September 8th and October 13th 1998
Samll group meet to share and give support to one another. A focus has been on medical support here in Naples. Also, better ways to explore exercise and be successful was a topic of sharing. Next meeting will be Tuesday, November 10th at 2 P.M.- NCH Weelness Center Conference Room, 300 Goodlette RD.
May 12, 1998
As many of our members have returned Norrth, we had a more intimate sharing of some of the more uncomfortable illness/syndromes that can go along with FMS. Also, one of our members is trying Guifenesan and feels some improvement. She will share her experience with the group in December. We decided to adjourn for the summer and meet again the second Tuesday at 2 P.M. on September 8th. Enjoy the summer!
April 14, 1998
Group focused on sharing our personal stories and strategies of coping with FMS. Mary Lou ended group with another relaxation exercise. Next meeting to be May 12th at 2 P.M. at the NCH Wellness Center Conference Room.
March 10, 1998
This was our first meeting at NCH Wellness Center. Kathy Esdale spoke about her illness experience. She gave numerous suggestions of items she has used aans received some benefit from. As well, she shared 5 articles which have been helpful to her. She sees some connection in her case with the candida or yeast diet and urges everyone to investigate it for themselves.
Next meeting will be April 14th at 2 P.M. at the NCH Wellness Center Conference Room.
February 11, 1998
As we had just lost our meeting place at Suncoast Rehabilitation, Helen Ellis graciously came to our rescue and offered to host our February meeting in the Bryn Mawr Clubhouse. Sixteen of us met and heard a report on the Arthritis Awareness Day and a presentation by Mary Lou Jankowski. Thanks again, Helen!
Beth Mattheus annouced that we will have a new permanent meeting place at the NCH Wellness Center on the second Tuesday of the month at 2:00 P.M. and then gave an overview of the Fibromyalgia presentations at the 2/7 Arthritis Awareness Day, co-sponsored by the Arthritis Foundation and NCH.
Mary Lou’s Presentation was about therapeutic Light Touch Therapy and the use of self hypnosis to assist us in muscle relaxation and stress reduction. Mary Lou did a demonstration of the Light Touch therapy. According to Beth, Mary Lou’s guinea pig, she felt that this therapy ‘s results was similar to that of massage therapy without experiencing any pain or discomfort during the session. Mary Lou has offered to provide more details to anyone who’s interested. As well, Mary Lou stressed that we must begin to think about how we feel in terms of "discomfort" and not pain. By using the word discomfort in how we label our physical self, it will empower us to feel better. If we use the word pain, that is how we will begin to feel. Save the label pain for when we are in those severe flare-ups and are in "exquisite pain", not for the normal daily "discomfort". To end the session, Mary Lou provided us with a stress reduction exercise with a script that she wrote herself . All felt very relaxed and peaceful at its conclusion.
Kathy Esdale has offered to share some information on the candida diet and its corellation with fibromyalgia at the next meeting. Mary Lou agreed to provide us with another relaxation exercise. In addition, Shirley Suggs was able to attend the 2/14 seminar in Sarasota and will share with us some of the information she learned.
See you at the next meeting at the NCH Wellness Center Conference Room on March 10th at 2:00 P.M.