What I wish everyone knew:
No, I don't have Fibromyalgia. But the after-effects of cancer treatment and surgeries mimic a lot of the fibro symptoms. I am on the better side of treatment, but there are days I still feel pretty lousy. I am thankful I don't have the 24/7 yuck feeling of chemo or the pain of recovering from surgery. SO thankful. But there are days, still, when I could sleep all afternoon, when everything hurts, when hot flashes come more than they go, when restless legs and/or insomnia keep me up at night, when I have almost unbearable fatigue.
I am happy to be {knock on wood} "done" with surgeries, chemo and radiation. If the worst thing I have to deal with is side effects of medicine and learning to handle how treatment changed my body, I'll take it.
Two years and two days ago, I had a bilateral mastectomy. Two years ago today I came home to sleep in the recliner for four weeks and let my mom and Hubby take care of my house and my family. The fact that I am working, cleaning, shopping, reading, cooking, hosting Christmas and New Year's Eve parties, packing lunches, supervising homework, doing laundry and everything else that being Michelle entails is a miracle to me, and I'm grateful for every chore-filled day.
But being grateful doesn't mean I can't complain. And since I have those complaints, I'd like to encourage you to support anyone who has a "hidden" illness. Even though they may look fine (or better than they have in a long time) doesn't mean everything IS fine. For me and others like me, the struggle is managing the lasting physical effects of treatment and coping with the fear that never goes away.
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