Never Be Afraid To Ask For Help
Hello everyone,
My name is Becca and I am the author of the blog, Mummy the Fibro Warrior. I am a mummy to a nearly 2 year old little boy and I have fibromyalgia, anxiety and depression.
I was diagnosed in 2019 with fibromyalgia after, ironically, running a marathon! After the marathon, I had pains in my legs, which is to be expected after running 26.2 miles, and so I asked for a referral to physiotherapy. By the time I was seen, the physiotherapist couldn’t touch me because the pain had spread all over my body and was far too painful to be manipulated in any way. After numerous bloods, scans, tests and appointments, which all yielded a negative result, I was eventually referred to a rheumatologist who diagnosed me with fibromyalgia. By that point, I was not surprised as I had done so much research and had come to the conclusion already.
I will always remember the rheumatologist looking at me square in the face and saying to me “whatever you do, do not stop moving and do not get into a wheelchair because you will never get out again”. This was the motivation I needed to become a fibro warrior!
In 2021, we made the decision to start trying for a baby and hence Mummy the Fibro Warrior was born. I had always wanted to be a mummy and when I found out I was pregnant I was over the moon.
However, the one thing I did not anticipate was the anxiety that came with that positive pink line. Every time I went to the toilet, I was terrified I was going to see a miscarriage. Not only that but I had to have an early scan because I had bashed my side on a fence and they wanted to check everything was okay. Due to being earlier in gestation than we thought, they couldn’t see my baby. I sobbed and sobbed and they asked me to come back in 2 weeks time for a repeat scan. This was the longest 2 week wait ever but the elation I felt when we saw my little jellybean on the screen was enormous.
During pregnancy, my fibromyalgia wasn’t too impacted, which is a common finding I have seen when talking to others with my condition. I had aches and pains and tiredness but that’s to be expected when growing a human being! Labour was a different story, but after 19 hours, forceps and an episiotomy, my beautiful baby was here.
My fibromyalgia was never really discussed at any appointments I had after my boy was born and it was almost expected that you just got on with it. However, being the fibro warrior I am, I was not one to sit back and do nothing. I kept in constant contact with my GP, asked for a referral to the pain management clinic, had appointments with my OT and had a referral to the perinatal team to help with my anxiety too. Never accept no for an answer when it comes to your health.
My gorgeous, amazing baby boy is now nearly 20 months and I couldn’t be prouder of him. He is my world, my one and only, my strength and my power. Parenting with a chronic condition is hard, I am not going to sugar coat it, but with the right support from family, friends and health professionals you can absolutely be Mummy the Fibro Warrior.
Mummy the Fibro Warrior Top Tip:
Always ask for help when you need it! Be that from your husband, partner, mum, dad, GP or anyone else and never take no for an answer.
If there is one takeaway I would like you all to remember today, is that parenting is a joy, a wonder, an amazing experience, but alongside that it is challenging especially when we are battling illnesses at the same time. However, I need you to know that you are doing the best you can, your child/children love you just as you are and you are Mummy the Fibro Warrior!
Until next time.
X
Meet Becca:
“My name is Becca and I am a mummy to a nearly 2 year old, beautiful and amazing little boy. I also suffer with Fibromyalgia and Anxiety. I have created this space to help other mums with chronic illness to know they are not alone in their journey. We can all be fibro warriors! Join me on my blog at www.mummythefibrowarrior.wordpress.com"
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