Loving Someone With Fibromyalgia and Arthritis

I have fibromyalgia. I have had it just over a year. It’s been quite the journey to learn how to live with it and to learn how to manage my symptoms and my life with the chronic pain and fatigue that comes along with the fibro. I don’t pity myself, not one bit. I believe I was given this life because I am strong enough to handle it, and wise enough to learn how to navigate the day to day difficulties and struggles of it.

There is a lot that comes with living with fibromyalgia, and I realize that while I live with the physical symptoms and fight the daily fight, there are people who love me and want to help me to make the struggle a little bit easier. I see you, I notice and I appreciate you. So, if you’d like to help me, hear me out.

Help me run errands. If I am having a bad pain day, offer to take me to the store or run my errands for me if I mention that it is too much to get up.

See me for the person I am, not for my diagnosis. I am more than the fibromyalgia and the arthritis. I am still the same person you know and loved before diagnosis.

Even if I say no, please keep inviting me out! It makes me feel loved and reminds me that I am important to you. Please understand that if I am able, I will come.

Love me. Continue to love me. Be my friend, be my family. Being sick isn’t easy. Visit me and spend time with me. Come over and watch movies with me, we can throw a pizza or something in the oven and have a quiet night.

Being sick isn’t anything that I wanted but if I know you are there for me then the burden is less.