Our Fibromyalgia Blog Book

I Did It To Myself

         Yep, you read it right. At least for the recent past and current time, a few of my Fibro pains are predictable, at least the location and timing. They may also hit me when I'm not expecting them as always, but I have learned that a number of certain activities will almost certainly trigger certain ones that can last quite a while. Two examples, but a moment of background on one first.
         My father and I rebuilt the old roll-driven player pianos as a bobby for 17 years. From 1963 till 1980. On a pretty large scale. In 1972, while we were still learning a few things about rebuilding the specialized devices that were part of the baby grand players, we had an opportunity to buy an UNrestored 1925 Steinway Duo Art reproducing baby grand player. Since we only felt confident rebuilding certain parts of the grand mechanisms at that point, and certainly didn't want to ruin such a valuable instrument, we had it rebuilt by a gentleman who'd been doing it full time for over 30 years so we could enjoy listening to it while learning the rest for ourselves. The gentleman's name was Harry Garrison. Dad and I dealt with Harry a number of times over those 17 years, but not too recently. Now back to the present.
         Example 1 of those pains. I got a call from Harry Garrison on my cell phone this afternoon. Getting a call on a cell phone is common these days, that's not the point. The thing is, Harry and I talked for a half hour straight at that point. And it just so happens that I was walking the cat when he called (yes, the cat - Piwacket - not Jake the dog), so I couldn't switch hands off and on with that phone. When we finally finished, the muscles on the inside of my upper right arm were killing me. They'd been under steady tension holding that phone, with no relief for half an hour. And they let me know it. Every time I would extend my right arm, those muscles would scream. They did that for about 6 straight hours before backing off.
         Example #2. That busy day today. Follow me here LOL. Got up at 6:30. Tiffany and I had to be in Williamsburg, a good drive east of here, by 8:30 for her 9:00 AM soccer game. They won 3-2, by the way, and Tiff had two of those three goals. I was proud of her for that kind of play, but I was even more proud of how she handled something else during that game. At one point, she got hit in the stomach with the ball, which had been kicked by an opposing player from only about 3 or 4 feet away. It hit Tiff full force in the stomach, knocking the wind out of her. But, she got up after only about 30 seconds, took a couple deep but stinging breaths, and got right back into the next play. I admire her even more for that kind of sportsmanship.
         After that game, we came back home, picked up a good friends of Tiffany's, Taylor, and the three of us went to the local amusement park, Coney Island for about 4+ hours. The Coney time was all free because today was my company's family day at Coney. Tiffany and Taylor had a ball. For me, it was fun watching them, but it was a lot of walking, and that's what would come back later to haunt me.
         We left Coney about 4:30, heading home to pick up Kenzie and Taylor's sister Gracie, for a kickoff celebration for our church's latest project.Kenzie ended up meeting us there, but we all made it. That event started at 5:00, and ran till 8:30. After bringing the three girls home, I ran to the store for a couple things, and came home. As I write this, it is now 10:57 PM, and my legs have been killing me since we got home from church. Add to that the pain in my arm from that long phone call just came back as well.
         But, I'm not really complaining. Because I knew it would happen in some form with all the walking and other leg activity I had today. Because it's far more than a typical day would bring.But with the way Tiff, Taylor and I enjoyed Coney, the way she put all she had into that soccer game, and the importance of the time at church tonight in worship, I wouldn't change a minute of it. It's worth the pain in my legs to have had that time to share with them, and with Him. This one I did to myself, and I don't regret it.


uring the course of a busy day today, which will be example number two, I got a phone call on my cell.