As the year gets closer to its end, we all find ourselves asking “Where did it go?” Did we skip some months, or did we actually live through them all?

Something very dear to your heart when you have Fibromyalgia is the loss of time. We deal with quite a lot of loss, but the loss of time really hits home. Whether it is more time you could have spent working, more time travelling, more time with loved ones and friends, or simply more time living a fully productive life. We yearn for the life we had pre-Fibromyalgia, where we could go out whenever we wanted, accept invitations without having to say, “I’ll see how I am on the day!”

Although people with Fibromyalgia may look fine on the surface, I can assure you they are not. Because there are so many myths associated with this illness, people will often say they are fine, rather than face the disbelieving looks or a barrage of unhelpful questions or advice. Therefore, there is a great need to be able to express yourself and how you are feeling without the fear of judgement. In our Fibromyalgia Support Group, you are amongst people you can trust, that know what you are going through as they are having a similar journey themselves.

A lot of caring and sharing happens in our group, and I for one am very glad for the kinship we share.

Every third Wednesday of the month we meet at the Grafton District Services Club at 10am, October meeting being on the 18th. Please feel free to come along and enjoy the camaraderie as we talk about how we have been and what we have been up to over the last month. This safe space offers a place to vent your frustrations about living with Fibromyalgia and the effect it has not only on your life, but those around you as well.

With such a vast array of symptoms it is very easy to overlook some of them and lump them into the “Just getting older box” when in fact they may be able to be treated and give you some relief. Many times, some of our members may mention something and it rings a bell with someone else who is experiencing the same or similar symptoms. By sharing our stories and information we have gathered over the years we can shine a light on a problem and possibly provide some answers.

Living with Fibromyalgia is a hard lot in life and this support group offers you a soft place to land.

For more information, please contact Coleen Flynn on 0432 079 465 or Deborah O’Driscoll on 0434 031 295.

Deborah O’Driscoll