If you have any unwanted mobile phones or inkjet cartridges manufactured by Hewlett Packard, Lexmark or Dell call the ME Association office on 01280 818968 and ask them to send you a TRF mobile phone and inkjet cartridge recycling envelope.

The ME Association receive up to £10 per phone and £2 per accepted cartridge, the proceeds of which go towards funding their valuable research and providing support helplines to ME sufferers and their families.

This is a great cause, so get recycling today and give something back

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So, check out the website, light a candle and spend a few moments thinking about those who are suffering from this often forgotten illness.

Visit the Vigil for ME Awareness 2008 website for more info and have a pleasant evening all

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Action for ME has today released the results of a survey entitled 'ME 2008: What Progress?' which you can download from their homepage.

ME Support - that fantastic site run by Louise and full of great articles written by ME sufferers, has recently moved so don't miss out, check out the new site today!

If, like me, you have had ME for a long many years, today will doubtless be much the same as any other but it is worth taking stock of your situation. Are you happy with the way you are dealing with your illness? Are you happy about any medication you might be on or therapy that you are receiving? Are there things you could do to help yourself - such as learning your limits and setting your own small targets for each day.

It is difficult with ME to break out of the habit of feeling unwell, and you are unlikely to have the energy to do anything ground-breaking but just make today a day about yourself and a day to make the changes you need to help you get better.

Best wishes

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Christmas should be a time for celebration (whatever your beliefs), relaxation and whiling away the hours in good company, with a bottle in one hand. It is more likely, for most, to be a time of stress, exhaustion and catching forty winks when all around you have passed out. Add M.E. into the equation and you have an already ‘worn out’ body trying to do more than is humanly possible all for the sake of a few days of festivities, which most people will have little, if any, memory of.

I remember one Christmas, back in the early days of my M.E. when I literally thought my head would explode because the pain in my sinuses was that severe! I had never felt anything like it and just wanted to bury my head under the duvet until January 2nd. Of course, I didn’t because you seldom get away with ‘hiding’ over Christmas.

Another year I was sat at the Christmas dinner table between two family members who kept my glass constantly topped with red wine and by 5pm I was rolled up in my duvet, by the radiator sleeping like a baby. You try to join in and yes, at times you really enjoy yourself, but Christmas, like any other period of exertion, leaves its legacy: decline, downturn, relapse.

Call it what you wish, and it will depend on your current state of health, but generally you’ll all agree that it is impossible to ‘do’ Christmas without spending the first quarter of the New Year (at least) getting yourself back to a more manageable state of health.

And so I present to you this: a light-hearted guide to surviving Christmas:

Buying presents

The problem…

Anyone who thinks that the stresses and strains of Christmas begin on Christmas Eve is sorely mistaken, or male. The whole thing starts somewhere around the end of November when you suddenly realise that the festivities are only a month away and you haven’t written your Christmas list, let alone visited a shop and purchased anything that remotely resembles a present.

And then there’s Christmas cards. Before you’ve even bought or wrapped a present, cards must be sent far and wide to your near and dear, all prior to Mr Postman knocking off for sherry and mince pies. It’s a daunting task to remember daily duties when you have M.E. and the extra chores of Christmas only increase the pressure you’re under, to the point where omitting Great Aunt Sylvia’s Next Door Neighbour’s Cat from your Christmas card list suddenly makes you feel like a failure.

The solution…

The internet – get connected, get surfing and get Christmas to come to you!

Decking the Halls

The problem…

It wouldn’t be Christmas without glitzy decorations and flashing fairy lights adorning every window, but there is a price to pay - apart from the electricity bill - your health. First you have to locate the stuff from the deep dark depths of storage hell – your loft, then you must hang it somewhere in a stylish-enough fashion so it doesn’t look as though the Christmas fairy tripped up on the way down the stairs and dropped her spoils carelessly all over your house.

The solution…

Go for the minimalist look. Get the partner and kids to help – they’ll probably enjoy it anyway. If you are particularly sensitive to bright lights opt for something subtle.

