Pain and weariness cannot be seen, they do not leave any signal and they play to hide with doctors. We are not talking about the pain or the tiredness that any person has experienced at some point, but of a disqualifying pain and an exhausting fatigue. These are the more common symptoms of two diseases about which very little is known: Fibromialgy and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
From left to right: Montse Rubio, María Inés Muñoz, Montse Campistó and Yolanda Fernández. The four of them are ill from Fibromialgy; María Inés and Montse Campistó also have Chronic Fatigue Syndrom. They work in AFFACC, an association for people with these diseases that was run by Montse Campistó who now is the President. After having worked there for a while in the morning, they have a coffee and go back home nearly exhausted
SEL0059489 © Lourdes Segade
From left to right: María Inés Muñoz, Montse Campistó and Montse Rubio. The three of them are ill from Fibromialgy; María Inés and Montse Campistó also have Chronic Fatigue Syndrom. They work in AFFACC, an association for people with these diseases that was run by Montse Campistó who now is the President. After having worked for a while in the morning they will go back home almost exhausted
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Montse Campistó (48 years old) was diagnosed from Fibromialgy ten years ago though the symptoms appeared long before. Some time later she was also diagnosed from Chronic Fatigue Syndrom. The disease makes everything imprevisible for her since she never knows how she will feel one hour later, and also affects routinaire and simple things such as cooking. Muscular pain is the main symptom and what variates is the intensity. People sick from Fibromialgy have good and bad days but they regular state (days with no pain at all) is to feel as if they had flu: slightly painful bones and muscles. Montse is one of the very few people all over Spain who got a pension for totally disabled people. Since the disease is invisible it is very difficult to prove it
SEL0059501 © Lourdes Segade
Montse Campistó (48 years old) was diagnosed from Fibromialgy ten years ago though the symptoms appeared long before. Some time later she was also diagnosed from Chronic Fatigue Syndrom. The disease makes everything imprevisible for her since she never knows how she will feel one hour later. Muscular pain is the main symptom and what variates is the intensity. People sick from Fibromialgy have good and bad days but they regular state (days with no pain at all) is to feel as if they had flu: slightly painful bones and muscles. Montse is one of the very few people all over Spain who got a pension for totally disabled people. Since the disease is invisible it is very difficult to prove it
SEL0059507 © Lourdes Segade
Montse (48 years old) talks to his 24 years old son, Toni. He is never at home and doesn't care much about his mother disease. Montse Campistó was diagnosed from Fibromialgy ten years ago though the symptoms appeared long before. Some time later she was also diagnosed from Chronic Fatigue Syndrom. The disease makes everything imprevisible for her since she never knows how she will feel one hour later. Muscular pain is the main symptom and what variates is the intensity. People sick from Fibromialgy have good and bad days but they regular state (days with no pain at all) is to feel as if they had flu: slightly painful bones and muscles. Montse is one of the very few people all over Spain who got a pension for totally disabled people. Since the disease is invisible it is very difficult to prove it, and very difficult for relatives and friends to understand it and the limitations it imposes to the sick
SEL0059542 © Lourdes Segade
Montse Campistó (48 years old) was diagnosed from Fibromialgy ten years ago though the symptoms appeared long before. Some time later she was also diagnosed from Chronic Fatigue Syndrom. The disease makes everything imprevisible for her since she never knows how she will feel one hour later. Muscular pain is the main symptom and what variates is the intensity. People sick from Fibromialgy have good and bad days but they regular state (days with no pain at all) is to feel as if they had flu: slightly painful bones and muscles. Montse is one of the very few people all over Spain who got a pension for totally disabled people. Since the disease is invisible it is very difficult to prove it
SEL0059495 © Lourdes Segade
Montse Campistó (48 years old) was diagnosed from Fibromialgy ten years ago though the symptoms appeared long before. Some time later she was also diagnosed from Chronic Fatigue Syndrom. The disease makes everything imprevisible for her since she never knows how she will feel one hour later. Muscular pain is the main symptom and what variates is the intensity. People sick from Fibromialgy have good and bad days but they regular state (days with no pain at all) is to feel as if they had flu: slightly painful bones and muscles. Montse is one of the very few people all over Spain who got a pension for totally disabled people. Since the disease is invisible it is very difficult to prove it. When Montse wakes up in the morning she knows how far she will go that day. Everyday, after lunch, she takes a long rest of 3 or 4 hours. These days she's sharing the bed with Jordi, her husband, recently operated from his back. Jordi is a very supportive husband but this is not the most common thing when we talk about fibromialgy: neither relatives or friends understand the disease and its effects
