C...Cramping Muscles Are Cramping My Style

With spring more or less here, I’m yearning for some mountain biking and hiking. Now that I have fibromyalgia, I am reminded every year that I can’t do nowhere near as much as I used to and that what I can do must be prepared for far in advance. Basically, unless I work myself up to this mountain biking and hiking every spring, I will suffer horrible muscle cramps and pain.

So, here I am, with snow still floating around outside, using an exercise bike a little more each day to prepare for something months in advance--something that I used to do spontaneously at the drop of a hat. When fibro first took hold of my life I resented this to no end. I felt pathetic, weak, and embarrassed. I was ashamed that I couldn’t pursue a simple passion like mountain biking or hiking without training like some loser.

Now, though, I see my little training sessions in a whole other light. Instead of seeing them as a sign of weakness, I actually see them as a sign of strength. They are proof of the pain and effort I am willing to go through to retain a beloved piece of my life before fibromyalgia. No, I’ll never stop hating that the cramping and pain get in the way. Yet, I know now that I can and do have the ability to make small changes against my chronic illness. I do have the power to fight this. And even though it may take me a lot more time and effort than what is normal, I can hold on to the things that I cherish!

Do you have a chronic illness that gets in the way of you doing the things that you love? If so, what strategies have you developed to help counteract your illness? How have you adapted or evolved so you can still do some of your favorite things?