I’ve been quiet on the blog front lately because I was working on passing my oral comprehensive exam (that is, my prospectus defense). Big presentations are stressful in their own right, and of course stress ends up triggering some fibromyalgia symptoms. For me, it was the fatigue and brain fog, the exact symptoms you don’t want for a presentation. Thankfully I had prepared enough that I went on auto pilot and delivered a good presentation.
I feel very lucky to have mentors who have helped me tailor my dissertation research to something I can manage given my physical limits. I went through a dark period where I felt I could not complete my PhD so it is gratifying to have come this far!
The Fibromyalgic Academic 