The Belief Score

Jason Herterich lives with fibromyalgia. It’s a chronic condition that affects the nervous system, and causes pain throughout his entire body. Coping with constant pain has forced Jason to overhaul his life. He had to leave a job he loved. He was a rower and a triathlete, but is now sometimes too sick to get outside for a walk. But beyond the physical pain, there is something else that has hurt Jason too: disbelief. Fibromyalgia is commonly referred to as an “invisible illness”. This is an umbrella term describing conditions that can be hard for others to see and recognize. People with certain kinds of invisible illnesses are often accused of faking it or imagining things. It’s been about a decade since Jason first got sick, and while his family believes him now, that took years. And Jason has decided it’s time to talk to them about it.