| (As you begin this report, please note. Chronic | | | | hurdles, while discovering even more reasons why |
| Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is not a health problem | | | | their new calling was treacherous. Yes, they |
| located solely within the boundaries of the United | | | | worked on one of the most enigmatic diseases in |
| States. Different forms of the illness abound all | | | | history, but they also had to minister to a very |
| over the world. Often it is called by other names, | | | | sick populace of patients. Some people died; |
| such as ME or Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, a term | | | | others maintained a poor, almost non-existent |
| coined in Europe. Currently in the US, there is a | | | | quality of life. Even today, some remain quite sick |
| grass roots effort to change the name of CFS to | | | | with their life altered indefinitely. (Note: Some |
| possibly ME-CFS, short for Myalgic | | | | individuals improve gradually over a period of |
| Encephalopathy-Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.) | | | | months or years, but no one tool or theory of |
| Period #3: | | | | westernized medicine has emerged to reveal |
| Before 1990 and all the way through the early | | | | authentic success in identifying the cause of CFS, |
| 2000s, no segment of the medical profession | | | | concrete parameters that define segments of the |
| specialized in the research and treatment of | | | | illness population and effective treatments that |
| Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). Unfortunately, | | | | lead to a cure. There are some helpful remedies, |
| the number of CFS patients grew large and many | | | | but none are universally effective in all cases.) |
| of those same people grew sicker. | | | | No, there wasn't much fame or notoriety to be |
| Why did the medical profession find itself in the | | | | gained for these doctors from specializing in the |
| middle of such a peculiar situation? Because of the | | | | care of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome patients. |
| vagaries of CFS patients' symptoms that often | | | | Because of this perceived stigma and other |
| involved different organ systems, the sickness did | | | | contributing factors, the need for capable |
| not neatly fit into any one medical specialty. | | | | physicians outstripped the number of those who |
| Doctors were forced to improvise and, thus, the | | | | chose such a medical practice. This shortage |
| patient had to pick up the pieces and get by the | | | | created a pent up demand from desperate people |
| best way he could. | | | | that virtually screamed like a tea kettle on the |
| Many CFS patients had to seek the help of | | | | boil. The system was broken; it needed radical |
| general medical doctors. Most of the time doctors | | | | change. Even today with a number of active |
| genuinely cared about their patients, but often | | | | specialists spread out across the US and abroad, |
| such visits brought the CFS patient no relief and | | | | the need is not being met. The patient is left to |
| only handfuls of pills and platitudes. Gradually, new | | | | find his or her own way through the maze and |
| "specialist" doctors surfaced and patients finally | | | | come up with the best individual solution. |
| found help in obtaining the best information and | | | | For the purposes of learning about all three stages |
| quality of care available. Unfortunately because of | | | | of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome that document its |
| high medical costs, long distances to travel and | | | | place in history, look up all three reports. The |
| lack of health insurance coverage to pay the bills, | | | | more you know, the better equipped you will be |
| many people were not able to take advantage of | | | | to deal with it. The other reports are titled, |
| these specialists. | | | | Report 1 and Report 2. |
| Such brave, dedicated doctors climbed those | | | | |