Reps. Bieda, Miller, Accavitti, Adamini, Anderson, Ball, Brown, Byrnes, Byrum, Cheeks, Clack, Condino, Cushingberry, Farrah, Garfield, Gillard, Gleason, Gonzales, Green, Hopgood, Hunter, Kolb, Kathleen Law, Lemmons, III, Lemmons, Jr., Lipsey, Mayes, McDowell, Meisner, Mortimer, Murphy, Plakas, Polidori, Sak, Shaffer, Sheltrown, Spade, Tobocman, Vagnozzi, Vander Veen, Waters and Zelenko offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 251.

            A resolution commemorating May 12, 2006, as Michigan Fibromyalgia Awareness Day. 

            Whereas, Fibromyalgia is a disease with uncertain cause and no known cure.  This chronic condition affects men, women, and children of all ages around the world. affecting an estimated 10 million people in the United States; and

            Whereas, Fibromyalgia is a very serious and chronic disease in which people suffer unbearable pain.  Fibromyalgia causes these people to suffer in many ways including sleep fatigue, which is a disturbance of deep sleep and patterns of non-restorative sleep.  They can also suffer various nervous system pains including neuropathic pain, central nervous system pain, transmitter or receptor dysfunction pain, headache, interstitial cystitis, dizziness, tingling sensations, lack of sensations, vision problems, noise sensitivity, dysfunctional bowels, and problems with memory functioning; and

            Whereas, This chronic condition makes daily activities nearly impossible.  Patients are unable to lift objects even of light weight, have problems climbing and descending stairs, and any physical strain makes it difficult to conduct daily routines; and

            Whereas, A diagnosis of Fibromyalgia takes an average of five years.  During this time the patient is enduring all this pain, he or she often faces discrimination at both the workplace and the community; and

Whereas, The lack of public education makes Fibromyalgia difficult to treat, let alone diagnose.  Public education and research on the causes and diagnosis of this illness would help to eliminate a misunderstanding of its conditions, and possibly make advances in diagnosis and treatment more feasible in the future; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the members of this legislative body commemorate May 12, 2006, as Michigan Fibromyalgia Awareness Day.