Neva Smoke, 35 y.o. Female, 02/10/2010

This is our first "imaginary patient/ consume"r that we'll then ask ALL our experts -- which means those of YOU who have fibromyalgia and the other conditions that you have experience and wise input, to write ...  as well as the medical providers we now have in our midst here at Lumigrate.  Please start others, such as a male, a younger woman ... just start a new Topic.

I've named her Neva Smoke, so that we take that complexity out of the mix for now.  (And I had an exam in college in OT school with a patient with that name and remembered it today.) 

She's 35 yrs old.

5'5, 150#, nonsmoker, blood pressure was 95/65 at last doctor's visit, which is her norm.

Exercise: Walks around neighborhood when feeling up to it, on average once a week.  (15 minutes) Also, the exercise from activity of housework, which has been limited.

History of headaches, both overall/generalized and migraine intermittently,

fatigue, including when awakening

ear pain intermitently, tinnitus  

hair and scalp dryness, body skin itching

foot pain (particularly upon arising from non weight bearing),

sleep disturbance with intermittent insomnia and hypersomnia with fatigue upon awakening,

upper back pain, muscle spasms in upper back and neck, shoulder pain,

chronic nasal congestion, frequent sinus infections

IBS, curious about food allergy connection,

dry eyes.   

increased incidence of upper respiratory infections, sinus infections, urinary tract infections

decreased sensation of fingertips, tremor of hand/fingers

  
Psychosocial for Neva.

Marital status: I suggest we START on this exercise with that she lives in Grand Junction and is married 

Insurance: has insurance benefits through her husband, who is one of the people who has continued with employment since the massive layoffs in 2009. 

Financial: They have followed standard financial planning advise and have six months in assets in savings and that are liquid and other investments. They are fans of Suze Ormon

SO: You guys make up:
Vocation: Works part time as a checkout clerk at a supermarket chain.

("Occupations" are ALL things that occupy time, "Vocation" is how you 'earn your living' and includes 'homemaker and stay at home mother' and can include part time work)

Occupations:  Neva enjoys cooking but finds she is turning to fast food, frozen food and more convenience foods.  She expresses frustration with not having the energy for organization, paperwork, and as much housekeeping as she used to.  She is able to do laundry in an adaptive way and with help from family at times.  She is independent with showering, dressing and grooming and hygiene, though she has started to wear her hair air-dry due to shoulder pain and upper extremity weakness.

She enjoys knitting and crochet, but finds that she is doing less of that due to neck pain and decreased sensation and increased frustration with her dexterity and fine motor coordination/ tremor. 

She has two children, ages 12/male and 14/female.  In school the daughter's grades have started to drop in junior high, the son's are improving.   The daughter is not involved in any extracurricular work and contributes to cleaning, cooking and laundry duty.  The son is involved in track and football. He used to play hockey 'back home' but those programs are not available with his school now. 
Parents/ other family support.  Both her and his parents live where they moved from, which is Minnesota.

Spirituality: Church associations/support. They attended a Lutheran church 'back home' but have not found something they are comfortable with in this new-to-them community.