Her Diamonds...and Mine

Today is a high pain day...and today's post was inspired by sitting in the parking lot of CVS waiting for my d.h. to pick up pain meds for me, listening to my music on my Android when "Her Diamonds" by Rob Thomas came on. I don't think any other song exists that describes how hard it must be for the loved ones to watch those of us that suffer with a chronic condition and how helpless they feel.
Rob is rumored to have written the song about his wife, Mari who suffers from an autoimmune disorder. He sings about the days that she has just had enough and how she cries. Watching her tears fall tears him apart. I know my best friend and my d.h. both struggle as they watch me get through my worst days too....those days that I just keep thinking "if I can get to tomorrow morning, I'll be okay". 
My high pain days are brought on by stress, high emotion, and my menstrual cycle. I usually have a headache and more pain just before my period starts, and to add insult to injury I have a 23 day cycle. I've had two surgeries because my fibro-menstrual related symptoms mimicked endometriosis and I had hemorrhagic cysts on my ovaries. One of the procedures I had done was a uterine ablation, which essentially is the step before removing the uterus. It seals up most of the ducts inside the uterus and makes my period a lot easier on me. I still have both ovaries and therefore a regular hormone cycle...and that's what gets me every 23 days. 
In other news though, today was a good day because I finally got into see an anesthesiologist who was willing to listen to me and help me. I got stronger pain meds and on Friday I am having an epidural steroid injection in my neck that offers hope for more pain relief. The doctor I saw this morning was kind and helpful and it was such a relief to be heard and offered pain management options. I'm a little scared of the procedure but I am hoping for relief.
Finally, tomorrow is National Fibromyalgia Awareness Day. I hope you'll share my column with your friends, watch the video, and help get the word out to we can educate and raise awareness and offer hope and help to the 10 million or so of us that are struggling with Fibro.

Lyrics | Rob Thomas Lyrics | Her Diamonds Lyrics