Fibromyalgia Community Conference 2023

Hosted by Support Fibromyalgia Network

By Michelle Eberwein – Author & Certified Holistic Health Coach in Cape Coral, Florida

This epic 10-day marathon raised so much awareness and brought together influential speakers from around the globe with one goal in common; to inspire change in the Fibro community. I would like to thank the hosts for the opportunity to speak at this event. My topic of choice was Caregiver Burnout and Compassion Fatigue; not enough credit goes to the people who support us. Towards the end, I also share details on how to practice self-care to alleviate pain and lead a more nutritious life.

Watch Full Video: Fibromyalgia Community Conference – YouTube

Every speaker shed light on a different topic related to Fibromyalgia and chronic pain in general. The hosts from Support Fibromyalgia Network include Melissa Talwar from SupportFibromyalgia.org, Carrie Kellenberger from My Several Worlds, and Danielle Pettili – what a team!

Fibromyalgia Community Conference 2023

Here’s a little feedback on the speakers I listened to. Sadly, I missed a couple of days due to a very unpleasant kidney infection, but I will be catching up in the New Year …

Carrie Kellenberger, you are an inspiration. Carrie is one of the hosts of the Fibromyalgia Community Conference 2023 and gave a presentation called The Nitty Gritty Details of Life with Fibromyalgia. She started as a successful travel blogger before becoming an inspiring health advocate, leader, and educator. Carrie shared information on how to describe the different pains to your doctor, how to calm your nervous system, and costochondritis. She is right; pain does change you. Many of us can relate to life with daily unrelenting pain and the emotions that come with it. It is hard for people who do not suffer from chronic pain to understand that chronic pain is everyday pain, all hours. Naturally, that changes a person. Carrie made me aware of the Fibromyalgia Community Conference 2023; I am sincerely thankful to her for connecting me and genuinely supporting my journey.

Anquinette ‘Mrs Q’ Rollins, your talk hit me hard. Anquinette was diagnosed in 2008 with Fibromyalgia and spent the following six years in a ‘meds and bed’ state because of the pain. I 100% relate, especially when she said she lost friends, family, and her career. All I can say is ‘well done’ for getting out of bed and helping yourself; I know how hard it is. When I finally took action, I went straight from my bed into rehab – the best thing I ever did for me and my family. Anquinette is the founder of freddyjsfibrofighters.com and brings an inspiring message of hope: ‘I want everyone to have hope, no matter how big or small.”.

Jim Sliney Jr. is a board-certified patient advocate at Patients Rising. He gave an incredibly moving talk about his passion for helping others since the age of ten when he volunteered at a nursing home. He shared his journey since then and now provides resources and tools for patients with chronic illnesses. Patients Rising is a non-profit organization that provides education and resources for patients with any healthcare problem or concern. In 2024, Jim will establish a dispatch transportation service for all cancer patients throughout the US! Jim, thank you for making the world a better place! I will be connecting with you through PatientsRisingStories.org: another initiative designed to bring patients and their stories together. You have inspired me with your kind heart and big vision for helping others.

Dr. Olga Pinkston of Mind Your Fibromyalgia Podcast and RheumCoach.com shed light on how a dysregulated nervous system plays a significant role in fibromyalgia, chronic pain, and other autoimmune conditions. Focused breathwork is so important! Although I allocate time most days to stretching and practicing mindfulness, I often forget how important it is to self-regulate our body’s natural processes through regular deep breathing techniques. Thank you for this refreshing and informative talk, Dr. Olga Pinkston – thoroughly enjoyed it!

Guest speaker Frank Rivera, author of ‘I have Sarcoidosis but it doesn’t have me’ also shared his story and revealed his vulnerable side by talking about his feelings of taking his own life as a result of living with an autoimmune disease. Sarcoidosis is a disease that causes inflammation in the body, which results in the formation of small lumps or nodules called granulomas. Depending on their location and size, these granulomas can lead to mild to severe symptoms. He is incredibly passionate about people “not feeling alone”. Thank you for sharing your story with us, Frank. It is a pleasure connecting with you, and I look forward to learning more about your journey from here on in. I will be following closely. Link to his book here.

Elaine Merryfield is the author of Navigating Life With Fibro. Elaine was a nurse who was forced to quit when diagnosed with fibromyalgia. I loved hearing about the two boys she went on to care for and the connection between them all. Elaine did a nature walk presentation, which was incredibly calming, and I look forward to reading her book. Thanks, Elaine, for sharing your feelings.

Marco Mizrahi lives in Spain and gave a fantastic interview hosted by Carrie Kellenberger from My Several Worlds – Chronic Pain and Disability Awareness. It was refreshing to get a man’s point of view and life experience of living with Fibromyalgia. He struggles like the rest of us but shares what he does to make life a little easier. He discussed the healthcare system in Spain and how you have to wait 2-2.5 years to see a specialist! Carrie also talked about the healthcare system in Taiwan and Canada. It is not every day we get to hear other people’s stories in such detail, so thank you, and I would love the opportunity to talk more with Marco in the future.

