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My Frickin' Fibromyalgia

Submitted by The Eccentric poet on Mon, 2020-03-16 01:57

I have no new symptoms to look up on the internet,
My feet for now are gout and gangrene free.
I've not yet broken into a cold sweat,
Still it's only a quarter past three!
I don't feel that I'm very depressed,
On a level or particularly high,
Nor do I feel like I'm at any unrest,
Watching my moods, mutate, mix and multiply!
I take my multi vits and supplements,
Folic Acid, Iron and vitamin E.
I can't keep up with every circumstance,
Nor how many times I'm having to pee!.

I've been having a lot of hot flushes,
The doc says it's the menopause.
I'm hobbling around on my crutches,
No fear of breaking any traffic speed laws!
My right leg wont stop twitching,
I feel like something possessed!
My left foot now won't stop itching,
But like hell am I getting up and dressed!

I put my myself in the hot bath,
I feel like a bloody beached whale.
My kids laugh at the aftermath,
Of another nightly epic fail.
I don't know if I'm getting muddled,
Or the fibro has hit me out cold.
I'm just so completely befuddled,
Why did I just give a phone to a 3 month old?

I've just found my remote control in the freezer,
My husband says he still loves me alot.
The meds aren't making it much easier,
Trying to convince myself I'm not losing the plot!
Last night I had a cleaning breakout,
And scrubbed the floors until 5 to 4!
At 8 am I totally passed out,
And now my bloody limbs won't move at all!

My friends and family don't understand it,
But I think they never really have tried,
Why can I never remember shit,
And I'm always sitting on my 'fat lazy backside"
It's not much having Fibromyalgia,
In fact it sucks quite a bunch,
My days wrapped up in nostalgia,
But I never can remember what I had for Lunch!

Maybe one fine day on the internet,
There will tell me why my brain and
body has fallen apart!
The degeneration of the ditzy brunette,
Who's life was aerobics, yoga & mixed martial arts.
Until then I will have to carry on laughing,
At all the stupid things I daily do,
Dish dropping and afternoon napping,
Until the day is finally through!

Style / type: 
Free verse
Review Request (Intensity): 
Please use care (this is a sensitive subject for me, do not critique harshly)
Review Request (Direction): 
What did you think of my title?
How was the beginning/ending of the poem?
Last few words: 
I am plagued with fibromyalgia but with this poem I am trying to bring across a humorous take on it. Yes I do suffer with this illness but I refuse to let it break me xx
Editing stage: 
Editing - polished draft

Comments

Geezer

Mon, 2020-03-16 08:22

Geezer's picture
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Fibromyalgia, but I do have COPD. Yes, there are things that change our lives against our will. If we let it get us down, we can have even more severe problems. I'm glad to see that you are coping by making light of your problems. Thanks for a look at those things that most people take for granted. I found the classification of your poem a puzzle as you rhymed pretty well all the way through. The proper designation would be, Structured Western. Your work has a few little bobbles in the rhythm, but nothing major. I'm sure that they can be worked out. ~ Geezer.
.

There is value to commenting and critique, tell us how you feel about our work.
This must be the place, 'cause there ain't no place like this place anywhere near this place.

The Eccentric poet

Mon, 2020-03-16 11:11

The Eccentric poet's picture

No I'm up for learning, that's why I ask for feedback. I know my work is in no way perfect, with guidance from others, such as yourself I feel I grow as a writer and I become better at it, so thanks for taking time to give me your input xx

author comment

Eumolpus

Mon, 2020-03-16 10:36

Eumolpus's picture

A few suggestions;
Make all the stanzas equal. 8 lines. Tight form gives a poem a coherence sometimes. You have a good rhyme scheme going.
Shorter- cut out some redundancies
The reader (me) does not know much about this condition. Tell me a little about it IN the poem. Do people die from it too?

The language is very vernacular and the poem works. Just a few suggestions as you requested

Eumolpus
I'd rather learn from one bird how to sing
than teach ten thousand stars how not to dance
ee cummings

The Eccentric poet

Mon, 2020-03-16 11:20

The Eccentric poet's picture

I like that and I totally appreciate any help I can get. You are absolutely right, when i write it's such an explosion of emotion that I'm more concerned about getting my feelings down rather than thinking about the sense and structure of the poem !

