On this day, July 5, 2019, I changed my mind. I had changed my mind about a lot of things. The pain I was in, the depression I was suffering, the fact that I may lose my life entirely to a handful of diseases that were shutting my body down at such a young age. Things that normally “old people” suffered was going to destroy me before I even hit 50 years old. I had a laundry list of ailments. Those ailments may never go away but I decided the time I have left on this earth after years of fighting for answers and a diagnosis, I would change my trajectory.

“Depressive symptoms significantly impact the quality of life and prognosis of fibromyalgia patients. Therefore, the development of novel management approaches is crucial. Researchers and clinicians in the fields of immunology and psychiatry should conduct future studies with larger sample sizes to provide more robust evidence on the efficacy of current approaches in addressing depressive symptoms in people with fibromyalgia.” states National Library of Medicine website.

Somedays I wake up just fine, other days I’m in pain worse than the day before, but I wrote a promise to myself, my family and my friends and posted it for all to see. I have not looked back from that moment. Now I’m here being able to journal, record, and research and share my findings of the very illnesses that brought me to the brink of death. I encourage you to also find strength in yourself as you read my personal promise that I had written to myself and loved ones four years ago.

MY PROMISE TO FIBROMYALGIA

My brain says, “I can’t”… but I did it anyway.

My body groaned and ached… but I did it anyway.

Then it started tremoring… and I still did it anyway.

The day after, my brain says, “I’m hurt, so I’ll hurt you!”… but I got up out of bed anyway.

My body says “you hurt me, so I’ll hurt you!”… yet I’m up and moving and doing things anyway!

How can a person endure so much pain, and still do it anyway?

Because my heart says, “You have to enjoy as much of what’s left of this precious life as you can, so do it anyway!”

And so here I am. My life has changed, my world has changed. I may have to take naps in between, I may have to take meds to do it, I may have to do everything in short little bursts…..but no matter how I get it done, I’m going to do it anyway!

Because my heart is untouched, and I’m going to love this life anyway.

— Wellness Wishes from your Author, Misty Romack