Festive food and drink

The problem…

Let’s be honest here, Christmas food and drink does little to aid the digestion of an M.E. sufferer, many of whom will experience IBS and migraines on top of the usual aches, pains and fatigue. You can abstain completely and feel as bad as usual with the added misery of being a killjoy, or you can join in as if you are as fit as the next person and be well and truly en route for a relapse come New Year.

The solution…

Worry less, have what you feel like when you feel like it, pace yourself and avoid any food or drink that you know will guarantee you a miserable Christmas. If you cannot tolerate alcohol treat yourself to some ‘posh’ soft drinks and drink them in a wine glass.

Not-so-spring cleaning

The problem…

Christmas is coming. Relatives, friends, friends’ of friends and their boyfriends’ friends will be visiting. You launch yourself into an unrelenting cleaning spree as if the Queen will be making her speech from your sofa.

The solution...

Don’t clean what doesn’t need cleaning! Visitors come to see you, not your sparkling floors and if you catch anyone dipping their finger in the layer of dust on top of your television, wrap up a duster as an extra present and let them make themselves useful!

Visiting the family

The problem…

Why is it that come Christmas your usually placid friends and family all seem to demand a time slot? It’s virtually impossible to squeeze in all the relatives, in what to some is only a two-day holiday, so you have to let somebody down – that’s natural and we all do it because none of us are superman/woman.

The solution…

Say no! Don’t feel bad about breaking dates or not turning up to the party. Put yourself top of your list. Try getting people to come to you instead and get them to bring a bottle and a plate of food each. Hold small gatherings during daylight hours and make sure you insist that people only stay for a couple of hours. Have help at hand to tidy up.

Clearing Christmas away

The problem…

Uneaten food, empty bottles, enough scrunched up wrapping paper to restore at least one forest, car boot loads of flashy new toys that will be discarded with the old ones by mid-January, unpulled crackers, more empty bottles, cardboard boxes big enough to set sail in, little-tinselly-bitty-things of unknown origin, even more empty bottles…

The solution…

Get somebody else to do it! Make a game out of tidying up for children and keep back some of those Christmas chocolates as prizes for the fastest clearaway! Don’t forget to recycle all those empties 

Most of all remember to enjoy yourself. You will not be struck down by a thunderbolt from above if you don’t get chance to vacuum on Christmas Eve or forget to buy a carrot for Rudolph. Christmas is a time of togetherness, so spend it well.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS and BEST WISHES for 2008

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Having just returned from a surprisingly stormy week in Menorca, it occurred to me how important holidays are to those with long-term illnesses such as M.E. but I also realise that you cannot have a true holiday without some element of travel, and M.E. does not enjoy being ‘moved’.

Travelling is tiring to the holiday-maker in a perfect state of health but serves only to exacerbate the fatigue symptoms of an M.E. sufferer, to the point where you wonder if it is worth it.

Holidays though, are the perfect tonic and can rejuvenate and revitalise, allowing both mind and body to relax and become more in tune with one another.

It is without doubt the flights, long car journeys, train trips and coach excursions that cause tiredness even before the holiday starts and if you thought that getting there was difficult try getting back! Delays, and further long journeys after an enjoyable holiday (where you often feel better than normal and thus do more) can leave you feeling as though you have gone backwards in your recovery.

Here then, are my tips for reducing the knock-on effects of holidaying (none of which I adhered to and am thus paying the price for drinking far too much sangria and staying up late):