I never think my work is perfect that's why i ask for help so i can grow as a writer, otherwise I will continue to write below par poetry and fail to evolve as a poet.

Thankyou for taking time out of your day to help me.

author comment

Eumolpus

Mon, 2020-03-16 19:56

Eumolpus's picture

i think there is not a poet ever that didn't feel the same way about his work. It's never perfect.
as Lowell said "I don't write. I re-write."

I heard recently an interview with Pablo Casals at 94. When asked his daily routine, it includes 4 hours of practice. "Practice?" they ask? "Yes, one day I hope to get good"

Poetry is never having to say you're sorry.

welcome.

,,

Eumolpus
I'd rather learn from one bird how to sing
than teach ten thousand stars how not to dance
ee cummings

The Eccentric poet

Tue, 2020-03-17 18:15

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I will be tweaking it over the weekend x

author comment

Gracy

Mon, 2020-03-16 12:28

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Hi, well, well, here you have a fellow Fibro. Others have given excellent advice on form and I agree, although I don't think you need tighten it to 8 lines. Just try to get the iambics, etc., right. I'm sure you can be helped out, others have done so for me.
I've had Fibro since about 30 years ago, I was lucky to have had it diagnozed in less than a year by a Pain Specialist. I became a vegetarian about 4 years ago and that has improved my general health enormously. I only take my morning meds of Tramadol50mgs. and Paracetamol/or Tylenol for breakfast. Sometimes, another half dose at midday.
The best way for me, is to have a fairly hot shower in the evenings, followed by Tai Chi. It relaxes my muscles. I do that every other day. Not in the morning, it won't work. I only had a teacher for one year, now I do it inside on a soft mat.
Not only are pains so much better, but my thyroid grand returned to normal and I lost more than 10kgs in about a year. Well, I can't tell you all my story here, but if you wish, send me a message.
Congrats on tackling this harsh topic. I have a friend who does the same. She also sat outside Congress till the Fibro law became a reality. We're all covered in Argentina, for everything. We have free public hospitals and free education.
Bye for now, hope you feel better soon.

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"My soul is painted like the wings of butterflies; fairy tales of yesterday will grow but never die, I can fly, my friends.” – Freddie Mercury

The Eccentric poet

Mon, 2020-03-16 13:16

The Eccentric poet's picture

Thankyou so much for getting in touch and for the suggestions you have given me. This bloody illness has crippled me ! I used to work out 37 hours a week and now I can't even work out 37 mins a week, it totally sucks.

I'm not taken seriously by my doctors or the pain clinic they told me to stop taking my morphine because that's for people who have "real pain" it really annoys the hell out of me. If they lived one day in my body they wouldn't be saying that!

Blessings to you babe, I hope you continue to feel better and show "frickin' fibromyalgia" who's boss xxx

author comment

Gracy

Mon, 2020-03-16 13:41

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Hiya again, morphine is a bit much, but Tramadol is considered a light opioid and it hasn't made me addictive at all. It works very well, I used to take it with the Paracetamol 4 times a day.
Definitely hard workouts are bad. We need to walk and do gentle stuff such as Tai Chi plus a few of the traditional exercises we did at school. But gently. Yoga is only good for some movements and meditation. Tai Chi es "meditation in movement". You concentrate on your movements and try not to think of anything else.
Once I told a stupid doc that I wished him a day of Fibro pain. BTW, I only use vinegar, bicarbonate and water for cleaning the house. I use no soap and just water for brushing my teeth. It's all propaganda, my dentist saw my mouth and said that's fine. I have at least 18 front and side teeth without caries, my molars just have crowns.
Vegetables cointain all the proteins, oils, iron and vits. you need. Especially pulses and beans. I breakfast on corn or rice flakes with walnuts, almonds or Brazilian nuts, as well as all sorts of seeds. Everything ground in my machine, whatever it's called. I speak Spanish as well, so I get mixed up. Hope you can try some of my ideas. It's difficult to become vegetarian, for me it was easy because I simply stopped liking the flavour of all meats. Same as with smoking.
xxx

