01:33 I was jumped and beat up by three or four people
02:05 I was nearly beaten to pulp
02:45 But it took a couple of days before I realized something was wrong
04:07 I started getting these nosebleeds every day and it was a lot of blood came out
04:28 I fainted
04:33 But I don’t remember that because first thing I remember is waking up in the hospital
04:45 I had surges of pain all on my body and I was shaking my hands were shaking
04:52 My legs were shaking
05:20 and they found out I had probably had a TIA (transient ischemic attack). That’s a mini stroke.
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Diagnosis
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05:53 Next year was that I was in the hospital I could not walk I was sitting in a wheelchair and I couldn’t use my hands the fine
06:19 I had to try to learn how to walk again and try to use my hands just for simple things like eating
07:21 After 10 days they released me home because I was able to walk
07:43 I couldn’t take care of myself so I had to go back to my hometown and live with my mom for a few weeks
08:25 I’ve been together with my wife for nearly a decade and have three kids who are ages one, five, and seven
08:58 So I was sent to different doctors, experts. They did a lot of exams
09:21 Tests continued for a couple of years or four or five years before I came in contact with a chronic pain expert and she just had a look at me look at my records anything and said you have fibromyalgia. It’s a chronic pain diagnosis
10:11 The first step then was to go to physical therapy and regular therapy to try and find a way to not solve it but to live and how I should be able to handle day-to-day life and it’s been it’s been a rough couple of years
10:57 Most of the information I have gathered over the years comes from different foundations and websites and some of it come from doctors but they never really have time to talk
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Treatment and Medication
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11:20 My tremor is Parkinson’s related. That means that it’s treated in the same way that Parkinson’s Disease is but it’s not degenerative so my muscles won’t wither
11:37 So I take levodopa medication for that
11:40 But for my fibro I have my painkillers at first but it doesn’t really help that much you might relieve some of the worst making the sharp edges it’s just a little numb but I try to avoid pain medication
12:15 I’m always exhausted
12:22 I take muscle relaxers so I can sleep at night without cramps or muscle spasms
12:28 I also take antidepressants just for the chemical balance because it’s very easy to become depressed if you have a condition like this
12:55 I never know in the morning how I’ll feel late in the afternoon it’s like a roller coaster
13:23 Some days I have a hard time getting out of bed
15:00 We don’t know what triggers fibromyalgia
18:56 If I go into the mall, I can be out for two three days after
19:06 I get brain fog and I just don’t know what to say
19:42 I was born a storyteller I need to tell my stories and it’s just pure entertainment
19:51 Sometimes I can go weeks where I can’t draw
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Life After Fibromyalgia Diagnosis and Advice
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20:00 I have to relish those few moments that I can and I just love telling stories and writing and drawing
21:33 When I feel fine I try to do things that makes me happy like writing a webcomic, playing video game or just talking to my wife because she loves talking
22:33 Because every day hurts
22:56 I can be a grouchy old man
23:14 My moods can swing a bit
23:17 I try to become the best version of myself
25:01 I don’t have to be my illness
25:16 I’m not my disability
25:21 I am a father a husband a dog owner a web comic artist
25:50 You’re not your disability you’re an awesome person who happens to be disabled and we have to keep fighting to keep
26:04 I lost a decade of my life. I’m not gonna lose anymore
27:04 I want to be someone my kids can be proud of, someone who my wife can say that she loves