Lilac, Mulberry and Amethyst

One day a friend mused she wished we had a code to communicate how we feel, since as any Fibromyalgia patient will tell you there is no continuity or routine to this illness. On Monday we are convinced Fibromyalgia is gone, an over-exaggerated figment of the imagination. Why on earth did we take it like such wimps? But not on Tuesday! On Tuesday morning we wake up with absolute certainty we are dying, no pain that great could possibly signify anything less, and we remember. Sick and tired of complaining about her sick and tired all the time, my friend needed a way to communicate her pain without, well, bitching all the time. I thought she was on to something and set out to come up with a "code" which would accomplish this goal.

The Fibromyalgia awareness ribbon is purple. Purple is a traditional color of royalty, the hue of the Crown Chakra which is linked to the crown of the head, nervous system and brain. It is representative of pure thought. The Purple Heart symbolizes courage in the U.S. military and pride in Christianity, to name but a few associations. A blatant blend of blue and red, it embodies the yin/yang of stimulation and calm while assuming an enlightened and distinguished reputation throughout history. Psychologically purple is known to uplift and calm the mind and nerves, reputed to offer a sense of spirituality and encourage creativity. We are in very good company with the color purple!

Using this color as an anchor I allowed my mind to absorb purple in its infinite number of shades, tones and hues. I traveled through this imaginative exercise and my instinct rang the lighter the color, the lighter the symptoms, and the deeper the color, the more raging the pain. So I painted a pretty little picture in my mind of Fibromyalgia if it were viewed through a purple kaleidoscope. Lilac starts out soft and light, and represents a pretty darn good day. Mulberry deepens and intensifies moderately and marks the middle of the road. Not great, yet not horrible either. Amethyst, one of the deepest shades of purple, finishes the journey with raging pain and unbearable afflictions. Well the idea stuck, and even became a source of motivation. Patients were genuinely trying to figure out how to get themselves to Lilac! Proud to report a day of reprieve they were also understood when tearfully admitting to Amethyst, a day of defeat. 

Too complicated! I won't spell them right! I can't remember that! I have Fibro-fog! Oh plenty objections certainly abound initially. But there is something off-beat, individual and just plain silly about comparing the wreckage this illness has made of our lives to flowers and gemstones. It somehow removes the ownership of the pain and forces it back on the illness itself. But please, by all means, do not blame the actual Amethyst stone for your pain. In fact I think Amethysts should be our pride and joy! A jewel all our own to wear with pride. Display our victory, the triumph over every Amethyst day from hell behind us, or those which will someday come.

Thanks for joining,

Leah 

The Fibromyalgia Crusade Purple Pain Code