By contributing columnist Linda GJ aka Linda GJ

A Beautiful Artist Blooms

behind The Fibro Diaries

You never know who you will meet in a Blog & I met someone very special amongst many that I would love to write about. I have chosen Meghann to write about today as we both have something in common. We both suffer from Fibromyalgia.

On one of the blogs I frequently go to, I saw a blog named “The Fibro Diaries“. I thought, I must go check this out and found, not only a beautiful 25 yr. old woman named Meghann, that suffers from fibromyalgia like me, but she was also an extremely talented jeweler and photographer. I have a wonderful bio coming up about her later in this article along with her gorgeous art work! But I first wanted to share a little about Fibromyalgia, a disease we both share and I want the public to be aware of this disease.

From Meghann's: The Fibro Diaries: My Life With Fibromyalgia...she says, "So for the last 2 years I've been sick. Really really sick - I'm always tired, fuzzy-headed, and sore. I'm sore all over. My skin, muscles, joints, everything is hurting all the time. Sometimes it gets so bad I can barely drag myself out of bed. I'm only 25. I have found out I have Fibromyalgia. It's permanent, there isn't a cure, & it's getting worse. It may not be fatal, but it causes a lot of problems.

Because of this illness, I've lost friends, I've lost jobs, I've lost self esteem. But I'm still here, & I'm fighting every step of the way".I must say, that this moved me very much as I too suffer the same thing & I have met many others that also have this disease. We look normal, yet doctors are just now realizing it is real. We have been treated like it is not real & it’s all in our heads.

Personally I have suffered this for almost 10 years. And Meghann is right, it continues to get worse. If you know anyone that has fibro, please be compassionate & try to understand that we are normal outgoing people, most of us are educated, & love life. Our bodies keep us from doing things we would like to do, most of us have more ambitions than a normal person & most of us just want to be understood.

New medications are coming out in the recent couple of years that do not work on the majority of us, but there is hope that we are finally being recognized.

Once having a promising career, I was forced to be on disability because of this disease, yet at the time they didn’t believe in Fibro, so I was diagnosed as being depressed.

But this article is not about me, it’s to share with you a wonderful artist, yet I and Meghann would like people to become more aware of this disease that is not in our heads, but is real.

Please go to: http://www.afsafund.org/ to find out more about this disease.

Now about the real Meghann! I was going to write about her in my own words, but when I sent her a questionnaire and received the answers, her fabulous personality just shines through this interview & I thought yall would miss out on the sincere & pure essence of Meghann as a person, who, btw, is from Canada!

Meghann Gervais and Little Studio Photography & Jewelery

How I got started: I’ve always been fascinated by photography, and started when I was a teen. I caught the bug pretty badly and continued on my own until I was hired by a photographer as his assistant. I have always wanted to have my own studio, especially after working in a few portrait studios over the years. I like doing portraits, but I live in a very small area and the business just isn’t there. However, I LOVE doing nature and landscape photography. I feature these in limited prints and in gift cards in my stores.

The jewelry aspect started at about the same time as the photography…I wanted to have nice jewelry that was stylish and high quality, but the only pieces I could find that I liked were WAY out of my price range.

The jewelry that I could afford was cheap – in price and quality! I turned my wrist green once from a piece of cheap jewelry and that was it – I started making my own.

Three years ago, I had just started my photography business part time (I was working full time and going to school part time) when I got sick with fibromyalgia.

After 2 years I was so sick that I couldn’t work and I knew I needed to find a source of income that I could make from my home. I rediscovered my jewelry making after a few years of it being put on the back burner and found that I could do it anywhere in my house: at my workbench, on my couch, even in bed – it was perfect! I took photographs when I was well enough to travel and then found that I had a stack of photos and a box full of jewelry…with no one to buy it.

Enter the world of online selling! I found Etsy, ArtFire and iCraft and haven’t looked back. Although I don’t make a full time income yet, I have found a fabulous community of online sellers just like me – people who are interested in producing quality handmade items. Some are disabled like myself, some are stay at home parents, and some are artists sick of making money for someone else and getting no respect. They are now my extended family and I am so proud to say it.

My Inspirations: My inspirations come from all over…My fiancée inspires me with his tireless energy and love. He understands me and my disease. He is patient, hardworking and very, very intelligent. How could he not inspire me and my business ethic? My dog is hilarious and teaches me daily to forget the little things and take life as it comes, one day, one minute, one itch at a time. Have fun, run around when things get a little too quiet and you’ll be alright. My surroundings also inspire me…we live in the country, surrounded by forest and nature at its best. Sun slanting through the leaves, deer walking through my backyard, birds with their never ending songs all inspire me.

My newest collection is inspired by history: specifically, women of power throughout history. My Neo Amour (New Love) collection is inspired by such women as Marie Antoinette, Queen Elizabeth 1, Boudicca, and many more. Strong women fighting for themselves and their beliefs are incredibly empowering and inspirational.

Favorite pieces: I always get asked what my favorite pieces are and I always have such a hard time answering! I love all of my pieces, as each reflects my personality, mood or thought process on a given day. Right now I am loving my NeoAmour Collections, specifically these: NeoAmour Marie Antoinette Rainfall Earrings NeoAmour Victoria’s Bangle Bracelet
NeoAmour Boudicca’s Celtic Silver Ring in Sapphire (it’s my birthstone!)

Charity involvement and how that started: Each month I give 10% of my total sales before tax and shipping to a different charity. Sometimes it is an animal charity, sometimes it is a charity for people, but always they are dear to my heart. I give to the National Wildlife Federation, Epic Farms, The Canadian Cancer Society, The Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, and many more. I have been helped by so many people in my life time that I want to be able to help others in my turn. I can’t describe how good I feel to be able to donate even $10 to a cause I believe in and know that it is going to help in some small way – whether to symbolically adopt an animal through the National Wildlife Federation, or help fund research for Fibromyalgia. Every little bit helps!

Sales/Specials: If people reading this bio wish to purchase from my shops, they’ll get 20% off an order of $25 or more by entering “Indie Bio” during checkout. Thank you!

Here are both of her lovely shops:
http://www.littlestudiojewels.etsy.com
http://www.littlestudio.ca

Not to take away from this article of Linda’s but since I to suffer from Fibromyalgia, I wanted to say a huge thank you to Linda for writing this wonderful message and to help bring awareness about our disease.
Sue Rosen, Publisher, Indiesmiles.com

Angel earrings courtesy of Vivyanangel

Tags: affects lives, blog, charity, craft business, disease, fibro, fibrodiaries, fibromyalgia, invisible disease, Jewelry, read about, symptoms

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