• Get yourself organised before you go. Try to book holidays well in advance so that you can sort a few things out each week and avoid any tiring last minute mad dashes to clothing stores and supermarkets! Remember you are not going to anywhere uncivilised and they will have shops too!
• Make sure you have an EHIC card (if you are travelling to Europe) and insurance to cover you should you need any medical treatment during your stay. It is also worth getting holiday insurance for trips in this country just in case you have to cancel due to poor health.
• If you are going abroad try as far as possible to get flights during the day so that you do not have the added fatigue of flying through the night.
• Pick destinations that are not too far!
• If flying does not suit you and makes you feel worse consider other methods of travel and types of holiday such as coach trips (some do door-to-door), cruises (not all are expensive!!), holidaying in the UK (we often ignore the places on our doorstep) or making your way to your destination slowly and building rest stops and overnight stops into your holiday.
• Try out of season breaks for a cheaper and quieter alternative.
• Get plenty of rest during your holiday and stay out of the sun from 12-3.
• Try gentle exercise such as swimming or walking if you feel up to it.
• Avoid alcohol if it does not suit you or ensure you drink only with meals and keep drinking water as well.
• Avoid dehydration – drink plenty of water, preferably bottled water as drinking tap water in many places can cause stomach upsets.
• Get someone else to lug your suitcase around. A few moments of lifting a heavy case could sap what little strength you have and exacerbate sore and aching muscles.
• When returning from holiday do not rush around trying to get unpacking and washing done the minute you get in the door. Give yourself at least the rest of the day and a good night’s sleep to recover before you attempt it!
• Lastly, and this is the most important point of all….ENJOY YOURSELF!!! Take time out for yourself, look at it as a retreat and an opportunity to unwind and relax in different surroundings because a change is good for the soul.

Hope this helps anyone planning on taking a break. Remember, as May Sarton once said:

“A holiday gives one a chance to look backward and forward, to reset oneself by an inner compass.”

Relax and enjoy

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When dealing with M.E. you are often faced with having the condition for many years and possibly, for the rest of your life but this does not mean that you will be ill forever, more it suggests that you need to modify your lifestyle to suit your abilities and keep a healthy outlook through body and mind.

I know non-ME sufferers who become ill simply because they think they will be or are looking for the next bad thing to happen. This is not a healthy way to live your life. Life is too short to concentrate on the negatives, which is why I tend to give the news a lot less attention than I used to.

It is much more uplifting to concentrate on the positive aspects of your life, to revel in your achievements to enjoy the company of friends and family around you, to witness the crisp winter mornings and sultry summer evenings; to enjoy living.

It is also helpful to recognise your own feelings. If you can say to yourself (and not out loud or to others) that you are in a state of anger or sadness, your brain can reverse this and by employing such a technique you are also coming to a better understanding of yourself.

That in, essence is what M.E. does for you. There may be those who argue that there are no benefits to this illness but I totally disagree. Without M.E. I would lack direction, determination and enthusiasm and would not have reached 30 and come to understand myself as well as I do.

M.E. will give you time to reflect. Use this time to appreciate and comprehend yourself, to discover the everyday things that bring you pleasure and always aim for something, no matter how daft or far-fetched it seems.

That, my friends, is being positive and is as good a reminder as any, especially at a time for me when I am feeling quite poorly, that you get back what you give out.

Don't just take my word for it Here are some inspiring quotes to help you maintain that positive focus:

"If you don't think every day is a good day, just try missing one." Cavett Robert

"The only disability in life is a bad attitude." Scott Hamilton

"Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful." Buddha

"Being in a good frame of mind helps keep one in the picture of health." Author Unknown

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- Hippocrates

Absolutely! I wouldn't have achieved half the things in my life or enjoyed and made the most of those tiny, insignificant yet wonderful moments if I hadn't suffered from M.E. Coping with illness is the hardest lesson to learn but the reward is a stronger, more positive side of you which you didn't know existed.

Keep your chin up

Here's to a happy, healthy, you

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M.E. affects everyone in a slightly different way, making it a difficult condition to treat or diagnose. Symptoms also range from mild to severe and sufferers often find themselves fluctuating from one end of the scale to the other over a period of years.

Alternative or complementary medicine comes in many guises and what works for one person with M.E. does not work for another. Sometimes it is easier to break the illness down and use a particular method of healing for a particular symptom such as aromatherapy to ease aching muscles and joint pains, homeopathy to combat dizziness or nausea and hypnotherapy to achieve a more positive state of mind.

