National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week--one month late!

I found this meme over at the Chronic Babe forum, and even though I'm a month late, I wanted to do my own version.

30 Things About My Invisible Illness You May Not Know

1. The illness I live with is: fibromyalgia
2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: 1992 (age 33)
3. But I had symptoms since: 1976 (age 17).
4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: accepting that it won't go away.
5. Most people assume: I'm healthy.
6. The hardest part about mornings are: all-over aches, stiffness, pain in joints and trigger points, brain fog. It takes about an hour of excercises and stretches in bed to be able to get up and get moving.
7. My favorite medical TV show is: House.
8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: my laptop.
9. The hardest part about nights are: waking up at 4AM every day. I average about 5 hours of sleep, with medication. Sleep disturbance is a huge part of this syndrome. Yes, I've had a sleep study done.
10. Each day I take 4 pills & vitamins. (No comments, please)
11. Regarding alternative treatments I: wish I could afford to have shiatsu more often. It provide the most immediate relief.
12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: I refuse these "would you rather" questions!
13. Regarding working and career: I could be successful with a chronic illness, I could be a good mother with a chronic illness, but I have found that I cannot do it all, so career comes last.
14. People would be surprised to know: I'm in pain every day.
15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: in spite of my success in managing my symptoms, sometimes I will just hurt all over.
16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: dance.
17. The commercials about my illness: at least mention the name in public.
18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: I haven't stopped doing anything, but I have had to accept my limits.
19. It was really hard to have to give up: the idea of being a hot shot at my job.
20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: ballroom dance.
21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: no trade-offs. I am what I am.
22. My illness has taught me: to have compassion for myself.
23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: "you look tired!" Do I tell you you look like crap?
24. But I love it when people: acknowledge that I might need help without me having to ask for it.
25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is: "all will be well."
26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them: "you CAN feel better."
27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: how many people do so without letting on.
28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was: drive my daughter to school when I broke my foot.
29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week because: well, I found out about it too late, but I want to connect with folks.
30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: OK!

Better late than never: Find out more about National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week and the 5-day free virtual conference with 20 speakers Sept 14-18, 2009 at www.invisibleillness.com