My husband and I were at the store and a woman, a DISCERNING woman, commented on my decorated sling.  My husband said proudly, “She’s wearing a sling because she just had a pacemaker implanted!”  

The major differences between people’s reactions:

Having a Pacemaker:

• How are you feeling?

• Here, let me do that for you”,
• “Don’t over exert yourself”
• “It’s ok that you are sleeping all the time, your body needs rest to heal.”
• “You are going to feel so much better as a result of this”
• “Isn’t technology  wonderful!”
• “My Uncle (Aunt, friend, Father, co-worker) has had a pacemaker for 59 years”

Having Fibromyalgia:

• (“I don’t dare ask how she’s feeling because she’ll tell me”)
• “Do as much as you can because it’s not good to be sedentary.”
• Have you tried ________ ?(fill in the blank.) 
• You look fine.

This was originally posted in 2010.  Not much has changed since then except my heart disease has now taken on the same reactions as to fibromyalgia.  Maybe I’ll go back to wearing a sling.