Pics & Memes that visualize fibromyalgia and other chronic pain illnesses

[JayCS]

It’s helpful for others and us to see us how we feel. These are my faves I’ve found on the web so far
#6 is by an artist here, might be gross, but I think it’s really funny:

2)

3)

4)

5)

Sometimes I just feel like this. Dead, morbid, gallows humor. My wife thinks it’s terrible - teehee. But she “delights” in “moping”, I don’t and try to poke her spirits up out of her stew as often and carefully as I can.

I often have my legs up, you may know, usually at home in a power rest. But I also lie this for 20 secs. on the table in the outdoor table tennis breaks , to save going over to the next playground structure, then I use my hands to hold the legs in between, or hold my arms up too. I don’t care any more! (Bit tough on my mate… )

[strugglinginKs]

I copied a couple of these to share with friends. All are very true, thank you.

[AussieMom]

JSC, thanks so much for posting these!!! The little birdie said it all in a nutshell! We are truly trapped in these bodies…

[Jess111]

Thank you- it’s always good to get the reminder you are not alone and what you feel is legitimate!

[JayCS]

Looking for and finding many pics is a help to me, so I’ll try to post one a day, if you like.
But we definitely need more of your quotes @gramybear too, once you’ve hibernated enough…
I’ll try to keep it to what I think are the best (the first number in the title is points out of 10), like the above 6.
This one is for my wife on this doubly special day:

#7

[ModSupport]

They’re great! I really like the first one.

[JayCS]

8

Posting this one is inspired by struggling’s grandma

It’s stretching the topic to “pics” that generally how we (wish we) could make people understand better, sometimes happy, sometimes sad, sometimes gentle, sometimes rough/crude. Whether it inspires us to real words or just our inner mental hygiene… I’ve been collecting 100s the last few days (100 of them good ones, 8-10 out of 10) - but I think one a day is still a good pace?
Some of them may be like GramyBears fibro-quotes/words of wisdom if that’s OK, but in jpeg-form.

[strugglinginKs]

LOL JayCS I love this one! Might not use it with grandma but I sure have some neighbors and “friends” I would love to share it with.

[JayCS]

#9

When/how were you fibromanic this week?

I was about collecting these pics/memes, but seem to have survived.

@CathyO When I saw this I thought of you writing you start tidying the house first thing… - don’t know if you’d count that as fibromanic tho!
I do get the housework done fairly well (enough…) eventually, but I try to start off with my body first (exercises, table tennis, therapy), then my wife, then my room, then the flat, then the rest…
And if The Ache is too big for the flat, that’s that.

(The person who made the meme is not as compulsive about “yesteray” as I am in noticing and pointing it out…)

[strugglinginKs]

Oh my Lord - this is SO me!

[JayCS]

@strugglinginKs

more and more in my arms and legs too - like it takes more effort to use them or like they have weights attached to them.

@strugglinginKs Yes - like a lead suit or an old diving suit or something like that…

#10

#11

#12

Real life is even “funnier”: My stretching class I did 6x, with everyone 10-20 years older than me, yet their exercises made me cry more than once from cramps, pain and nausea, until I went down to only a third of what they were doing.
Maybe I shouldn’t’ve been polite about it either, instead of doubting myself, but then I’m a truer fibromite than the Ol’ Tin Man, and yet to get there.

He shouldn’t be confused with certain modern day people wearing tin foil hats nowadays… see Weird Al’s “Foil”.

or an age suit:
#13

Incredible ageing suit - Virtual old age - Horizons

[JayCS]

Just read a great visualizing description (by Jon Rodis), because it helps people empathize, I’ve adapted it a bit:
“Just imagine how you feel with a cold. (Pause.) Weak, praps dizzy, aching a bit, numb? (Pause.): That is how I feel 2 to 3 days a week.
Now imagine how you feel with a flu. (Pause.) Very weak, very aching, numb, can hardly stand, do no chores, let alone work? (Pause.) : That is how I feel the other 4 to 5 days a week.”
I think we perhaps need to add:
“Now imagine you can’t at all sleep properly, tho… And now imagine this for the rest of your life.”

