Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain LIFE May/Jun 2012, Issue 5 | Page 21

Seasons of Fibromyalgia Author Brent A. Birkhoff started a journal when fatigue set in. His journey as an executive with professional responsibilities and concern for his family�s welfare read like a novel where you are cheering for the hero in the story to overcome the deep fatigue that turned into pain and tenderness. WE CONTACTED BRENT to ask if he had written again after his � rst two books Seasons of Fibromyalgia and Soul of Fibromyalgia were pub- lished. He kindly wrote an article for people who are new to � bromyalgia, including the list of tests performed leading up to his diagnosis. Part 1 of 2 is below. Part 2 will be in the JulyAugust issue of Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain LIFE. TO SOCIETY, to my co-workers, to my family, and to my friends, I look normal. I don�t have bruises on my body. I�m not holding my head in pain nor walking with a limp. No, I have � bromyalgia. I remember the � rst time I heard that term. I was sitting in the of � ce of Internal Medicine at Mayo Clinic. The doctor assigned to my case had spent two hours studying my � le before my name was called, and then spent two hours with me. He askedme questions, and I answered. He listened to my journey and I relayed, as best as I could, the struggles and pain that I had endured bringing me at last into his hands. He was my hope and what I believed was the end of Seasons of Fibromyalgia and Soul of Fibromyalgia are available at http://www.seasonsoffibromyal- gia.com/index.html May/June 2012 21 Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain Life PERSONAL INSIGHTS