SEL0059517 © Lourdes Segade
Montse Campistó (48 years old) was diagnosed from Fibromialgy ten years ago though the symptoms appeared long before. Some time later she was also diagnosed from Chronic Fatigue Syndrom. The disease makes everything imprevisible for her since she never knows how she will feel one hour later. Muscular pain is the main symptom and what variates is the intensity. People sick from Fibromialgy have good and bad days but they regular state (days with no pain at all) is to feel as if they had flu: slightly painful bones and muscles. Montse is one of the very few people all over Spain who got a pension for totally disabled people. Since the disease is invisible it is very difficult to prove it. When Montse wakes up in the morning she knows how far she will go that day. Everyday, after lunch, she takes a long rest of 3 or 4 hours. These days she's sharing the bed with Jordi, her husband, recently operated from his back. Jordi is a very supportive husband but this is not the most common thing when we talk about fibromialgy: neither relatives or friends understand the disease and its effects. Montse is a very active person and even when she is resting she attends whatever question she may be asked by someone from the association or any other sick people
SEL0059535 © Lourdes Segade
Montse Campistó (48 years old) was diagnosed from Fibromialgy ten years ago though the symptoms appeared long before. Some time later she was also diagnosed from Chronic Fatigue Syndrom. The disease makes everything imprevisible for her since she never knows how she will feel one hour later. Muscular pain is the main symptom and what variates is the intensity. People sick from Fibromialgy have good and bad days but they regular state (days with no pain at all) is to feel as if they had flu: slightly painful bones and muscles. Montse is one of the very few people all over Spain who got a pension for totally disabled people. Since the disease is invisible it is very difficult to prove it. When Montse wakes up in the morning she knows how far she will go that day. Everyday, after lunch, she takes a long rest of 3 or 4 hours. These days she's sharing the bed with Jordi, her husband, recently operated from his back. Jordi is a very supportive husband but this is not the most common thing when we talk about fibromialgy: neither relatives or friends understand the disease and its effects. Montse is a very active person and even when she is resting she attends whatever question she may be asked by someone from the association or any other sick people
SEL0059530 © Lourdes Segade
Montse Campistó (48 years old) was diagnosed from Fibromialgy ten years ago though the symptoms appeared long before. Some time later she was also diagnosed from Chronic Fatigue Syndrom. The disease makes everything imprevisible for her since she never knows how she will feel one hour later. Muscular pain is the main symptom and what variates is the intensity. People sick from Fibromialgy have good and bad days but they regular state (days with no pain at all) is to feel as if they had flu: slightly painful bones and muscles. Montse is one of the very few people all over Spain who got a pension for totally disabled people. Since the disease is invisible it is very difficult to prove it. When Montse wakes up in the morning she knows how far she will go that day. Everyday, after lunch, she takes a long rest of 3 or 4 hours. These days she's sharing the bed with Jordi, her husband, recently operated from his back. Jordi is a very supportive husband but this is not the most common thing when we talk about fibromialgy: neither relatives or friends understand the disease and its effects. Unavoidingly, there are moments when desperation and impotence appear
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Anna Orduño is 28 years old. She's sick from Fibromialgy since she was a teenager though she was diagnosed two years ago. Even soft caresses from her boyfriend were then painful. Now she's not working but being a housewife. She's married and has a three years old son, Arnau, who was adopted two and a half years ago. He will soon have another brother or sister from Rusia. Anna also has Chronic Fatigue Syndrom. She usually starts feeling tired at 9.00 am, after having woken her son up and when she gets ready to take him to school. Every morning she makes up since she says that she may feel very bad but she doesn't want people to know how bad she's feeling that day. She needs a rest everyday after lunch, at least for two hours, in order to keep on 'functioning'.
