| I first realized I wasn’t my normal self | | | | after spending the majority of my time at home |
| towards the Christmas holidays...I'd just finished | | | | I had built up a little strength due to resting so |
| school and during my GCSE's I'd contracted a | | | | much, I wanted to venture into town without my |
| virus known as glandular fever which seems to | | | | wheelchair, I managed, but not for long, I had to |
| be quite a popular trigger for M.E/CFS (Myalgic | | | | hold my mother's arm for support and wear |
| Encephalopathy/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) | | | | sunglasses often as the light would hurt my eyes. |
| ...I was studying Animal Management at Sparsholt | | | | Time went on and I did start to get stronger, I |
| college in Winchester. During early November I | | | | learnt about pacing which is vital towards the your |
| began falling asleep during class, which at first I | | | | recovery...you learn to do one thing at a time, |
| thought was just the sudden adjustment to full | | | | even eating use to tire me out, my arms would |
| time study as at the beginning of year 10 I was | | | | ache from lifting the folk to my mouth, chewing |
| put on a reduced timetable due to severe | | | | became a challenge and so I began losing weight |
| Tourettes. The course timetable entitled students | | | | rapidly, little everyday things that people take for |
| to a day off college each week, which for myself | | | | granted became a struggle and will continue to be |
| were spent sleeping on the sofa at home, my | | | | a struggle for most M.E sufferers. Whereas most |
| psychiatrist recommended I get another blood | | | | healthy people could take the dog for a walk and |
| test to assure the Glandular Fever was out of | | | | then come home and do something else without |
| my system. Tests revealed that I was clear of | | | | any problems we have to decide if we could take |
| the fever and also ruled out anemia and other | | | | the dog out and then accept not be able to do |
| possible reasons for the fatigue. I had to rehome | | | | anything for the rest of the day. Some sufferers |
| my puppy due to not being able to care for her | | | | are too ill to even contemplate taking the dog out. |
| properly which was a very heartbreaking | | | | There's different levels of the illness. Did we ask |
| decision...By December I had deteriorated, but still | | | | for it...? No. But we got it and now have to live |
| battled to keep up my course, the college did all | | | | with it. There was recently a poll published in the |
| they could to accommodate my needs, eventually | | | | Daily Mail which was quite humiliating for me to |
| my psychiatrist diagnosed M.E as the cause and | | | | see. The poll asked readers to vote on whether |
| by February 2008 that diagnosis was made | | | | they thought M.E was a “real” illness! |
| official. I had to give up my course because I | | | | Obviously this upset and angered a lot of |
| became too ill to continue as animal management | | | | sufferers, to think that other people are judging |
| is a naturally a demanding field of work. I became | | | | how we feel when they no nothing of how |
| very isolated as I wasn't well enough to go out, | | | | debilitating it is to live with. We don't chose this |
| to be honest it took me a long time to accept | | | | way of life, just like people don’t chose to |
| that I wasn't my normal self, I still have trouble | | | | have cancer or to be born without a limb. I |
| accepting that I can't keep up with friends etc...it | | | | myself have so many plans that I'd love to |
| get's very frustrating. By July 2008 I was forced | | | | peruse, so many dreams...I'd love to go back to |
| to use a wheelchair to get me about places, as | | | | college and as I am recovering this may be |
| you can imagine being forced to use a wheelchair | | | | possible in September this year (2010). But for |
| to go shopping or enjoy any form of socializing is | | | | many they have suffered severe M.E for years |
| a rather difficult adjustment...which a lot of M.E | | | | and years, and for some it will never go away. |
| sufferers have had to overcome. I lost friends | | | | It's there and is defiantly real...trust us! We're not |
| because they didn't understand, I soon stopped | | | | something you can defy...Just because we don't |
| using the wheelchair due to embarrassment, | | | | have our leg in plaster and there's no outward |
| although I understand lots of people have to use | | | | physical signs, doesn't mean that there is nothing |
| wheelchairs because of paralysis or other more | | | | wrong with us. M.E is a severely debilitating |
| obvious reasons I myself just couldn't deal with | | | | condition that impacts greatly on a sufferers life |
| the change. I felt that I shouldn't need one, | | | | and there is no way of knowing if or when a |
| because physically I had working bones, so it felt | | | | sufferer is going to be able to lead a normal life |
| almost discriminating for me to be using | | | | again. I’m writing this to inform others about |
| one...although I actually needed the extra support | | | | the condition, for those who want to learn about |
| because I couldn't walk, not without losing my | | | | it and for general awareness so people will maybe |
| balance or almost collapsing after a few steps. So | | | | think twice before judging us. |