12th May is Fibromyalgia Awareness Day!

For those of you who may not already know, Fibromyalgia is the name of the debilitating, chronic pain condition that I live with. Living with this illness also means that I am part of a vibrant, supportive community of Fibro Warriors - some of the most beautiful, kind and caring souls I have ever met, who are also living with this condition. Many of us are highly motivated, high-achievers and despite the challenges of Fibromyalgia, we continue to take an active role in our communities in whatever capacity we may be able to.

Ultimately, this is what Fibromyalgia Awareness is all about; asking you to take some time to learn a little more about our condition so that we might be met with more understanding in our communities. Living with disability can mean that we sometimes need a little more help to manage tasks that the able-bodied can manage alone, but we are far from a drag on your time and resources. When disabled people are supported and enabled to be active members of our communities, our talents and efforts will also enrich and bless the lives of others.

At the age of seventeen, I sat in a doctor’s office to hear my diagnosis. The relief of knowing what was wrong with me, being able to give it a name, was short lived when he informed me, “You are seventeen and your life is over.” This remark was followed by a long list of things I should give up on, including “pipe-dreams” of further education or ever living independently. There was no hope of healing, no treatment and no cure.
 
While this hit me like a punch in the gut, I remember thinking in that very moment, “What right does he have to decide that my life is over? Nobody gets to decide that but me.”
 
That began my journey into alternative therapies. Changing my diet and how I managed my life, so that I could continue to live it! Living with chronic illness isn’t easy and comes with a great many additional challenges that those blessed with good health don’t usually have to worry about. In addition to my physical diagnosis of Fibromyalgia, my mental health also suffered and that is when I found aromatherapy.