I decided to take a trip to see the Chinese New Year celebrations in London, 11th February. I was fighting with my Fibro from the moment I left home as it was an early start, but having been lacking motivation or inspiration of late I needed a different photography opportunity and change of scenery.
I arrived at Charing Cross Road one hour before the parade started, and thought I had picked a good spot for getting some shots. With this being my first time little did I know just how busy it was going to get.
The crowds started to build, I was standing on the curb with a view down the road, but Charing Cross Road is a wide road, and the crowd started to form a line down the middle of the road facing away from me. I was on the wrong side!
I made my way into the middle of the road but I found myself behind several people. It was a case of having to lift my camera above my head, shoot, and hope for the best, (my camera is too old to have a live view screen). As you can imagine I’m extremely pleased with the images I did manage to capture.
However there was a BIG Fibro price to pay, to the extent that after a brief walk to Trafalgar Square and Chinatown, both too busy for my Fibro to cope or photograph the performances, I came home earlier than intended. I would usually stay in London for the day to make the most of paying for a train ticket, and besides it’s London!
So what impacted my Fibro so badly? Firstly the neverending movement in a huge crowd as people jostled for a view, meant my highly sensitive spine and neck were experiencing constant movement in all directions, and beyond my control. Secondly lifting and fully extending my arm to shoot put extra pressure on my body, agitating my spine and neck further. Being 5’6” is a distinct disadvantage in busy locations!
After this battering of my already overwhelmed nervous system my fatigue was so bad I was having trouble coordinating my movement, thinking and speaking. So I stood next to a building until the crowds subsided to regain some composure and plan my next move.
I am paying for this activity in severe nerve pain, and a return of my post viral burning, albeit not as bad as before, and severe intensity in all my other symptoms.
From a photography point of view I’m glad I made the trip. I don’t think I could have prepared better as there are so many variables that a trip to busy locations can throw at you and your Fibro. I just accept that I have limitations and am constantly scanning my body and environment to assess how and when to make my next move.
As I’ve said before, even with Fibro you still have to live, it’s just the payoff is so challenging and is often extremely painful afterwards, possibly becoming a new normal, (let’s hope that’s not the case).
Fibro & Photos 