Your experience of alternative healing will very much depends on your therapist, your initial state of health and your attitude towards non-conventional medicine (you cannot be helped by anything which you are convinced doesn’t work!).

My own personal experience of alternative healing has been a very positive one. I won’t lie to you and say that one course of treatment completely healed me but I did find, in particular, homeopathy and reflexology very helpful in getting me up to the next level in my recovery. Reiki helped me to feel calm and I can currently tap into previously undiscovered energy reserves through brain entrainment.

Here are just some examples of alternative therapies for you to consider:

Aromatherapy – the practise of using volatile plant oils, including essential oils, for psychological and physical well being.

Acupuncture - The technique of inserting thin needles through the skin at specific points on the body to control pain and other symptoms.

Acupressure - The application of pressure or localized massage to specific sites on the body to control symptoms such as pain or nausea.

Chinese Herbal Medicine – Originating from the 3rd Century BC, Chinese Herbal Medicine is based on the concepts of Yin and Yang and aims to restore balance.

Homeopathy - a gentle, holistic system of healing based on the theory of treating ‘like with like’. Homeopathy is a natural form of medicine that uses immeasurably small doses of medicines to stimulate the body's own defense and healing process and focuses on bringing the entire body back into homeostasis, or balance.

Hypnotherapy - in Hypnotherapy, a deep state of relaxation is achieved through focused attention. While in this trance-like state, the unconscious mind is highly receptive to new perspectives and ideas. It can be used to bring the subconscious mind into alignment with the conscious mind to make positive suggestions.

Indian Head Massage - a treatment based on old Ayurvedic techniques involving work on the upper back, shoulders, neck, scalp and face. Massage movements are used to relieve accumulated tension, stimulate circulation and restore joint movement. Indian Head Massage can help reduce stress and fatigue, increase mental clarity, and relax and rejuvenate the receiver.

Reflexology - A science based on the belief that each part of the body is interconnected through the nervous system to the hands and feet. Pressure is applied to certain parts of the feet and hands in order to promote relaxation and healing elsewhere in the body and helping to restore balance.

Reiki - Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. It is administered by "laying on hands" and is based on the idea that an unseen "life force energy" flows through us and is what causes us to be alive. If one's "life force energy" is low, then we are more likely to get sick or feel stress, and if it is high, we are more capable of being happy and healthy.

Meditation - Meditation as a form of alternative medicine brings about mental calmness and physical relaxation by suspending the stream of thoughts that normally occupy the mind. Meditation is used to reduce stress, alter hormone levels, and elevate one's mood.

Yoga – A system of exercises to help you control the body and mind. Yoga also improves your breathing and focuses the alignment of your body. Through practices of holding a variety of body positions or asanas, and the centering of the mind and breath in a meditative way, the practitioner increases body awareness, posture, flexibility of body and mind and calmness of spirit.

Here are some websites which you might find useful:

The Feel Good Factor

Web Healer

BBC Guide to Complementary Medicine

Alternative Medicine

Complementary Healthcare Information Service UK

the NHS Directory of Complementary and Alternative Practitioners

Aroma Web

British Acupuncture Council

Accupressure

Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine

The Society of Homeopaths

The Hypnotherapy Association

Indian Head Massage

Association of Reflexologists

The British Reflexology Association

International Institute of Reflexology

The Reiki Association

The UK Reiki Federation

Yoga.co.uk

The British Wheel of Yoga

Hypnotic World

I hope this gives you some more options and helps you to reach an improved state of health.

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It may be your spirit guide leading you, angels, or your God. It could be the ones you love, a dear friend or just a belief in yourself.

Tap into that energy source, draw strength from the foundations of the relationship and recognise that you are never alone and that you can get through this.

Higher Power

In my hour of need, I see
A figure, silent,
Draped in blue.
Resting at my feet, I feel
His solitude wash
Over me.

