In 1990, I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia after being injured, quite severely, when I was rear ended in a traffic accident. When I had difficulty recovering, a doctor poked me in various spots and announced that I had fibromyalgia. I asked what it was and his response was, “It is a garbage pail diagnosis that we give people when we do not know what else to tell them.” I tried to ignore the diagnosis until a lovely October day in 2004 when I had extreme pain on the outside of both hips. One thing led to another and I was re-diagnosed with fibromyalgia. It became downhill for me

It was downhill for me until I was prescribed Lyrica in February of 2008. I also have two vision problems, which are exacerbated by the fibro. In the summer of 2008, I purchased a sidewalk mobility scooter because I simply cannot walk more than one-half a block without severe pain. Now I have wings. I live in Colorado and had a blast scootering about downtown Denver during the Democratic National Convention.

When the scooter developed problems, I was stranded in terms of independent travel.  I got a Jazzy power chair in December of 2010.  I was ill and only use it about three times because of illness and the weather.  Finally, it is mid-February, Denver has a break in the weather, and I have wheeled onto and off buses and our Light Rail.

I am a bit discouraged because I have developed diverticulitis and Stage 2 Chronic Kidney Disease. 

Life goes onward and I enjoy life most of the time!