I try a Fibro support group

I finally (after joining online 2 years ago) went to a meeting of FMS/CFIDS support group here in NYC. It was held in a large public restaurant/coffee shop and there were about 9 people, all women except for one very quiet man who disappeared quickly.
Unfortunately, it was a very hot day and I walked from the train not realizing how far it was, duh. It was hot, crowded and noisy in the place and it was really hard to hear anyone across the table. We kept changing seats in order to talk to everyone.There was sensory overload and it was kind of chaotic but it was quite an eye-opener for me: all of us were unable to work, some were more mobile than others. Some of us had symptoms since childhood, or puberty, some since accident or illness, some since menopause.
Some could take no meds because of side-effects, some were heavily medicated.
If one med worked for one didn't work for another.
We had different kinds of pain: muscle, nerve, skin; dull, sharp, electric-shock.
But all of us had pain and fatigue.
And we all felt like our lives were stolen away.
It was amazing to discuss all this stuff with real-live humans but also rather exhausting. I hope next month's meeting is in a quieter place.

Sgt Pepper is 40 years old? How can that be? I vividly remember hearing it for the first time (a bunch of us gathering at Mary Rock's house, reading along with the lyrics!) and being blown away. It seems like it was just the other day!

Caramel dog is doing OK so far with her heartworm treatment. She needs to avoid exertion but has been pretty lethargic anyway. Me too. The hot weather and pollen and allergens floating around does not agree with either of us- she sneezes, my nose runs.

Steve got me Michael Chabon's new book " The Yiddish Policeman's Union" a noir-ish tale about a Jewish State, not in Israel but Sitka Alaska. I love his writing and this one lives up to expectations. Happy, happy!