Hi, Jennifer. Welcome to the forum. I'm glad you like it and have decided to stay! I don't know if you've found "Fibro 101," our first thread, but it's great and informative reading, no matter how long you've been afflicted.
You ask some very interesting questions.
Biggest pains or problems: 1) back and shoulder pain, and Sciatic Nerve pain which is probably amplified because of Fibro, 2) having to live "life lite," because I can never go all-out on anything without paying for it, and the frustration and anger from that which is always there, though I try to reason myself out of it, 3) Brain Fog!! I seriously spend half my time trying to remember where I put things and what steps to take to get organized. Probably more. 4) I'm going to have to add a fourth thing: people not believing what I tell them about
how I feel. Eeerrk!! I'm stubborn and refuse to say it's something it's not or play it down. Must be the way I was raised.
What I'd do IF: (How many hours do you have for this answer? LOL) First off, I'd have a regular job using my degree, instead of occasionally substitute-teaching...so of course, my family would have substantially more income. I'd run, dance, swim, garden, hike, redecorate my house, CLEAN my house, do yoga, take my dogs for walks,
open Starbucks doors myself instead of depending on the kindness of strangers ;) The list goes on and on. This is just what I can think of off the top of my head.
Hesitation to buy into things? Yes, absolutely. I always think, "Yeah, right - what do you want from me?" Especially with online things. I suppose it comes from living in the world almost 60 years and seeing all the charlatans out there who prey on people's pain, fear and hope. (As with the anger, I don't like being this way, but there it is.) Once I realized this forum wasn't selling anything, it was just about
sharing, I jumped in with both feet and feel very lucky to have found it.
Hope to see you around more! Don't hesitate to ask questions, because we're here for you.
Debbie