SEL0059552 © Lourdes Segade
Anna Orduño is 28 years old. She's sick from Fibromialgy since she was a teenager though she was diagnosed two years ago. Even soft caresses from her boyfriend were then painful. Now she's not working but being a housewife. She's married and has a three years old son, Arnau, who was adopted two and a half years ago. He will soon have another brother or sister from Rusia. Anna also has Chronic Fatigue Syndrom. She usually starts feeling tired at 9.00 am, after having woken her son up and when she gets ready to take him to school. She needs a rest everyday after lunch, at least for two hours, in order to keep on 'functioning'. Common gestures such as closing a drawer can be very painful and difficult for her. Today her hands don't hurt at all. She feels tired, though
SEL0059545 © Lourdes Segade
Anna Orduño is 28 years old. She's sick from Fibromialgy since she was a teenager though she was diagnosed two years ago. Even soft caresses from her boyfriend were then painful. Now she's not working but being a housewife. She's married and has a three years old son, Arnau, who was adopted two and a half years ago. He will soon have another brother or sister from Rusia. Anna also has Chronic Fatigue Syndrom. She usually starts feeling tired at 9.00 am, after having woken her son up and when she gets ready to take him to school. She needs a rest everyday after lunch, at least for two hours, in order to keep on 'functioning'.
SEL0059550 © Lourdes Segade
Anna Orduño (second on the right) is 28 years old. She's sick since she was a teenager though she was diagnosed from Fibromialgy two years ago. Even soft caresses from her boyfriend were then painful. Now she's not working but being a housewife. She's married and has a three years old son, Arnau, who was adopted two and a half years ago. He will soon have another brother or sister from Rusia. Anna also has Chronic Fatigue Syndrom. She usually starts feeling tired at 9.00 am, after having woken her son up and when she gets ready to take him to school. She needs a rest everyday after lunch, at least for two hours, in order to keep on 'functioning'. She attends to a patchwork course every wednesday so is not all day at home. But many days her hands hurt a lot and she cannot sew nor cut or whatever so she just pays attention ok have a look at some magazines. Today her hands don't hurt at all. She feels tired, though
SEL0059553 © Lourdes Segade
Anna Orduño is 28 years old. She's sick from Fibromialgy since she was a teenager though she was diagnosed two years ago. Even soft caresses from her boyfriend were then painful. Now she's not working but being a housewife. She's married and has a three years old son, Arnau, who was adopted two and a half years ago. He will soon have another brother or sister from Rusia. Anna also has Chronic Fatigue Syndrom. She usually starts feeling tired at 9.00 am, after having woken her son up and when she gets ready to take him to school. She needs a rest everyday after lunch, at least for two hours, in order to keep on 'functioning'. She needs to sit and keep some energies while cooking lunch.
SEL0059555 © Lourdes Segade
Anna tries to decide with her husband, August, where to go on summer holidays. She's exhausted and it is only midday. Anna Orduño is 28 years old. She's sick from Fibromialgy since she was a teenager though she was diagnosed two years ago. Even soft caresses from her boyfriend were then painful. Now she's not working but being a housewife. She's married and has a three years old son, Arnau, who was adopted two and a half years ago. He will soon have another brother or sister from Rusia. Anna also has Chronic Fatigue Syndrom. She usually starts feeling tired at 9.00 am, after having woken her son up and when she gets ready to take him to school. She needs a rest everyday after lunch, at least for two hours, in order to keep on 'functioning'.
