A journey Through The Fog

PART 6: A Foggy Morning, a Dairy Crime Scene, and a Glitter-Filled Volcano: Just Another Day with Fibromyalgia

Sarah’s alarm went off for the third time.

She groaned, rolling to her side as that familiar ache sank deep into her bones. Her limbs felt like they were buried under wet sand. Not quite pain—more like the weight of carrying a small elephant made of fatigue and betrayal. The kind of tired that sleep can’t fix.

“Come on, body… not today,” she muttered, swinging her legs off the bed.

Her knees cracked like a bag of chips, and her elbows creaked like they were auditioning for a horror movie. She sat on the edge of the bed for a moment, gathering herself. One small victory at a time. Finally, she stood—stiff, slow, but vertical. The fog hadn’t lifted—inside or out—but here she was.

In the kitchen, the smell of coffee wrapped around her like a warm hug—comforting, dependable, and far more functional than she felt. That small ritual was her lifeline. She wrapped her hands around the mug, letting the steam kiss her face like a whisper: You’re still here. You’re still trying.

“Let’s try cold foam,” she mumbled, inspired by a 2 a.m. barista tutorial she definitely shouldn’t have watched while half-asleep.

Ten chaotic minutes later, the countertop looked like a dairy crime scene. Milk everywhere. The foam? Somewhere between dish soap and regret.

She stared at the mess and laughed. “Okay, I officially suck at this. Coffee shops it is.”

The truth was, Sarah didn’t just love coffee shops for the caffeine. She needed them. She had zero coffee-making skills. None. Coffee shops were her sanctuary. Her backup brain. A place where trained professionals could deliver life-saving elixirs that didn’t look (or taste) like they’d been frothed by a toddler with a whisk.

So if this story resonates with you—even a little—consider supporting her journey. A paid subscription doesn’t just fuel these words. It literally helps buy her a cup of coffee crafted by someone who understands espresso ratios and can pronounce “macchiato” without breaking into a sweat. And let’s be real—survival is smoother with caffeine… and less foam-related trauma.