When memory meets hilarity...Let me introduce Fibro Fog

FibroFog--When memory meets hilarity ~ EarthArtBalance

Your walking down the street when you exclaim…”wait where are my sunglasses”…your friend replies “on your face”…you both proceed to laugh hysterically.

You walk into a cafe and see a good friend that you went hiking with last week. You say hello and begin to catch up with whats happened since. You realize halfway through your conversation that you can’t remember their name.  Hours later, long after the café has closed their name comes to you and suddenly you exclaim with elation “Mary!”

You’re in a meeting to assign some new work to the team when you interject “oh I think that, that, that the intern can do that”.  Your coworker’s chuckle…”You mean Rob” they say simultaneously.  “Yes of course” you reply giggling to yourself.  Rob’s been an intern for 8 months…you see him every work day…nobody calls him “the intern”.

Your significant other asks “want to watch a show?”  you say “Sure, lets watch, ummmm, that show where the girl was left in Time Square in a duffle bag”  Your significant other replies “You mean Blindspot”…

These are the little pieces of hilarity that make up my daily existence.   For those who suffer from fibromyalgia this might sound like a familiar symptom of Fibro Fog.   Fibro Fog, like brain fog, is characterized by having difficulty concentrating, finding words, holding conversations, feeling alert and remembering things. In my case I happen to have trouble with nouns...names of people, places and items. It’s part of a range of symptoms that manifest as a result of a condition called Fibromyalgia.

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So I know everybody has these “brain farts” especially when we’re tired, decaffeinated, overworked, or stressed out.  However, they can be embarrassing when they happen on a daily and weekly basis despite getting good sleep and not being super stressed.  That’s the key difference between fibro fog and regular brain fog.  With fibro, even if you’re receiving treatment and are getting good sleep this symptom may not go away.  It’s just one of those cracks in your dam that makes your life both a little more hysterical and frustrating.

So what are you to do? My main strategy is to stay funny…and laugh when instances of memory loss happen. To shake it off and acknowledge that this is a result of a condition I navigate every day and its okay.  While there are lots of other strategies out there like getting sleep, practicing meditation, using notes and lists to remind you. I find it’s difficult to keep a cheat sheet of my friend’s names in my pocket at all times without being conspicuous.  I mean…really?? Can’t remember your best friends name…or that your sunglasses are on your face…now that’s ironic and just plain funny.  So if you’re struggling with memory, next time an instance like this happens, let yourself chuckle, be honest with what you’re navigating and shake it off.
 
Remember life is a journey….and the more laughter on that journey…the better.
 
~EAB