In my hour of need, I sense
A spirit, tender,
Dry my tears.
Draped around my heart, I watch
His hands engage my
Innocence.

In my hour of need, I hear
Him breathing, shallow,
Sound asleep.
Guiding me with dreams to find
A place where I no
Longer fear.

© Frances Pallett

If you liked that, you can read more of my poetry at Word it Right.

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“Live all you can; it's a mistake not to. It doesn't so much matter what you do in particular, so long as you have your life. If you haven't had that what HAVE you had?”

Henry James, The Ambassadors

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ME Research UK is a national UK charity funding biomedical research into Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). They aim to commission and fund high-quality scientific (biomedical) investigation into the causes, consequences and treatment of ME and also have a mission to 'Energise ME Research'.

Their website contains lots of useful information including research publications, support groups and useful links. You can register to receive e-mail updates on new additions to their website and also to receive their newsletter. You can make donations and sign up to become a friend of ME Research UK. They've also got some great Christmas cards which you can order by downloading a PDF flyer from the site and all profits go to ME Research UK.

The charity has helped produce the book Shattered: Life with M.E. by Lynn Michell.

This website is definitely worth a look and I will be putting in my order for some Christmas cards very shortly

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"As soon as you learn to live with M.E. it no longer restricts you."

F.Pallett

Stay positive and enjoy the rest of the weekend

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M.E. can affect families in many ways.

I have heard horror stories of children with M.E. being forced to do gruelling P.E. lessons at school because neither teacher nor doctor (nor in some cases, parent) really knew the best way to deal with a child with chronic fatigue. Things are admittedly better now and usually children with the illness are given the time they need to recover and re-introduced gradually back into the school system. There’s no denying it can seriously put a child back several years but there is plenty that a parent, with the co-operation of a good teacher, can do to help educate the child during their waking moments of clarification and good health.

Children are somehow better equipped to deal with illness and have a much more relaxed attitude, which no doubt contributes to their recovery. The most important thing a child with M.E. needs is friends. Children are fickle, they make friends and break friends like we switch credit card companies so once a child with M.E. has been out of school for a few weeks their so-called ‘best’ friend will have no doubt made new ones and memories of your cherished one will be fast fading from all his or her classmates’ minds. The love and support of parents and the wider family are hugely important to the child’s recovery but nothing will compensate for them being with people their own age. M.E. is such an isolating illness and childhood is the worst time to feel isolated.

If you are a youngster with M.E. or the parent of a child with M.E, a couple of sites you should check out are:

The Association of Young People with ME (AYME)

M.E. Support Groups

And, an article written from the perspective of a young M.E. sufferer.

But M.E. can also affect the lives of those children who have a parent with the condition. I know this because I am one of those parents and the decision to have a child was one which I did not take lightly. It took a great deal of discussion with my fiancé, re-readings of the M.E. books, scouring the internet and asking the doctor’s advice before I could even consider getting pregnant. My worry was that I would not cope, that it would not be fair on the child, but I waited until I felt as though I was well enough to ensure I could manage and I did it with the love and support of my fiancé, family and friends.

My advice is just make sure that YOU feel ready. It will be the hardest thing you have ever had to cope with during your illness but it will, without doubt, be the most rewarding experience.

Of course, these decisions are out of the hands of those who already have children before they become ill with M.E. In this instance the support of the wider family, your partner and friends becomes vital. Your child becomes your main focus and you have to ask yourself if it really matters if the house does not get dusted daily or the garden looks a bit overgrown. Having M.E. is all about prioritising and children make a wonderful priority. Never be afraid to ask for help or to accept help, remember it makes other people feel good to help you out.

Further information and advice can be found by reading the following articles:

M.E. Families

M.E. and Parenthood

Keep smiling

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Tommy Lasorda

Draw strength from those around you,
Revel in simple pleasures.
Make kindly thoughts and deeds
The essence of your treasures.
Give in only to balance
The scales of simplicity
And enjoy each single moment
That this life can spare for thee.

