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Meshea lives in Port Angeles, WA. She grew up playing guitar, singing, writing songs, and dancing. She was a recording artist in Nashville at the age of 14. She became a geriatric certified RN. Her adult professional background is in home health and long term care, nursing administration, staff development/adult continuing education, long-term care consulting, seminars, and workshops. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, playing music and singing or attending live performances, and travel, including historical, scenic, and educational. In spite of having Fibromyalgia, she is usually the "life of the party". When people tell her she does not "look or act sick" she always says, "Thank you! I work very hard at that!" It is very scary to put yourself out there for the world to see--so many already suspect we are faking it. LIVING a good day or two publically opens one up for more suspicion, doubt, and ridicule. But seriously, am I supposed to want to "look" sick? Should I waste "good days" out of fear of what others think? They do not believe me anyway! The flip side is, when I do show my bad days publically, then I am treated like I just want attention or to just go on and on about how badly I feel again! It can seem like a no-win situation, and sometimes does, but only on the days that I ALLOW it to! It is up to ME to remind myself every day what the truth is and to LIVE it. That is what I try to do. I fail at times, but I pick myself back up--usually publically for all to see--dust myself off, and start again! I did not CHOOSE to have Fibromyalgia, but I am CHOOSING to LIVE the fullest fibroLIFE possible and to help as many others as I possibly can do the same! ~Meshea, fibroLIFE Founder Call Meshea Here or Contact her Here To:
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Tracking your symptoms, working through Fibromyalgia Made Simple, writing your own story because Every Life is a Story, and making the most of your good days--Every Life Travels--that is what I believe I am here to encourage each of you to do! This is truly the path to minimizing fibro--maximizing LIFE. ~Meshea Meshea Crysup has had symptoms of Fibromyalgia dating back to some of her earliest childhood memories. She married, had children, a successful career, and an active social life. She also, however, dealt with a cycle of illness consisting of a variety of seemingly unrelated health issues. The older she got, the more she took on, the more often she would cycle into a "flare" of "something". In spite of being in healthcare herself, and figuring out what was wrong with her on her own around the age of 30, she was not diagnosed with Fibromyalgia until she was 34. By then she had also collapsed at work and was simply unable to return, was living with constant pain which was very difficult to explain, often unable to sleep or would sleep most of the time but never feel rested, unable to think clearly, and had to have help getting in and out of the tub and getting to the restroom in the middle of the night. She certainly knows, personally, how hard it is to find out if you have Fibromyalgia, how difficult it is to find the most effective individualized combination of treatments, and most of all, how difficult it is to not just "exist", but to actually LIVE a fibroLIFE.
Since before "blogging" was a common word or Facebook even existed, Meshea has been sharing her journey and what she has learned with others online, through writing, and in person. She founded fibroLIFE, not as a support group, but rather a new approach--a different philosophy--regarding how to deal with getting diagnosed, treated, and learning to LIVE with Fibromyalgia. Because of her own battle with Fibromyalgia, it has been difficult to consistently keep fibroLIFE relevant and available to others. She has also moved twice, thus losing her non-fibro right-hand and co-director, which has left a void that she is not sure can ever be filled. At times, she has even decided to just let it all go...after all there are endless websites, blogs, books, organizations, all dedicated to helping those with Fibromyalgia. But, giving up, quitting, and sitting on the sidelines--that just is not who Meshea is. 
Obviously, she LIVES a fibroLIFE, so she cannot get up every day and "work" MesheaCrysup.com like a job. She would love nothing more, but Fibromyalgia makes that impossible. While that is very frustrating, she has decided to see it as the perfect opportunity to LIVE her fibroLIFE publically. In doing so, she can lead by example, sharing what she has learned along the way.
Meshea writes less now, finding it difficult, if not impossible, to sit and focus to do so. Most often she vlogs, discussing how to minimize Fibromyalgia and MAXIMIZE LIFE, sharing the work others are doing to help those with FMS, and sharing the stories of other people's lives--their success, struggles, how they overcame, etc. to inspire and motivate those with chronic/invisible illnesses. Also, when she can, she travels--whether in her "own backyard", cruising, road trips, or abroad, to encourage others with chronic conditions and invisible illnesses to find creative ways to still encounter as much of the world as possible! Meshea looks for ways to incorporate her music into this as well. Meshea is happy to speak with individuals and groups and hopes that in being "real" with others--openly discussing not only information but her own personal struggle-- she can increase awareness and understanding of Fibromyalgia. |
Meshea is humbled, honored, and extremely proud to also work with the
International Support Fibromyalgia Network
"fibroLIFE--the symptom tracker, the newsletter, the blog, the persistent online presence promoting other fibroVOICES, all the work over the years-- has no doubt been helpful to many. Being a part of this organization, however, provides so many more opportunities to make an impact, broadens my own scope of knowledge, and challenges me to always consider new approaches. ~Meshea Crysup
International Support Fibromyalgia Network
"fibroLIFE--the symptom tracker, the newsletter, the blog, the persistent online presence promoting other fibroVOICES, all the work over the years-- has no doubt been helpful to many. Being a part of this organization, however, provides so many more opportunities to make an impact, broadens my own scope of knowledge, and challenges me to always consider new approaches. ~Meshea Crysup
International Support Fibromyalgia Network
Advocacy Day 2019 Washington D.C.
Advocacy Day 2019 Washington D.C.
