Some days, I wake up and my body feels like it’s on fire from the inside out.
That’s the thing about FMF—Familial Mediterranean Fever. It doesn’t always give you a warning. One minute you’re pushing through your day, managing pain like a pro (because let’s be honest, we all become professionals at pretending we’re fine)… and then out of nowhere, a flare hits like a freight train.
People don’t talk enough about the quiet violence of chronic illness. The way it robs your energy, your plans, your mood. The guilt that creeps in because you had to cancel again. Or worse, the shame that whispers, “Maybe you’re just being dramatic.”
But here’s what no one told me—so I’ll tell you:
It’s okay to rest. Rest isn’t weakness. It’s survival. You don’t have to explain your pain. The people who matter will believe you. Even if you’ve had a hundred flares before, the 101st still feels scary. And that’s normal.
The truth is, even though FMF and arthrogryposis are part of my story, they don’t get to be my whole story. So I ride the wave. I cry when I need to. I laugh when I can. And I remind myself: this flare will pass—because it always does.
If you’re in the middle of a flare right now, I see you. You’re not alone. You’re not weak. You’re just fighting a battle most people will never understand.
And that makes you strong in a way the world can’t measure.
between the flares 
Leave a comment