Pain(t)h.D.

Who is Fibronacci?

I am a recently-graduated Ph.D. from a research institution, who started on a one-track road to academia. About halfway through graduate school, my life fibonacci-spiralled on me when I developed a host of bizarre symptoms, and was ultimately diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Since then, I have been on a journey to figure out how I can reconcile my body, my love for science, and my new-found love for oil painting! I have shared my story in more detail in my very first blog post, which also outlines some of the themes for this blog. I thank you for accompanying me on this journey!

Why did I start this blog?

Fibromyalgia can be a very frustrating condition in more ways than one. And developing it while in graduate school does not make it any easier. This blog is my way of taking back some control over something that can make me feel very powerless. It is also one more window into the outwardly invisible world of graduate students/scientists with chronic illnesses and disabilities.

Fibronacci – The Name:

Fibronacci was conceived as a portmanteau of fibromyalgia and fibonacci. Leonardo Bonacci (also known as Fibonacci) was an Italian scientist in the middle ages, whose fibonacci spiral is much used in art composition. Alas, there is no real evidence he suffered from fibromyalgia, as I do, so I had to butcher his name with that extra “R”.