I love to read too, and garden once the dang snow goes away, LOL. I'm thinking at this point it might be, oh, say JUNE!!! LOL...
I wish we readers lived closer so we could do a book exchange as I go thru at least 3 and often more books a week. I stock up on half price day at the thrift store, then donate them back or pass them on to others when I finish. I read when the fibro requires me to rest my arms and hands. I too love audio books. I use them in the car as they help me with driving. I don't understand the way it works exactly, but I can drive further and with less pain when I have an audio book to listen to, than when it's just a cd or the radio playing music. I'm sure it's something about the level of concentration required to follow the story and the part of my brain that it uses. Distracts from the pain centers perhaps.
I find I can do much less of the beading and painting now, because the fine motor control takes it's toll in pain and gives me a tremor after a little while. I used to crochet, but that is behind me. I don't miss the things I can no longer do, well, not too much, smiles, because I have this wonderful new hobby of quilting, and it makes me and others happy!!
I loveee seeing all your other talents so much. It is a wondrous thing what the human mind and body can produce! I hope we all never take for granted the miracle that is our brain, and hands and fingers that they work together like they do to create such marvels!!
When we look at the perspective of all the things that must work together for an end product, how can we beat ourselves up over a little glitch here and there? Heck, it's a wonder we got it done at all!!!! Giant :D and big wide huggggggggs..