© Frances Pallett

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"I have never taken any exercise except sleeping and resting."

Mark Twain

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For those who do have M.E. it is completely normal to feel that driving 1 mile down the road will finish you off (energy-wise) for the rest of the day.

I learnt to drive whilst my M.E. was particularly bad, as I felt I needed to derive some achievement and pleasure from what was a nasty and isolating time. That I could only manage 45 minutes every week before returning to bed, exhausted and quite literally unable to formulate a sentence, was a sacrifice I had to make.

Even now, in a much improved state of health I find that 30 minutes driving at any one time is about as much as I am prepared to risk. For me the biggest worry is getting ‘jellyfish legs’ (my way of describing the shaky, wobbly feeling you get when you overuse the muscles in your legs or have a very tiring day) or becoming too tired to concentrate.

It is always possible to consider other methods of transportation:

- Public transport (but then you have to get to the bus/train/tram station and unless you live on the doorstep this is going to involve driving anyway).

- Personal taxi (gullible member or the family or ‘loving’ partner).

- Feet – walking is much easier than driving but you must allow enough energy to get back from where you have walked to!

- Skateboard - if you live on a hill this could be the answer to getting down, (might prove more tricky getting back up though).

I think it comes down to knowing what you are capable of. In essence, this is the secret to coping with M.E. and reaching a state of ‘wellness’. If you feel you cannot manage to drive at all/very far/long distances do not attempt it until you know the situation has changed.

It may not be safe for you to be on the road. You may need to notify the DVLA if you have M.E. symptoms such as fainting, problems with memory and concentration, visual problems and difficulties in using your arms and legs. You must remember it is not just your safety you must consider but that of other road users and pedestrians as well.

And if that sounds too much like the doom and gloom I promised this blog would not be…then here are a few quotations about driving that might just put a few more laughing miles on your clock:

“Until you've learned to drive, you've never really learned how to swear.” Robert Paul

“No one can drive us crazy unless we give them the keys.” Doug Horton

“Driving is a spectacular form of amnesia. Everything is to be discovered, everything to be obliterated.” Jean Baudrillard

“What I like, or one of the things I like, about motoring is the sense it gives one of lighting accidentally, like a voyager who touches another planet with the tip of his toe, upon scenes which would have gone on, have always gone on, will go on, unrecorded, save for this chance glimpse. Then it seems to me I am allowed to see the heart of the world uncovered for a moment.” Virginia Woolf

“I don't like driving very much. That makes me very unhappy, because I scream a lot in the car, but other than that, life is actually pretty good.” Whoopi Goldberg

If you want to read more about M.E and driving, the M.E. Support website has two fantasic articles:

Driving with ME and alternative transportation

Learning to Drive with ME

Happy motoring

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So, my advice is don't set yourself big goals, just try a little each day until you are able to do more. Always attempt to get fresh air, even if you just open the window in the room where you are lying. As you will know if you are an M.E. sufferer, there are varying degrees and stages of suffering - some could not even get to the computer to read this blog, many are affected by bright lights or everyday chemicals to the point where they are stuck in one room. Others, like myself, now, will lead fairly normal lives but will still have setbacks, bad days and periods of immense fatigue and little resistance to illness.

Whatever your state of health you can still find things in life to enjoy - the blue skies (when it isn't raining!), a short walk even if it's just to the postbox, watching a film with a loved one - and the weekend can signify a greater human presence around you.

Make the most of these people. Make the effort to do something, no matter how small and make yourself smile - how you do that is up to you

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And that was what I was feeling, sheer frustration. It is very theraputic to vent your feelings, even if no-one else ever reads your work, you have gained a wonderful sense of shedding the burden by writing things down.

For those of you who haven't seen my other blog Word it Right or read my profile, I now make a living out of writing. I have M.E. to thank for that, for putting me on the right path and making me reassess everything. Before being struck down with M.E. I was proudly marching up the path, with my A levels in a suitcase, ready to jet off to be business woman of the year. Those that know me, will tell you, that is NOT me! Writing therapy during my blackest hours has led me to a career that I love and if I'm being honest, in my heart it is what I always wanted to do.

