Raise awareness about chronic illnesses by understanding their impact, symptoms, and the importance of support and education.
At the age of thirty-nine I decided to go back to college and finish my degree that I had started over 20 years prior. If I thought college was hard at eighteen, I had no idea what was in store for me. At this time, I was married with three kids and a full-time job. I wondered how I was going to fulfill all my responsibilities. I didn’t know at first what my end goal…
Staring down at my beautiful new son I am filled with love, so much love. I practically imagine his whole life in front of me. How wonderful his life is going to be and how happy we all will be together. I’m not sure if everyone feels this way when they first see their newborn baby or if it’s just me. I don’t care though; I have a son and I am on cloud nine!…
By: Dr. Alexa James We experience hundreds, thousands and hundreds of tiny movements every day in our everyday lives. We probably don’t even think about most of that. We have natural instincts and reflexes. We have tasks and tasks every day. We’re working, we’re playing, we’re training. We are breathing in, we are exhaling. Even before we get out of bed we wake up in the morning and spend another day facing. In the night (or…
By: Dr Alexa James Very often, people do not understand what Fibromyalgia is like, and other chronic, invisible diseases that cause chronic pain. In their lives they have experienced constant pain, so many have somehow, but they have never had to deal with long-term pain. I tried to search for the “official” pain labels for different pain types I felt but could not find a label with a proper description for them all. I found…
By: Dr Alexa James I just feel you. I feel you. I look okay, I’m okay. I live an active life, which is relatively normal. I’m walking, I’m driving, I’m climbing stairs. Visibly, I’m not disabled. I have no limp, no cane or wheelchair or walkers. I have no limp. I’m working a job of complete time. I’m living alone. I live alone. I take care of myself. I take care of myself. I’m cooking,…
By: Dr Alexa James We always look for ways of identifying and distinguishing ourselves. A way to be a single person. The Funny One, the Smart One, the Beautiful. The fan, the creative, the athletic. The “fan of sport,” One way I don’t want to do that is to “be a fibromyalgic girl.” “The painful girl, the painful girl” or “the tired girl.” “The painless girl,” I’m more than my pain. Ask me to camp.…
By: Dr Alexa James The chronic pain of such a hot button is pain relief, pain medication, and the treatment of pain. People believe that people who are suffering from chronic pain or seek pain medicines can not go beyond the truth. Individuals with chronic pain and chronic pain seek one thing alone, pain relief or pain control. Unfortunately, many pain conditions are widely misunderstood, especially fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia, therapy and management of this condition are…
By: Dr Alexa James The lack of inflammatory findings When patients complain about diffuse muscle and soft tissue pain in the tender areas, fibromyalgia (FM) diagnosis is considered. Pure or primary FM is non-inflammatory because it has poor response to anti-inflammatory conditions and has a lack of inflammatory findings about blood work, and examination. It is not associated with other inflammatory diseases. However, there can be diffuse musculoskeletal pain in patients with inflammatory disease such…
By: Dr Alexa James Our days are dictated by pain, tight muscles, fatigue and many other factors and symptoms for the patient who suffers from fibromyalgia or Chronic Pain. Sometimes we have to go so far as to plan a relaxing day, as far as our plans are concerned. What people who don’t have difficulties to understand with these conditions is how we can be productive some days, take part, enjoy fun activities, but some…
By: Dr Alexa James It can be frustrating if we need help, but don’t want to accept it, or even harder, that we don’t want to burden anybody else. Fortunately, as someone living with chronic conditions that make it harder to do normal business, I can say that there are people who really want to help others. Some people have the best of intentions but don’t know exactly what to offer, or maybe just want…