Denise La Clair is a mother of three children and has a full time job as a teacher at Creighton University. She believes she first developed CFS when she fell down concrete stairs at the age of 17. "After the fall, I started having serious problems getting solid sleep, and over the following years, experienced increased fatigue, terrible headaches, and an inability to walk without pain or with endurance." She blamed this on laziness which significantly lowered her self esteem. Denise lived in pain with no explanation for over two decades until she was diagnosed with CFS at the age of 40. "Not having a medical explanation for my symptoms, I felt a sense of shame. I tried to find reasons for my inability to keep up: I must be out of shape physically, or stressed from being a college student, then a new mother, and finally teaching while running a household." This all turned around with the proper treatment and counseling from her doctor. She was prescribed over the counter medication, including sleep medication, and began weekly physical therapy. With the assurance that she was not a "faker" she redeemed her self esteem and learned a verity of strategies to keep up with the world.
Denise learned to manage all perspectives of her life to accommodate for her hidden disorder. Acceptance was first on the list. Since her CFS could not be cured, the next best option is to learn to live with it. She learned to plan how she spent her energy because every little bit was so valuable. Instead of becoming overwhelmed, she began to listen to her bodies reaction and modify as needed. Doing less in the day allowed more energy to enjoy spending time with her family and participating in outings with friends. She was willing to make the necessary life changes, so now, she is back to enjoying HER life.
Denise states, "My adaptations have not cured me of FMS. I still have bad flares and I still get discouraged, but I have learned how to manage the disorder, so I am no longer overwhelmed." A good diet, quality sleep, daily, planned rests, and careful pacing along with some medications (both prescription drugs and supplements) have been vital for her improved health. The medical community had little understanding of CFS/FMS so most of her initial success was due to trial and error. Now that doctors realize this is a real condition, more beneficial treatment is available. So many patients with CFS/FMS lack the motivation to be proactive and take control of their syndrome. Life may be difficult with CFS, but it is still worth living.
Reference
"Learning to Manage Fibromyalgia." Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Oct. 2014.
