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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, An estimated 10 million people in the United States |
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and millions of people worldwide have been diagnosed with |
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fibromyalgia, a disease for which there is no known cause or cure; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition characterized |
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by widespread pain in muscles, ligaments, and tendons, as well as |
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fatigue and multiple tender points; although diagnoses of |
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fibromyalgia are becoming increasingly common, it can take an |
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average of five years to receive a diagnosis because medical |
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professionals are often inadequately educated on the disease; and |
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WHEREAS, Manifested through myriad symptoms that can come and |
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go unpredictably and vary in severity, fibromyalgia is |
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life-altering; people with fibromyalgia are never completely |
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symptom free, and this takes a toll emotionally, financially, and |
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socially on those who suffer from the disease, as well as on their |
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family and friends; and |
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WHEREAS, The chronically ill place a burden on the health |
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care and insurance industries, and society as a whole is impacted |
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when patients are physically unable to work and must depend on |
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government assistance to survive; and |
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WHEREAS, The National Fibromyalgia Association, Austin Fibro |
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Friends, and other groups around the country are joining together |
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to promote enhanced education, diagnosis, research, and treatment |
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of fibromyalgia; and |
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WHEREAS, Increasing public understanding of fibromyalgia is |
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essential to helping lessen the human and financial cost of this |
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disease, and participating in National Fibromyalgia Awareness Day |
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is one way to support this effort; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize May 12, 2009, as Fibromyalgia |
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Awareness Day and encourage all Texans to learn more about this |
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chronic pain disorder. |