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"My soul is painted like the wings of butterflies; fairy tales of yesterday will grow but never die, I can fly, my friends.” – Freddie Mercury

The Eccentric poet

Tue, 2020-03-17 18:13

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Great to hear from you! Oh I may borrow some of your suggestions tyvm xxxx

author comment

Edna Sweetlove

Mon, 2020-03-16 21:03

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..by misuse of exclamation marks. Just drop them.

xxx
Edna
Poet(ess) to the Stars

The Eccentric poet

Tue, 2020-03-17 21:17

The Eccentric poet's picture

Sorry I do have to stop writing like I do on Facebook xx

author comment

Edna Sweetlove

Tue, 2020-03-17 19:52

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..just stop wasting your time on "Facebook" which is a load of common rubbish, I have heard.

xxx
Edna
Poet(ess) to the Stars

The Eccentric poet

Tue, 2020-03-17 21:28

The Eccentric poet's picture

Without my social media I'd have nothing and no one to speak to.

I'm a hermit, only leave the house for appointments. I don't have any real life friends and I only talk to my doctor or my chemist on the phone.

I like the fact that I can chat on my own terms but I don't have to actually meet people or invite them into my life, I can pick up and leave when I choose.

I have alot of support for my mental health problems on Facebook as well as my physical illnesses, we trade coping mechanisms and offer each other advice.

I know Facebook can come across as a bear garden and a trolls paradise but for me sometimes its sanctuary, somewhere to be listened to and understood.

author comment

Geezer

Wed, 2020-03-18 02:25

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like anything else, like life even; you have to pick and choose the things you accept as truth and the value of the people there.
You are right, you can pick up and leave anytime you wish and avoid any unpleasant people or thoughts. It is much harder to do in the flesh. Keep on keeping on. ~ Geezer.
.

There is value to commenting and critique, tell us how you feel about our work.
This must be the place, 'cause there ain't no place like this place anywhere near this place.

The Eccentric poet

Wed, 2020-03-18 09:10

The Eccentric poet's picture

I feel more understood and closer to the people on social media than I do to people in RL. There's always someone to talk to, new people to 'meet' and you can share daft memes and have a laugh, which is what we all need.

My doctor says I don't socialise, just because I don't set foot out of the door does not mean I have not had contact with people and enjoyed their company, it's called "social media" and in that way I'm very social.

author comment

Edna Sweetlove

Wed, 2020-03-18 12:52

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...pre-empted coronavirus social distancing.
.

xxx
Edna
Poet(ess) to the Stars

The Eccentric poet

Wed, 2020-03-18 18:09

The Eccentric poet's picture

Edna these are not my words but they do fit in with how I am "I'm building a wall, a fine wall. Not so much to keep you out more to keep me in" I'm a bit fragile atm and when you have something fragile you try to protect it as much as possible "I've broken into pieces, too sharp to touch and to hard to find....take a deep breath babe, I know I've gone to far....maybe....my new tight fit jeans sure look swell but I can't feel my feet anymore" ( these are my words btw)

Please Edna, if you wish to make comments on my work that are to to help me I'm always grateful, but please don't judge me or my situation, that you know very little about.

I would like you like your guidance and your respect as you already have mine, I will never dismiss or trivialise your feelings, so please can I ask for you to not to the same to me?

Thankyou xxx

author comment

Edna Sweetlove

Wed, 2020-03-18 19:43

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...I wish you the best, but I honestly can't see that playing about with people on Facebook, some of whom may well be stark raving mad, paranoid or even dangerous can help.

xxx
Edna
Poet(ess) to the Stars

The Eccentric poet

Wed, 2020-03-18 22:06

The Eccentric poet's picture

I'm crazy, I have been sectioned 3 times in my life and been on PINCU more times than I care to mention.

I suffer from bipolar, bpd, and severe depression. Nobody can help you better than someone who has been through it.

Everyone else can smile and nod and sympathise but when someone else has seen it too and experienced it, they give the best advice and you can help them too, which always makes me feel good when I have helped someone else xxx

author comment
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