See my GP this afternoon

[missrat]

This is proving a really bad setback. I wonder if I also have fibromyalgia.

Saturday's rat show was chaotic, as I forgot two things I needed and we arrived nearly two hours early. Lesson - do not leave all the printing to the last minute. Lesson 2 - put label size in the file name of mailmerge labels! Lesson 3. Keep my spare mains lead in my show bag. Lesson 4. Prepare some generic paperwork which would be easy to complete by hand. (I'm involved in running one of them most months.)

Still feeling shaky, low and procrastinating - the pain is a nuisance, but not feeling suicidal at present. I had a good talk on a helpline last night.

One big problem is that I have no close family and my two closest support friends - one is struggling with severe depression and sciatica herself, and the other - having moved about 20 minutes away will be moving even further away soon. He says he will still come in daily and feed the rats if I'm away and will take me to most shows as usual. (It probably surprises you all that we have RAT shows every 2-3 weeks - like "rattie Crufts!") I hoped the church would be more helpful, but most are married and there are few singles around 67.

I see my 'happy wanderer' rat - where I can't get her! Given me a new idea to implement later, though.

Ann

[Hidden]

Hi

I'm sorry it seems like there's now the additional problem of fibromyalgia. I suffer from depression and also developed fibro - the consultant I saw explained that there is a strong association between the two and that they are often linked to traumatic experiences in the past and very high lvels of stress. That fits my early history perfectly, but I find the symptoms fluctuate according to how depressed I am feeling. I do hope your symptoms settle down. Are you feeling more depressed? I found writing about how I became depressed in the initial phases and how that linked to how I felt about my past experiences helped ease the depression mainly because I was able to realise I had a right to feel angry and felt supported and validated. I don't know whether you would find that helpful but if you think you would then the website here is a great place to start sharing. I've found people really supportive as I know you already do. I've found there isn't really any way of treating the fibro feelings although s few things do ease them a bit, but I find as soon as I start expressing anger verbally or in writing the symptoms ease a few days later! Suexx