Hi there Keeon,
GOOD FOR YOU, demanding the ADA accomodations and going to EEOC. Under the family leave act they have to give you your job back.
It's ridiculous the games employers and insurance companies make us play to get treatment! I take it that you only have short term disability as a benefit, not long term disability...as I understand it if you continue qualifying for s-t disability for 6 mos. you automatically should qualify for l-t benefits, if you have a l-t plan. Check it out.
GOOD FOR YOU, getting back in court and getting Austyn (beautiful name) child support. What a jerk to not pay any attention to his daughter. He'll realize what he's lost when it's too late.
She'll realize him for who he is in her own time too. Of course the work stuff and the court date sent you into a FMS flare. Any stress will do that especially in the beginning when you're still trying to come up with a med/treatment plan that helps you the most.
Some flares still catch me by surprise after 7+ years with FMS. Sometimes I do something I know will cause a flare and just deal with it, like having a gathering at our house for Garrett's HS Graduation celebration next Thursday. Friday, I know I'll be in bed.
If and when I travel, I know I'll be in bed the day after travel & once home I'll be in bed for a few days usually.
Flares are NO FUN! And people think we make this stuff up?! I want everyone who doubts this to walk 'a mile' in my shoes (except I can't walk more than to the back of Walmart and return to the front without kicking in PAIN). Live a day in 'our' lives and see how much we are making up this disease. Arghhhh!
Hugs and Blessings, Judy

Keeon, I thank you so much for posting your struggles on this site. I ran across it while searching on Yahoo for "Fibromyalgia single mothers" I am a single mother, well a mother with a husband in jail (the iddiot), and am not raising our two young children alone. Two boys ages 5 and 2. I have been sick for at least 3 years and my onset of me finding out was during the pregnancy of my second child.

I now suffer from Fibromyalgia, Endometriosis (with chronic pelvic pain), Irritible Bowel Syndrome, PTSD, Depression, Panic Disorder, Anxiety, and other problems as a result of the three main physical and at least four mental health issues all running hand and hand with eachother. One triggers the other and then everything goes haywire! I have moments that I feel ok and moments when my pain is overwhelming.

My reason for searching for help this time is because I am scared I am going to go through what you went through. I am scared of loosing my children and home. I have already been in debt since my illness 3 years ago when I first had to quit working. Since then I have had my second child, finished college that should have only took 16 months and took me 33 months to complete, and started my first full time job since all of this has occured. I haven't worked since November 2001.

So now here I am, unable to do the job. Not suprising to me, but what choice to I have? I have to support my two children and myself without any support from anyone. No family or friends. I have seemed to have lost them along the way with my struggles with my conditions.

I started this job on June 6 of this year. I have been sick and stressed. So the job demoted me to another position in another department. This has turned out to be much worse because now I have repetitious work and constant filing in awkward positions and bending and all of the other painful situations that come along with being in pain forcing yourself to go just a little more to not cause a problem in the workplace anymore. I feel like I'm nothing but a problem to them.

I was told, "Well Nicole, you know you will have to deal with filing and computers and things like that in any accounting position." I was soo hurt by his remark!! I had a meeting with the superiors of the company and this is what one of them told me, after I asked for acomidation once before this 3 weeks ago. Now I explained that I was not aware that the job would be about 40 to 60 percent filing.

I also explained how it hurts my pelvis, arms, back and fingers (and everywhere else) to do this kind of repetitious work all day long. That was the comment that was made.

So being that I was already in pain in my pelvis and lower back from my Endometriosis, I left to lunch and decided to not return. I called in sick for the rest of the day. And for good reason. My stress made me flair up!

Now I am sitting here causing myself more pain typing to reach out to someone. I don't mind putting myself in pain for something like this. But to work for people everyday and be in pain, I don't think any amount of money makes a difference. I still can't do the job. And I don't know what I am goning to do.

I thank you again Keeon and the others that posted responses to Keeon's posts. It is nice to know that I am not the only one. I just wish I could meet someone who I could keep in contact with to let me know to keep hope, because my family sure doesn't. Except my kids that is. But they are a job in itself. I love them dearly and am doing the best I can to survive. I feel like I am hanging on a clif with only fingernails handing onto the side, ready to break at any moment.

well, what can i say. I been reading these blogs and comments and I empathize with you all. I guess all I can do as of the moment is to include you in my prayers and hope for the best.