SEL0059562 © Lourdes Segade
Anna Orduño is 28 years old. She's sick from Fibromialgy since she was a teenager though she was diagnosed two years ago. Even soft caresses from her boyfriend were then painful. Now she's not working but being a housewife. She's married and has a three years old son, Arnau, who was adopted two and a half years ago. He will soon have another brother or sister from Rusia. Anna also has Chronic Fatigue Syndrom. She usually starts feeling tired at 9.00 am, after having woken her son up and when she gets ready to take him to school. She needs a rest everyday after lunch, at least for two hours, in order to keep on 'functioning'. Today she couldn't rest since Arnau's teacher called after lunch to tell her that the boy had fever. Anna had just laid down. She has to stop twice in her way home (a five minutes walk for a normal person) to get a little of breath. She attends to a patchwork course every wednesday so is not all day at home. But many days her hands hurt a lot and she cannot sew nor cut or whatever so she just pays attention ok have a look at some magazines. Today her hands don't hurt at all. She feels tired, though
SEL0059557 © Lourdes Segade
Anna Orduño is 28 years old. She's sick from Fibromialgy since she was a teenager though she was diagnosed two years ago. Even soft caresses from her boyfriend were then painful. Now she's not working but being a housewife. She's married and has a three years old son, Arnau, who was adopted two and a half years ago. He will soon have another brother or sister from Rusia. Anna also has Chronic Fatigue Syndrom. She usually starts feeling tired at 9.00 am, after having woken her son up and when she gets ready to take him to school. She needs a rest everyday after lunch, at least for two hours, in order to keep on 'functioning'. Today she couldn't rest since Arnau's teacher called after lunch to tell her that the boy had fever. Anna had just laid down. Many days her hands hurt a lot and she cannot make normal gestures like the one holding the termometer. Today her hands don't hurt at all. She feels tired, though
SEL0059559 © Lourdes Segade
August is back from work. From now and until bedtime he will take care of his son Arnau to let Anna rest. Anna Orduño is 28 years old. She's sick from Fibromialgy since she was a teenager though she was diagnosed two years ago. Even soft caresses from her boyfriend were then painful. Now she's not working but being a housewife. She's married and has a three years old son, Arnau, who was adopted two and a half years ago. He will soon have another brother or sister from Rusia. Anna also has Chronic Fatigue Syndrom. She usually starts feeling tired at 9.00 am, after having woken her son up and when she gets ready to take him to school. She needs a rest everyday after lunch, at least for two hours, in order to keep on 'functioning'. Today she couldn't rest since Arnau's teacher called after lunch to tell her that the boy had fever. August is back from work. From now and until bedtime he will take care of his son Arnau to let Anna rest.
SEL0059563 © Lourdes Segade
Anna looks at her husband feeding Arnau, their three years old son. When August comes back from work he takes care of the boy so Anna can rest for a while. Anna Orduño is 28 years old. She's sick from Fibromialgy since she was a teenager though she was diagnosed two years ago. Even soft caresses from her boyfriend were then painful. Now she's not working but being a housewife. She's married and has a three years old son, Arnau, who was adopted two and a half years ago. He will soon have another brother or sister from Rusia. Anna also has Chronic Fatigue Syndrom. She usually starts feeling tired at 9.00 am, after having woken her son up and when she gets ready to take him to school. She needs a rest everyday after lunch, at least for two hours, in order to keep on 'functioning'. Today she couldn't rest since Arnau's teacher called after lunch to tell her that the boy had fever. Anna had just laid down. Anna looks at her husband feeding Arnau, their three years old son. When August comes back from work he takes care of the boy so Anna can rest for a while.
SEL0059567 © Lourdes Segade
Anna looks at her husband feeding Arnau, their three years old son. When August comes back from work he takes care of the boy so Anna can rest for a while. Anna Orduño is 28 years old. She's sick from Fibromialgy since she was a teenager though she was diagnosed two years ago. Even soft caresses from her boyfriend were then painful. Now she's not working but being a housewife. She's married and has a three years old son, Arnau, who was adopted two and a half years ago. He will soon have another brother or sister from Rusia. Anna also has Chronic Fatigue Syndrom. She usually starts feeling tired at 9.00 am, after having woken her son up and when she gets ready to take him to school. She needs a rest everyday after lunch, at least for two hours, in order to keep on 'functioning'. Today she couldn't rest since Arnau's teacher called after lunch to tell her that the boy had fever. Anna had just laid down. She has to stop twice in her way home (a five minutes walk for a normal person) to get a little of breath. She attends to a patchwork course every wednesday so is not all day at home. But many days her hands hurt a lot and she cannot sew nor cut or whatever so she just pays attention ok have a look at some magazines. Today her hands don't hurt at all. She feels tired, though Anna looks at her husband feeding Arnau, their three years old son. When August comes back from work he takes care of the boy so Anna can rest for a while.
SEL0059565 © Lourdes Segade