Fibro Warrior – Vanessa Rhea

Today we are interviewing Fibro Warrior Vanessa Rhea of Chicago, IL. She was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia in December, 2011, just before her 25^th birthday.

Give me some basics… Are you married? Kids? Pets? Work? What do you enjoy?
I live with my partner of nearly 10 years, Josh, and our two cats, Sasha and Phoebe. I work as a special education teacher at a non-profit therapeutic day school for students with moderate to severe autism. I teach the high school class of nine wonderfully unique teenage boys. I also provide behavior therapy for a nine-year old boy with autism. I truly love my job, and working with the autism community. I enjoy going to the theater, singing, and spending time on the beaches of Lake Michigan.

What lead up to your diagnosis (symptoms, dr visits, etc)?
I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis in December of 2010. I was being treated with DMARDs and anti-inflammatories but still was experiencing muscle pain and weakness, fatigue, and just felt ill. When I voiced these concerns to my rheumatologist, she asked me questions about the quality of my pain and checked several tender points. She determined that I had Fibro in addition to my RA and was most likely the more severe condition.

What was your life like when you were diagnosed?
I was in the middle of working towards my BA in Special Education when I was diagnosed. My partner and I had been living together for almost a year and were adjusting to the lifestyle changes that came with my RA diagnosis.

How did your family initially handle your illness?
My family was very supportive. My mother is a nurse and my older sister also deals with an auto-immune disease, so there was already an understanding of chronic illness. There was a sense of “gosh, one more thing” but not necessarily negatively. My family has always encouraged me to stay strong and listen to my body. They know the importance  of self-care, and my Fibro dx just strengthened that message from them.

What do you feel is the most challenging aspect of Fibro?
The fatigue. The fatigue is overwhelmingly the most challenging aspect of Fibro. It has affected my social life to the point that I hardly have one anymore. I’ve had to quit singing in the choir that I loved due to the fact that I was too exhausted to make rehearsals. The fatigue interferes with every facet of my life, personal, social, and professional.

Do you have any other co-existing conditions? If so, what are they and how do they impact your Fibromyalgia?
I have RA, Raynaud’s disease, and bipolar disorder. They all impact my Fibro in different ways. If my RA flares, so does my Fibro. If my Raynaud’s is bad, it causes my muscles to cramp terribly. I get depressed during flares and having bipolar disorder makes that depression even deeper than usual and harder to recover from.

What (if anything) have you found/ done that has improved your symptoms?
The very first thing that actually improved my Fibro symptoms was Cymbalta. I know that meds work differently for different people, but this one worked for me. My pain decreased 75% after just a few days. It was glorious!

Aside from pharmaceuticals, yoga, massage, and heat therapy really do help relieve and control my symptoms. I also use Arnica cream to help relieve deep muscle aches. Compression pants and shirts are also really great for me.

How open are you with friends & family about your illness & symptoms?
Pretty open. I might keep the down and dirty details to myself but if it’s a bad Fibro day I share that with those around me. I let my friends and family know “It’s a bad pain day”, “I’m really foggy today”, or “I’ve been flaring this week” and that way they know that I need to take it easy and that they may have to pick up some of my slack. Even at work my team is so supportive, making sure I take it easy when I have to, even if I’m being stubborn. When I’m feeling well, I do my best to return the favor.

What is the best advice you’ve received about Fibromyalgia?
It’s ok to say no.

What was the worst advice that you followed?
I can’t say I’ve followed any “bad” advice. Maybe a suggestion that just didn’t work for me? If I was given or read any bad advice, chances are it was pretty sketchy to begin with and knew better than to follow it.

What is your favorite way to cope with your life as a spoonie?
Heated blanket, my cats, and comedy on Netflix. Seriously, nothing gets your mind off the crap of Fibro faster than snuggling with cats, and laughing at a comic on the tube.

What is it that inspires you to keep going, despite your illness?
My students. Honestly, if it weren’t for them, I don’t know if I’d get out of bed most days. They make me laugh, they make me think, and they are better teachers than I could ever dream of being.

What is one thing you’ve learned about yourself since your diagnosis?
I’ve learned that asking for help doesn’t make me weak. It takes a lot of strength for someone like me (read: stubborn) to admit that I need help.

What is the most important piece of advice you would give to someone newly diagnosed with Fibro (or even still seeking a diagnosis)?
Self Care is the most important thing you can do for yourself. There is only so much you can control in life, especially with Fibro. You can control how you treat yourself. Taking care of yourself is something your can do to improve your life.

If you are a #Fibro Warrior, I’d love to share your story. If you are open to sharing, please contact me for details.