sufferers of invisible diseases. <3 <3
Except unfortunatly in the context of the comment they were suggesting that Fibromyalgia did not exist. Maybe any publicity is good publicity, but this comment was offensive to FM sufferers.
Yes, it wasn't an ideal reference, but I'll take it. Millions of people heard "her mom has fibromyalgia and can't work." I'll take it. I had no idea what hit me in 2007..had never heard of the disease. Baby steps, baby steps.
Remember when cancer was a disease that nobody talked about? Then people started talking about it and money started pouring in. I hope this happens with fibromyalgia and CFS.
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