This poem is dedicated to those whose writings still reflect the dark side, my message is...hope can be found in the darkest places

Future Hope

Strange hope
On the end of the line.
I've found you.
Please help me,
Stay with me,
Strange hope.

Lifeline,
My key to the outside.
I've found you.
So turn it and
Open my door,
Lifeline.

New voice,
Yet spoken so softly.
I've heard you.
Speak louder,
Speak longer,
New voice.

Fresh face,
Only in my mind where
I've seen you.
Let me stroke,
Let me touch this
Fresh face.

Bright eyes
That burn through my dullness.
I've felt them.
Look again,
Look at me,
Bright eyes.

My future,
That is where you lie, and
I've seen it.
Take my hand,
Take me to
My future.

© Frances Pallett

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M.E. can be a very isolating experience, even if you have loved ones around you, you may still feel alone. The best way to help yourself through this is to join a support group.

The ME Association lists on its website local M.E. support groups. By no means are all areas covered, so if you can't join a group why not start one? Try contacting your local newspapers and see if they will do a feature on you and M.E. as well as appealing for anyone who is interested in joining a group to come forward. You'd be surprised how many people there are who have the condition.

There are plenty of sites online that can provide support, such as M.E. Support but nothing can replace human contact with others who understand exactly how you feel.

Give it a go

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The typical male, teenage bedroom, adorned with half-naked posters of Britney Spears and Liverpool Football Club memorabilia, has yet to see broad daylight.

Clothes are heaped in concealed corners and yesterday's lunch lies untouched by the side of the bed.

Charlie has no job, no prospects and little education; all he seems to do is sleep.

Why, you ask, doesn't his mother phone him from work to politely tell him to get up and do something? Why? Because she doesn't work either. She gave it up three years ago to devote her time to something more demanding; looking after her son.

Charlie is not idle, nor is he a layabout, he was not out drinking and clubbing until the early hours of the morning. He has a serious illness, one that even part of the medical profession refuse to accept.

Charlie has M.E.

If Charlie has a visible disability, would you be more inclined to believe he was ill? If I told you he had cancer would you be more likely to delve into your pockets and donate money to the relevant charities? If he had been given an HIV positive blood transfusion as a child would you be more sympathetic towards the taunting and ostracising he has endured?

I expect you answered 'yes' to all three, even if you failed to admit it.

Do not feel embarrassed, you are not alone in your ignorance, the M.E. sufferer has to face this kind of prejudice every day of his life."

Taken from Sleeping in the Shadows by Frances Pallett ©

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Here you'll find articles on all aspects of life with M.E. such as alternative therapies, working, parenthood, associated illnesses, together with leaflets, advice and many useful links.

My article on M.E. and working from home can be found on the M.E. Support website and I have promised Louise I will have 'M.E. and Pregnancy' and an 'M.E. Sufferers Guide to Surviving Christmas' finished before this year is out!

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M.E. (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis) or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, as it is otherwise known, currently affects up to 250,000 people in the UK. It is a debilitating condition which affects the nervous and immune systems and often leaves the sufferer with immense fatigue, joint and muscle pains, lack of memory and concentration and a general tendency to 'catch' whatever viruses are doing the rounds.

There is no known cure and some medical practitioners still refuse to recognise it as a real illness. Those of you who have M.E. or who care for people with the condition will know how frustrating this can be.

That said, let us not get bogged (or blogged) down in doom and gloom.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel, there is hope, you can feel better and I hope this blog will provide you with the advice, information and inspiration to make the most out of your life.

I have suffered from M.E. for eleven years and I still fight it every day. I have come across various therapies, medication and support on my journey to better health but I believe none of it will work unless you truly believe that:

a) you can beat this
b) you want to get better

and

c) there is something more important in your world than M.E. itself

It can be done and I will show you how.

And so, let the journey begin...

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