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Natalies - Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge

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Category: Fundraising

Published on Monday, 06 May 2013 10:30

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I am 25, coming up for 26 in July and I was finally diagnosed in 2011 at the age of 23. It all started with headaches, which I still suffer with daily and aches in my arms and legs.

After numerous visits to my GP over a 7 year period and ongoing blood tests, the final link that pieced everything together was the fact that at the age of 16, I had keyhole surgery on my right knee after it had locked in position only to be straightened physically whilst on a lot of morphine and put in a splint. The keyhole surgery revealed that the wall around kneecap was inflamed. 

Once I was diagnosed, I was immediately put on Amitriptyline, unfortunately, I didn't stay on this for very long as I found it changed my moods 90% of the time and I went from being a happy go lucky person to a moody, irritable pain in the backside (excuse the pun), this lead me to believe in self medicating with the power of positive thinking.

I believed that worrying about where this condition was going to lead me and what pain I was in day to day only made it more apparent and therefore leaving it in the forefront of my mind. So, instead of thinking about it, I handled it. If I ached, I took a few moments to let it ease and carried on with the task at hand. 

Up until becoming pregnant with my 2nd child in 2012, my self management of the condition had worked fine but my pregnancy brought new challenges, new pains, new levels of stiffness and irritability and fatigue. In  the later stages of pregnancy I suffered with SPD, Sciatica, extreme stiffness and restless legs. I gave birth to a healthy little girl in December 2012 and its fair to say all my struggles were worth it. My children keep me going and don't leave me sat long enough to completely seize up.

At this present time, my days are becoming harder. Just making a cup of tea and lifting the kettle is a struggle and things like walking down the stairs every morning pretty much straight legged, or sat on the floor playing with the children and unable to get up without looking like a arthritic old lady in her 80's. Hence the reason that this week I eventually went back to my GP to seek painkillers and I am now been referred to a specialist at Harrogate Hospital, North Yorkshire.

So, why am I crazy enough to take on this challenge!? There are too many people who say they cant, whether it is down to health or lifestyle, well I will openly admit I am not one to follow suit so I aim to stand out and be different. I want to prove that even with a condition like Fibromyalgia, I can and I will!!! I want to inspire people of every age with this horrid condition that they cant let it eat away at them and stop them from doing what they want to do and I think this is the perfect way to get my point across, so Im going to march up them hills and at the top of each peak im slapping a flag in the ground! 

http://www.justgiving.com/Natalie-Bingham1