Fibromyalgia - The invisible thief

Written by Christina Duvenhage on the 16 March 2024

In 2023 I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. People know it as wide spread pain, with no cause. I on the other hand has gotten to know it as the thief that comes to steal and leaves you empty. It creates in one the fear of living, fear of trying something or doing something.

So many out there have heard the name Fibromyalgia, yet I don't think everyone knows what it is and how it affects one. This is my experience.

Today is a great day, the sun is shining, with a little breeze, so it's not that hot. A true summers day. You can hear the birds singing and the dogs playing in the background. But yet I find myself not in a good mood. I feel tired and my body aches all over. My body just feels weak, and if I have to rate my energy level it would have to be around 5%.

Everything hurts, my feet just don't want to bend when I walk, almost like it's stuck. My legs are sore and weak as if it refuses to lift my feet off of the ground. My hips feels like it's breaking with every step. My shoulders feel as if at any moment it's gonna break out of it's sockets. My wrists hurts and my hands are stiff. I struggle to write as my hands just simply refuse to hold the pen and with every word a stabbing pain runs through my fingers. My hands won't stop twitching. My brain feels foggy and empty, it's not registering and I am completely zoned out. All of this because I walked 2 blocks to the shop. Now my body is attacking/punishing itself for doing something that comes so natural to other.

Fibromyalgia is a thief who comes to steal your life. So many days spending in bed due to flare ups. Stealing moment from your family. Stealing your joy and replaces it with tears due to pain. Fibromyalgia is the thief that steals your memory, steals your ability to focus, steals your words and replaces it with hmmm and ahhhhs. Steals your freedom as you have to rely on others for so many things. It steals your ability to work and your income.

No one asks for Fibromyalgia, as it comes as a thief in the night and steals your body, your life, your emotions, your relationships and your mind. Just to leave you feeling like an empty shell. Fibromyalgia is the thief that comes to steal knowing no one will believe you as the proof cannot be proven. It keeps you looking normal on the outside, yet your screaming on the inside, but no one listens.

Fibromyalgia steals your identity and replaces it with loneliness. It steal your social life and replaces it with sleep-ins. It steals your health and replaces it with medication.

Fibromyalgia the invisible thief.