Fibromyalgia for men can be embarrassing.
Guys are supposed to be stoic, be the strong one, and not let things get to them, get in their way or get their goat.
They are supposed to be the breadwinners.
Guys tend to measure their self worth by their productiveness.
Men that are fibromylagic had probably been in pain a long time before they cried "uncle" and went to see their doctor.
Maybe the woman in their life dragged them there.
Then they find out they have what they thought was a "woman's thing".
What's worse, they have something that cannot be fixed- and men by nature are fixers.
If that is how you feel, you are not alone.
It is normal to be angry as heck- but that just makes the symptoms worse.
You are afraid you will lose the respect of others, you will appear weak, wimpy, and, well...
unmanly.
And to be honest, you will not feel as virile, you won't be as able to perform as you used to, you won't have the stamina - feeling this way can lead to depression.
Avoid that pitfall.
Rethink it.
If you are a man with this disease - hear this.
It's okay.
You can still be a vital part of your family.
They still need your counsel, your love and your influence more than you being able to open a jar or mow the lawn.
The true measure of a man is his inner strength.
It is a man's character, how he faces the tough times and how he loves life that people admire.
It's alright to be afraid.
Everyone is.
It is the person that moves ahead in spite of fear that is admired.
Courage doesn't happen until you stare fear in the face.
It's a good thing to get help.
Men have a tendency to be loners, but face it, we all need someone around.
To ask for help is knowing your limits.
There is nothing wrong with that.
Do not push people away when they want to help.
True fortitude is knowing when to reach out.
When you do a project you need tools, right? Dealing with fibro is a life long project..
You need the right tools.
Medication, exercise and eating healthy, doctors, therapists- they are the tools.
Be a leader.
Other men out there are suffering and do not know how to cope, where to turn, or how to "fix it".
If you have been down the road, you know the ropes.
Start a men's support group.
Go out and do "guy stuff".
Get together and barbeque.
Watch the Super Bowl or World Series together.
Play golf or go bowling on the good days.
You can even hunt together.
Do not let it devastate you.
You are no less of a man with the disease than you were without it.
It is all in the attitude.
You want respect? Fight the battles you can win.
Learn to back off and regroup on the days you cannot.
You do not have to retreat and lick your wounds.
Base your self worth not on being a provider of income as much as being a provider for the important things - love, influence, mentoring.
A true man knows his limits and is comfortable in his own skin.
With fibro, that is hard to do.
But you will be respected for the way you battle it.
If your guy friends do not understand, they need to grow up.
Plain and simple.
Want to know the truth? They have weaknesses they are trying to hide as well.
We all do.
The true man, the one they will respect and maybe be a little jealous of, is the one who knows his weakness and learns to compensate.
You can be that man.
You know you've got it in you.