Living with Fibromyalgia -
Why Should I Do Occupational/Physical Therapy?,

By Lori Samples Duncan.

Fibromyalgia can develop on its own or along with other musculoskeletal conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus or post-injury infection, postsurgery or after post traumatic stress per experts in the Fibromyalgia field. It is very difficult to describe for you the difference in quality of life that Hima Dalal of Vital Energy makes unless you experience it yourself. Having been the beneficiary of her excellent care myself, I thought we would try to do the next best thing. I asked a few of her patients to share with us a little about their personal experience with Hima Dalal- Occupational Therapist and so much more.

Melinda Bydalek

I am 56 years old. I suspect I have had Fibromyalgia for 28 years. I was diagnosed 7 years ago. What has been the most difficult aspect of fibromyalgia (for me) is the pain. When I am in pain, it is hard to deal with, especially the inability to continue to do the things that I want to do. I would like to spend more time with my grandchildren but you just can't do as much as you want to do.

LW: How has Vital Energy and specially Hima helped you with this aspect of the disease?
Melinda: She has taught me and shown me how to help myself to decrease muscle pain and stiffness, diet for example,to avoid triggers, breathing and yoga stretches. The breathing is very helpful for me. I am now able to do twenty fiveminutes on the underwater treadmill twice a week, which I was unable to before. Understanding how the body functions and what I can do myself at home to help between visits has been a big part of coping for me. I can now sleep. I am more flexible and I am not in nearly as much pain. When I have bad spells, Itry to come an extra time or two and that makes a difference as well.

LW: What would you like people to know about Fibromyalgia?
Melinda: I would really like people to know that just because they don't see an injury or a break it doesn't mean that an injury isn't there. You can look in someone's eyes and see pain. I would like for people to have patience and understanding where this disease is concerned.

Sharon Lasiewicki

I was diagnosed 11 months ago, and I am 33 years old. LW: What is the most difficult part of this disease for you? Sharon: The most difficult part of Fibromyalgia for me is the fact it has affected my entire life. I was an athlete all-star, very physically active my entire life. My husband, my daughter and I, we did everything together. I was no longer able to do any of those things. It completely debilitated me. I thought my life was over.

I had gone to seven doctors, I was sick for six months before they came up with a diagnosis and sent me to a rheumatologist. They told me I was crazy and depressed. I had a hard time breathing, I couldn't move my arms and my husband was taking me to every doctor that could possibly help us.They were slamming doors in my face. He was telling them this isn't her. We were athletic, social; anywhere we could go we went. No one would listen to him.

LW: How did Vital Energy Therapy and Hima Dalal help you? Sharon: Vital Energy Therapy has helped me treatmendously, just with the attitude of you are going to get better. The support group meeting, the stories that Hima shares, and her magic hands! Everthing that she has done has helped.Her energy work and the exercises that she has given me to do at home have been a big part of (getting me where I am today) where I can do things on my own to help myself as well.Without those tools, my family and the doctors who are treating me now I wouldn't be where I am at today. I can get out of bed again.

LW: What is your wish about Fibromyalgia Awareness?
Sharon: I wish there was more education out there for family doctors, to say we aren't crazy.To educate them about the fact we aren't just depressed.This is a real disease and if someone is hurting and there family is telling you, "this is not her" there is something wrong. I know they are still gathering data together for this disease.

Katherine Koon

I just wish they weren't afraid to diagnosis it. To stand behind it and say I am going to support you and you are going to be okey. More informations, more education, ER doctor, internists, pulmonologist, ENT'S everyone. It affects every part of your body. Each doctor was just looking at one part of my body and not realizing that this disease was affecting each part of me. Ms.Hima was able to explain how it was all put together. The quality of my life has greatly improved.I am still working on it.I am still having a difficult time with a lot of

things,but I am not in pain 24/7 and I have more of a balance in my life.I am able to exercise more.It is a slow Process and when you aren't diagnosed quickly, you just keep going farther down.

I am 27, I was diagnosed 3 years ago with Fibromyalgia.

LW: What was the most difficult part of Fibromyalgia for you?
Katherine: The most difficult part was learning how to pace yourself.
You want to do everthing you could do before, and go at 110 percent all the time.Learning to let go or say "that's ok" if that doesn't get done, "life is going to go on if you don't get to do everthing you think you ought to do."

LW: How has Vital Energy helped you?
Katherine: When you walk in the door, the music, the atmosphere, the relaxation that they bring to your day is like a breath of freash air, you come in and you see smiling faces;you also see pain as well.... You are not the only one who is waiting until that moment when they get in here and can let everything else go. I thinks a lot of it is, yes the physical things that she is able to do really helps. It is also the mental aspect as well.Having that mental break and knowing you can always count on it. That is a large part of what I feel Vital Energy has helped me with.When I first started coming it was an hour appointment three or more times a week. Now it is an hour once a week. I have come along way with her help.

LW: What would you like others to know about this disease?
Katherine: I wish that people understood it is not just the pain, and the fatigue. It is the fear of where you are now and where you think you might be stuck in. It happens so suddenly and your life changes and I am going to be like this forever.If people would understand it's one of those things you have to work your way through. It's not that you are crazy or that you are making things up it's just a battle you have to fight with your body.

Julia Pitts

Iam age 16 and was diagnosed in january 2010. LW: What has been the worst aspect of Fibromyalgia for you? Julia: It was definitely the pain, going to the doctor all the time. Missing so much school. LW: How has coming to Vital Energy Helped you? Julia: It's really helped. The exercise has really helped Working with Ms.Hima, I am not sure what she does but

it has really helped.I have missed much less school this year because of Ms.Hima's help.