Merry after Christmas and a happy New Year dear FMS friends! We made it! Now, we can sit back and enjoy the fruits of our labor while once again our bodies try to heal themselves. Few know the definition of the word better than you and I who have FMS. According to Mr. Webster, the word labor, when defined as a verb means, "to exert one’s powers of body or mind esp. with painful or strenuous effort." Do you suppose he had FMS? His understanding was so astute!

Yes, it was difficult to get through the holidays but I learned to use my time wisely. When I could not sleep because of insomnia or could not sit because of pain I made myself do things for the holidays.

Preparations began weeks in advance. Shopping was done from catalogs and from the Internet with fingers crossed for good luck. By Thanksgiving most of the gifts were in and only one arrived broken. I learned that by shopping this way I avoided snap decisions and impulse buying that I would regret later. I cannot begin to tell you the joy of missing the hassle of mall shopping.

Each trip to the grocery store would bring back elements for the holiday menus that were stored for later use. That way, when I began the holiday baking, the ingredients were already in the house with little or no trips for last minute items. Cakes were made ahead and frozen, as were the cookies and some of the casseroles. My kitchen smelled of delicious treats at odd hours. The Red Velvet Cake was made at 2 a.m. A fourteen layer chocolate cake took an entire afternoon.

When I became exhausted I would try to rest and if I were lucky; sleep would claim me for a few hours. When I awoke, although not feeling what most would call refreshed, I would begin again. By the time the holidays officially arrived, I was ready.

There were those who erroneously assumed, because the house was clean and decorated and the food was prepared as usual, that there must not be anything the matter with me. I even heard it whispered that I could always manage to do what I wanted to do.

They were right! I did manage to "get it done" but they have no clue at what cost. Now, none of that matters because we all had a glorious time and they have returned to their so-called normal lives. I have returned to an attempt at rest and restoration.

I don’t know how many more years I’ll be able to "pull it off" but this year was a major success. To give credit where it is due, it would not have been possible without the help of a couple of Christmas Elves known as my husband and my son. They were very generous with their time and help when they were able. My son works a 12 hour day or night swing shift and my husband is also disabled. (That’s another story.)

Now it’s time to take down the decorations and begin the New Year. Let’s go forward with satisfaction in our accomplishments and the determination to continue learning how to avoid our limitations.

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