| Today I met a woman who has fibromyalgia. I have | | | | a good parent. |
| known her for a long time - indeed, we are quite | | | | How was she to take the children to school when |
| good friends. Over the years I have got to know | | | | she can hardly walk herself? How can she cook and |
| quite a lot about her medical history, her troubles and | | | | prepare the table when she cannot stand? What do |
| concerns. She is a lady that does not complain, does | | | | her children think of her when she cannot run to hug |
| everything her doctor tells her and generally gets on | | | | them, play tennis with them and be an adventurous |
| with life. Until now. | | | | mother at funfairs or at the beach? |
| This time she broke down in tears. The struggle with | | | | It was quite eye opening for me. Physicians often |
| the wretched fibromyalgia has been too much. For 15 | | | | see a snapshot of their patients in their offices, not |
| years she has put on a brave face and put up with | | | | fully realizing the impact the diseases and conditions |
| everything that has been thrown at her. Treatments | | | | have in the periods before they next see them. For |
| made little impact but still she did not complain. | | | | this lady, she was only to aware of the difficulties |
| Today she told me about what it is like to live with | | | | she had been experiencing. |
| this condition. Well, she told me about her children | | | | Her children, of course, love her just the same. She, |
| who are 9 and 6 years old. In graphic detail she | | | | though, sees it differently. |
| relayed how the fibromyalgia had stopped her being | | | | |