The Medway Fibromyalgia Awareness on Saturday May 12th was really well attended. With the help of Karen Patching I fielded many questions and heard some heart-rending stories of people dealing with misinformation and unhelpful treatment. Many of the people we met (although of course not all) were lacking in self-confidence and self-esteem which can come about because of the problems of getting people to realise just how debilitating the symptoms of Fibromyalgia and related conditons can be.
"I suppose I'll end up in a wheelchair" NOT NECESSARILY, but sometimes the use of a wheelchair can enable you to maintain your energy and pace yourself better.
"I hear it's a progressive illness" NO, FM alone will not kill you and you can take as much control of what happens to you and your health as you are able to do.
"I've been told it's all in my head" WRONG. Research shows that the pain is real, but you may find you get more pain through being stressed or frightened by your problems so you need to address your life balance and how you are generally.
"I will have to give up work" WRONG. That is entirely up to you and your circumstances. You need to check out the Disability Act and speak to your employer about your needs. Simple things can make a very big difference.
Good luck!
My recent trip on the Spanish-flagged container ship OPDR Cadiz has given me a new perspective on food and exercise. I was concerned that having lost 25 lbs using Weightwatchers online programme I would soon pile on the pounds, especially when faced with the mountains of wonderful Spanish food that was placed before me every day on board. I knew that I was using stairs much more than I do at home (it was 75 steps from my cabin to the mess deck so you can do the maths!) and when ashore I got some good long walks in, but I was really surprised on my return to find I'd only put on 3lbs. I'd noticed the constant walking on the bridge of the ship that particularly the First Officer did when he was on watch and assumed that this was what kept him stick thin in spite of the 4 course meals that he and the rest of the officers and crew consumed. Everyone, particularly during rough weather constantly shifted their weight to counteract the movement of the ship,so there was even more physical exercise going on than I had ever thought possible. Since returning home (and taking nearly 3 weeks to stop feeling as if I was still on board ship!) I have adapted the idea of walking around while speaking on the phone. It's working, I feel as if I'm getting more exercise than I did, and the pedometer and my weight tracking seems to bear that out. How about having a go?
I knew 2012 was going to be full of positive change for me, and for a long time I've been 'encouraged' by friends to be on Facebook. Not being in the first flush of youth (or even the second!) I have been reluctant to join the ranks of people who I wrongly believed were only there emoting to the world and cluttering up the airwaves. How wrong can one be? And it's a silly thought from me, especially as I was one of the first people involved with Friends Reunited when it started many years ago. So I'm not a techno-phobe, nor anti-modern communication, but I've taken my time to have a presence on Facebook.
What's changed then? 2 things I guess; firstly that because many of my friends are in different parts of the UK and abroad I realised I was starting to lose touch and that didn't feel good, and secondly my articles and "The Fibromyalgia Coach" book are being read by people far and wide and I feel I should be out there communicating more with them too.
It's a window on the world not to be missed and I'm enjoying getting to grips with how to manage it all. It's never too late to move forward, and it's fun too. See you on Facebook? Look out for Pam Wright Organisation and feel free to leave a post on my wall.
It's taken a while, but work is now in full flow to produce "The Ability Coach - taking the Dis out of Disability". This, my second self-help coaching book has grown and developed from the realisation that many of the strategies I put forward in "The Fibromyalgia Coach" are relevant to everyone who is living life with any sort of disability. Previous special education experience together with my work as a personal coach (with a special interest in disability) has enabled me to meet many amazing people. Some of their inspirational stories are included in "The Ability Coach" along with 12 Success Skills and thought-provoking questions to help you move forward. Cartoon-type illustrations are by 18 year old Binny Hawthorne, a young woman who has her own story to tell.
The publication date is planned for August 2012. If you are interested in knowing more, watch this space! One of my goals for 2012 is to get better at posting news and blogs on my website. I just got this one in on the last day of January. If it's not too late, Happy New Year!
When something you’ve dreamed about and worked on for quite a time actually happens, it’s almost too exciting for words. But here I am launching the new website for Pam Wright Organisation.
As a life balance and health coach with a special interest in successfully managing disability in its many forms, I’ve been writing and coaching individuals since 2004 and I’m therefore fortunate to have been involved in much positive change. The publication of my book “The Fibromyalgia Coach” in 2008 gave me a similar feeling of excitement, but whether it’s with clients or in my own business and personal life, seeing a plan come together never fails to give me a huge buzz! I’m glad to be able to share this today with you in my first blog on my new website.
The pain and fatigue condition, Fibromyalgia has been part of me for 10 years now, so I’m always mindful of my own health and welfare in the speed and amount that I work. Basically I’m fitter and more self-aware than I’ve ever been in my life and I’m enjoying myself. It’s a joy to be able to work with people involved in their own positive change, and I’ve met some really great characters.
It’s important to me nowadays to have fun while I’m creating something useful. Small steps of action are the way I manage, but I’m always delighted to recognise that with many small steps great distances can be covered. I have to use all the best coaching practices on myself and even read my own book from time to time when I feel a bit overwhelmed by everything I want to do. In my previous career as a teacher, I always seemed to have endless energy. Now, I’m no longer led by the ‘must do’, ‘should do’, ‘ought to do’ culture that leads to such a lot of unnecessary personal difficulty, but I still get there in the end!
Today is a great day for Pam Wright Organisation and for me personally. Thanks for reading this!