Jill Economakos from MANNA Pilates + Health has totally changed my perspective! I thought about missing this out because, well, let’s be honest, how can I do Pilates when everything hurts all the time? But I am so glad I watched it because this presentation was fantastic! Jill explained WHY there is pain and how to release it by doing little exercises that are so effective! She uses orb balls, which look like exercise balls but are much softer and come in different sizes to help release pain. These balls are on Amazon and are already in my cart!

Listening to Julie Hamilton brought back a few memories. From experience, I know what it feels like to lose your job because of chronic pain. Julie is a health coach who lives in Arizona and helps people deal with Fibromyalgia symptoms and pain. She teaches employers how to support employees with chronic pain, teaches employees how to manage their chronic conditions at work, and aims to help people stay in employment regardless of their struggles. Losing the ability to work a full-time job is one of the most challenging parts of living with chronic pain. Thank you, Julie, for highlighting these issues. Julie’s book ‘Chronic Illness at Work’ is available here.

Dr. Michael Lenz is a pediatrician, Internal Medicine doctor, and author of ConqueringYourFibromyalgia.com. He also has a podcast with the same name. Dr. Michael gave an inspiring talk about the connection between ADHD, Autism, and Fibro! This is not a topic we hear about often, so if you suffer from any of the above, he’s the man to follow!

Guest speakers Liz and Lo from Persevere & Win both suffer from Fibromyalgia. Their mission is to help people living with Fibro deal with their mental health. At her lowest point, Liz tried to take her own life but then found her purpose and continues to fight today! She also (very reluctantly) shared the poetry she wrote during one of her darkest times, which I found beautiful! Ladies, keep going, keep fighting, and never give up. We are all in this together; you are never alone. Thank you for sharing your story so openly. We need more people like you.

Kelli Roseta from More Than Lupus has sadly suffered from Lupus since she was a child, but this has not stopped her from becoming an inspirational and motivated beautiful young woman! She is passionate about making sure patients are heard, valued, and respected, and through her community helps and encourages patients to set healthy boundaries in their chronic pain journey! Consider me a loyal new member of your community, Kelli! I will be following your journey from here on in. Keep inspiring!

Dr. Adriane Knorr touched on a topic I believe needs to be discussed way more: how hormones affect fibromyalgia! As the host of the Sassy Speculum podcast, Adriane believes the doctor-patient relationship should be a combined effort and that empowering her patients with knowledge is essential to healing. If I lived in Oregon, I would be coming to you, Adriane!

Fibro May from the Taiwan Fibromyalgia Association gave an inspiring talk with Carrie Kellenberger from My Several Worlds – Chronic Pain and Disability Awareness. Discussing her journey, Fibro May was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia in 2015 after a long battle of misdiagnosis since her childhood years. I can relate to the grieving process of losing a life we once had before being diagnosed. She hit the nail on the head when she talked about how even preparing for an event or going out to dinner requires so much work, effort, and determination for people living with chronic pain.

Chloe Jones also gave an interesting perspective. As someone who studies immune sensitivity in fibromyalgia patients, it was promising to hear her views! Chloe works in the Neuroinflammation, Pain, and Fatigue Lab at the University of Alabama; thank you, Chloe! I sincerely hope you continue your journey in this sector and sharing your discoveries and developments with the world! You are so appreciated.

Nikki Lott shares a heartfelt story about her 14-year battle with Fibromyalgia and connective tissue disease and how her 13-year-old daughter also now suffers from Fibro. Nikki’s goal is to see chronic illness fighters like herself and her daughter in a better place mentally, physically, and spiritually through her uniquely creative coaching style. You can find Nikki at her website, heartfaithstrength.com.

Dr. Kaci Madden and Dr. Loren Couture work at The Specific Chiropractic Centers San Diego, California. Dr. Kaci gave an enlightening speech about non-aggressive, gentle chiropractic care – something we could all do with from time to time!

Download my PDF Presentation for FREE below:

Gratitude & Christmas Gifts

As a show of my gratitude for this opportunity, I would like to gift each of the hosts an awareness bracelet made by me. When I couldn’t dress, walk, or wash, thankfully, I could still use my hands, and that is when Hope in Bracelets was born. I started making awareness bracelets for rare incurable diseases and now accept personalized orders from all over the world. The three bracelets shown below (in the second image) are for Melissa Talwar, Carrie Kellenberger, and Danielle Pettili. Wishing you all a very merry and pain-free Christmas period.

Order an awareness bracelet at my Etsy shop here: Hope in Bracelets | Awareness Bracelets by Michelle Eberwein | Etsy Gifts – Turning Pain into Strength

Today, my role as a Holistic Health Coach is to guide you on your journey to and through recovery. If you think you have what it takes to turn your life around, I will work with you to formulate the ultimate lifestyle plan according to your physical, mental, and emotional requirements. I would also like to say if any one of you is feeling down in the dumps, I am here. You can reach me on WhatsApp at any time, or send me a message here, and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

Sometimes, it feels good talking to an outsider.

My book, Turning Pain into Strength, is available on Amazon – click here.

Contact Michelle Eberwein – Buy my Book on Amazon

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