On a similar note, but too complicated to remember for even me without brain fog, this is more for sending around or printing:
#14

[CathyO]

I love it! Yes this is definitely me

[AussieMom]

@JayCS

Some of them may be like GramyBears fibro-quotes/words of wisdom if that’s OK, but in jpeg-form.

I think they are ALL wonderful, whether pics or words, JSC!!! We can use as many smiles & laughs as possible - I’m sure GramyB would agree!
Hey - Tell me they didn’t really tie that rock to a butterfly…

[JayCS]

@AussieMom “those who suffer in silence…”

I just really need to say this

Amen, GBear! To have a place you can go where everyone “gets” you is extraordinary! Especially for those of us who suffer in silence and have days when it may seem that there is no hope for a bright future. Thank you, wonderful moderators and friends, for lifting me up and making this a safe place to share from my

Use these memes as an encouragement ***not*** to keep completely silent!

to offer some of the thoughts / memes to try to convince the prejudices of those people you know who you feel strong enough to tackle or to improve the understanding of those you know who are open already.

#15 Sort of laughing and not-screaming at the same time:

#16

This short remark in the play Don Carlos does not sound like an *appeal* to suffer silently.

We are great souls. Maybe because we manage to partly suffer in silence. BUT we shouldn’t, if possible, see #22 below, and we will then still be great souls.
“Matilda’s heart has no one fathomed yet— Great souls endure in silence.”

and #17

#18 and #19
Our fibro maybe silent in that it is invisible, but these memes can help give fibro and us a voice, by the visualization etc.

#20 - Sometimes we just yearn to be understood and believed,
but remember we don’t even understand it ourselves, so let’s start there…

#21

#22 - and to put a slightly drastic end to the moaning about feeling the need to remain silent, and at the same time allowing ourselves to quietly shout out this double suffering:

[JayCS]

@AussieMom

@I just really need to say this

To have a place you can go where everyone “gets” you

#23 On a similar note to yesterday (but only partly true, so don’t take it to get you down or put others down. Also we don’t completely get (all of) it ourselves, so forgive us and them … )…

[AussieMom]

I like all of these, JSC! Even the “Suffering Silently is Sin” b/c we aren’t suffering “silently” anymore. We share here honestly. It doesn’t matter if we “see” each other physically or know each other’s name, b/c we know each other’s heart and we feel each other’s pain.
(I wasn’t trying to rhyme - It just came out that way)
I’m a female FMS-ing Dr. Suess (Note: I said “FMS” not “PMS”) Now I just ruined this heartfelt post, didn’t I? I’m WAY overtired and the pain pills are kicking in. Gotta luv me anyway. Ya just gotta. It’s the Ben’s Friend’s law. hahaha @modsupport - Seenie, I’ve truly lost it!!!

[AussieMom]

One more reply, here. JCS, your pics and words have spoken to me deeply. It reminded me of when I went through my divorce, 20 years ago. I was so sad and angry. I would scream in my car, so no one would hear. Has anyone else here done that?

[strugglinginKs]

@AussieMom

It reminded me of when I went through my divorce, 20 years ago. I was so sad and angry. I would scream in my car, so no one would hear. Has anyone else here done that?

Oh, yes, I can so relate. I also did things like pray for a well placed lightning bolt too. And for a time I should have had stock in the chocolate “oranges” that you smack on the counter and they break into segments. I still find those immensely satisfying when someone really stresses me out. Probably not the most “Christian” of actions and thoughts, but I figure it is better to take it out on a chocolate orange than the other person.

[JayCS]

Hmm… I tend to say I’ve been getting better and better all my life, physically and mentally, starting at zero, if not minus, so I’m not sure what cd’ve contributed to the fibro, apart from the toll…
But my divorce was 2010-2017, my first bigger fibro-flare 2016, tiredness and Ache started around 2010, swine flu 2011. Go figure? Probly not necessary.