Since today is an historic election day, most people are prompted to get out and vote. If you're sick and feel terrible with Fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, voting is not as easy for you as it is for healthy people.
I hope many of you thought ahead and voted by absentee ballot because the weather in many parts of the country today is damp-to-wet and chilly. Those are not weather qualities that we look forward to experiencing.
Considering all of the elements of our illness, what comments do you think you might hear among people like us at the polls???
- Chilly weather? "No. No. My body stays cold anyway. Being cold makes me feel much worse."
- Windy? "I can't stand the wind. It makes my sinuses stop up and I feel weak all over. I just want to climb back in bed."
- Rainy? "I really shouldn't get out in the rain. Right or wrong, wet weather makes my body feel vulnerable. Rain often causes me to have muscle aches. Sometimes I'll even run a fever."
- Standing in line? "I have trouble standing in place, no matter where I am. Standing causes sharp pains to shoot up my back and causes my shoulders and hips to hurt. If I don't have that, I may cramp up or get a type of throbbing ache that makes me feel panicky. But no matter what, after a few minutes of standing, I'm likely to be in some type of severe agony. I even may feel so weak...that I faint."
If this sounds like you, be wary today. Go to the polls during the slack times. You will have a better chance of getting in and out without triggering your symptoms.
Plus, you can tell the poll workers about your difficulty and see if they can accommodate you in any way. Today during my 30 minute wait out in the cold to vote, I saw one woman turned down for help while another lady went right on through the process expeditiously.
Possibly today, go with a friend who will look after you and help if necessary. In years to come, I suggest we all consider voting by Absentee Ballot. I know I will!
Thanks,
Cinda Crawford, host of the Health Matters Show
