Getting and Dealing with Initial Diagnosis of Chronic Illness

Sometimes, we hear the words and are surprised. Other times, we have suspected as much for a long time. Diagnosis of chronic illness may hit us all a bit differently, but I think there may be some commonalities for many of us.

If any of you are also in this "club," you may have some things to add here, and I welcome that! It is difficult to compartmentalize thoughts and feelings in relation to big things; chronic illness, in all of its shapes and forms, is certainly a big thing.

I was (finally) diagnosed with Fibromyalgia back in July of this year and had suspected it for quite some time. It's a tough one because the symptoms can relate to so many other illnesses. What can make getting a diagnosis even more difficult is that those of us with Fibromyalgia may also suffer from multiple other conditions, which is true for me.

OK. So, we have diagnosis. Now what?