Last week, the top of my shoulder was tender to the touch. Nothing else, particularly, that I could recall, but apparently I was having a fibro flare-up. It doesn’t do it often, in fact, so seldom that I rarely connect the dots. But, as occasionally happens, I read an article on fibromyalgia just yesterday.

And I did connect the dots. Again.

I was diagnosed, oh, eight years ago, I think. Obviously, I don’t take meds for it—my German ancestry says, “Suck it up, cupcake!” And I do, or at least I ignore the pain, most of the time. Until, that is, it knocks me out for a few days.

Another part of the problem—see title—is that, ever since I was a child, I’ve had this bad habit of holding my breath when I’m concentrating on something, physical work, writing, whatever. That makes for quicker exhaustion.

Heat doesn’t help, either. Back in the day, I rarely perspired; not from heat exhaustion or anything, just not much sweating in spite of temperatures or workload. Now, sheesh. I drip constantly!

Anyway, the pain part stinks. At night, I wake up a lot. From a tiny noise to a wrinkle in the sheets, or sweating, to pain in my hips from lying in one spot too long. And it really hurts. And when I do physical work, I tend to not only hold my breath but also work full speed ahead for 30 minutes or so before taking a break. Doesn’t help that I hate to leave a chore unfinished…

This week, down on the Farm, my husband is moving walls and electric stuff; I’m little help with this, although I’m learning. A little. Oh, I can hand him tools or search for screws, but that’s about it.

So I do other things—clean up, cook, wash dishes, pick up stuff, bag trash (always a lot that we’re still finding), run the weedeater, and work in the garden. I did all those things, from 8:00 a.m. until 11:00, and then I was done. Not sleepy, just exhausted. Heat index was 86, so there’s that.

You tell me—am I just being a big wuss and making excuses? Sometimes I feel like it…