Saturday, 26 July, 2008, Ivalo, Finland~

Dear Journal~

Terve!  Miitu kuuluu?  Kiitos hyvaa!

My name is Annike Josephine Terggen; I am in my middle forties, live in Ivalo, Finland, with my family.  I'm unmarried; live with my parents, who are elderly (both in fairly good health; it's me they have to worry about! LOL), also have a cat, "KittenKat", a fat, furry Norwegian Forest Cat.

I was working; however, a few years ago, my health started going bad.  Started having pain in my neck, back, shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, feet, knees.  Thought I'd strained something; however after a period of a few weeks, the pain didn't subside.  Instead, it only grew worse.  I got concerned, so I consulted a doctor.

The doctor had me go a regimen of tests, to see what was causing my pain.  Fibromyalgia.  A chronic pain condition that mimics arthritis, excepting the pain is in the muscles.  It is very hard to diagnose, usually, and many doctors refuse to aknowledge fibromyalgia as a true illness.  Many women (and some men, even some children) are misdiagnosed; they spend their time going from one doctor to another, searching for answers.

I was lucky to have a good doctor, a doctor who cares for his patients, and one who knows what he's doing.  I am blessed in having Dr. Palmisciano-Burkett (husband's from America; hence, the funny name), whom I see regularly (every few months).  She's my fibromyalgia doctor. 

I still have the pain associated with fibromyalgia (at times it locks me up; I then have to lie down or try to relieve the unrelenting pain); however, I now take medicine to try to alleviate the worst of my symptoms.  It's a day to day thing with me.  Some days, I do great; other days, I'm begging for mercy for the pain to stop.

I now draw disability due to my illness.  I get a paltry sum, not enough to live on; however, God's been faithful, never let me down.  He's provided whenever I needed things.  Food, money, transportation.  I am indeed blessed.

I'm also blessed in knowing that I'm not alone.  I've met another woman a month or so again who has the same problems as me; she has it worse.  In addition to fibromyalgia, she has MS and has trouble with her walking.  Her name's Sari Annike Gustaffssenn (now Constantinos; she's married, and is expecting her third child later this year), and she's really sweet.  She comes to the clinic I go to; this was how we met, waiting to see the doctor. 

There's also another lady I met there named Riivka Ibbotsenn, who has JRA.  She is in a wheelchair; she cannot walk.  It's really sad, as she can barely move; it's like her body is frozen in one position.  She's often in terrible pain, too; she sometimes ends up in hospital because the pain is so brutal.

I can't imagine living like that.  Having fibromyalgia is bad enough; I can't imagine what it would be like not to be able to walk or move without help.  At least I can move--slow, stiff, yes, but I can move.

When I'm not at the doctor's, I like to read, watch the northern lights, go to You Tube or AuthorsDen.com on the computer, write stories or poems, watch tv, and visit my friends (namely Sari; she lives closest), get together with Riivka and Ilsa, go out to eat every few months, when I can scrape up enough money to do so.  Living on my disability, I don't go out that much unless to the doctor's, which is always a pain.

I have two sisters, Racheal Teresita and Elke Sommer, who are both older (Racheal's two years older, and Elke, one).  I'm the baby.  They live in Oulu.  I only see them during holidays, but I do talk to them on the phone or write to them at least several days a week; we're always in touch with one another.

Well, that's my story for now.  I will write in here again; getting sleepy again.  It's too early for anyone to be up.  Stupid pain woke me up; had to take an analgesic to try to quell the pain a little.  Until later, this is Annike Terggen signing off; take care and Nakemiin!

~Annike Josephine Terggen, Ivalo, Finland. :)