As a Louisiana Creole ... African American woman, disabled police officer, a person with Fibromyalgia, divorced mom, grandmother every day I find myself having to defend, define, and/or advocate for myself. Sometimes I have to hear "you always make things about race". Other times it's "you wouldn't feel that way if you weren't a cop". Often I hear "women always complain about something". Then there are the pop-up experts about Fibromyalgia, "I know a guy who has a cousin who's married to a man that overheard a conversation about a cure for that made up disease you think you have". The worse is the so-called medical expert who starts out saying, "I'm not an expert in chronic pain in general or Fibromyalgia specifically but I don't believe FM exists, or, I think the patient will get better if he/she just ..."
Let's lay it on the table, if people not in whichever situation we happen to be discussing, didn't decide that THEY know what life is like for those who live day to day in the situation, then those who DO LIVE in said situation would not have to discuss, defend, define, the situation all the time.
As a person with Fibromyalgia, any type of chronic pain, or any invisible chronic illness/disability, we have to be on guard and ready and able to advocate/stand up for ourselves. Even though Fibromyalgia is an individual disorder, meaning not every person with FM is affected to the same degree with the same number of symptoms, we are often called upon to represent all people with this disorder.
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