Fibro means never having to say you can do it all

The sun is out, the pressure is high and my overall body pain is low. Fatigue is not a factor, as I had a very good sleep. So the challenge? How to do the day, without over doing it. People with fibromyalgia may know what I mean.

Studies have shown that a lot of people who have fibromyalgia were A-type personalities in their past lives. All that lying around in pain, watching TV or being so fatigued that you just stare at the ceiling, or you take long hot Epsom salt baths, or you exercise gently -- all these activites time. A lot of time. Fibroites start to feel useless in other areas of their lives, as family, household, or career tasks mount.

So what do I do when I have a good day? Go at those chores whole hog and do catch up, right? Wrong. That type of behaviour will only cause a flareup the following day, which may put you out of commission for an even longer period. Chronic illness means never having to say you can do it all! It means not feeling guilty or unworthy about your new approach to daily life.

The key to long term pain management is to pace yourself, deal with priorities, and if necessary, look past the less pressing chores or ask for help with them. If you can afford it, hire a Molly Maid or an assistant. If your income is limited, create a closet or drawer, to stash less urgent problems. Date things with a post-it note. and do them in order of priority. Make your health your number one priority!