My Life With CFIDS And Fibromyalgia The Personal Side......
 
*Welcome Friends*
My name is Anne. I am 40 years old. I am a native NY'er. I presently live on the East Coast of Central Florida. I have 3 children and I am divorced. I live with the devastating disease's called "Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome" and "Fibromyalgia".
I have had this since I was 11 months old after a bout with the measles. I wake up everyday not feeling well. I don't think I ever had a day in my life that felt 100%health.
This illness has been a slow progression over the course of my life.I was fortunate to finish school. I was also fortunate enough to finish college. I am a registered nurse.
I was able to work close to 10 years. Because of the disease
I had to stop. I haven't worked since October of 1994. I am on social security.
I am mostly homebound, but try to get out when my kids are with me. My children live primarily with their dad because of this disease. This was a heartbreaking decision for me to make. But Sometimes you have to make sacrifices for the best of your children.
This disease affects each person different. In my case I can no longer work. Spend many days housebound and in bed. It feels like the flu that never goes away. All the pain and aches go along with it.
It also causes immune system problems. I have suffered from many sinus,respiratory, and urinary tract infections. Neurological problems arent excluded either.
I have problems with my memory and feel like im live in a fog. We with the disease call that brainfog.
Depression isn't excluded. How could anyone with a chronic disease not be depressed. The list can go on forever. As mine does too.
There is no cure. We only have symptomatic treatment with prescribed and naturopathic treatment. And sometimes that don't even help some people. I myself take many of both. Some days these treatments allow me to get out of bed. If I am lucky to even get out of the house. Sometimes it doesn't even do any of that.
This disease drastically changes your life! Things may never be the same again. It causes many limitations. Limitations are hard to accept. A previously active person can no longer do what they were able to do the way they want to do it. It's hard for affected persons to accept these limitations. You can compare it to a marathon runner who used to run 26 miles in less than 3 hours. With this disease they may not even be able to no longer walk a block, let alone even jog.
This devastating disease has caused sadness in many lives. Families no longer together. Unable to get out and have a social life. Losing non understanding friends. No longer being able to work. Divorce. I went through a divorce myself. Depression and even suicide. This list can go on and on.
Being unable to be there for your children is very hard. It gives you the feeling of being inadequate, useless,etc...There are some people who don't and will not understand. People have said, "how can you leave your children". I never left!! I just live in another house.
I as an R.N. and a mom know that I could no longer do it 24/7. And it was best for my children to live primarily with their dad.
This illness hurts my children very much. This is heartbreaking to me to say the least. Ilove my children more than life itself. And only a good mom would make a sacrifice like I have. It would be selfish for me to have had them with me full time. Some days I wasn't even able to get them up and dressed for school. I know in my heart I did the right thing. And my fellow pwc's(person's with cfids) and friends who know me, know that also. When my children come to stay with me they understand more than some adults , my limitations. They are the best thing that ever happened to me.
Being fortunate enough to have a computer. I have made many friends on the net. I am an op on the channels called #wings and #cfs-2000 which are on the undernet server of MIRC. They are chat places for people with CFS/FM/ME/GWS. They are actually a support group. As with any illness support groups like this are very important.
ICQ is another chat program that I use. I have many fellow PWC"S whom I chat with there too. Alot of us with this disease are too sick to even get to an outside support group. This give those of us a chance to get the support we need.
My ICQ# is 12159805.
My friends there have become like my family. We all are there for each other when the going is rough!! The name I use on the net is alico!
The pictures below are links to the mirc and icq websites. You can click on them to download MIRC and ICQ. Or you can message me on ICQ below.
I try to keep a positive outlook on life. Dwelling gets you no where except depression, which I try to avoid!! I am a hopeless romantic and a sentimental nut. My friends on my ICQ list already know that because of all the urls that they recieve from me.
This disease is a very lonely disease, it would be alot more lonely if it weren't for the internet. To be honest, it still doesn't replace having someone special to share your life with.
I hope one day I may have someone special to share my life with. Unfortunately it isn't easy when you have a chronic illness to find someone to share your life with. Many have lost all hope.
I would be dishonest myself if I didn't say there were days where I woke up in the morning and didn't feel that way. Those feelings do come with the territory when it comes to chronic illness.
I hope I have given you some understanding to what a person with this disease goes through every day of their life. We with this disease are trying to educate more people about it because there are many who think it is all in our heads. I was and still am a medical professional. I can tell you that it isn't.
~Please Click Here To Vote For My Site~
Thanks!
~
|
Share Me With A Friend!
~Please Sign The Guestbook Before You Leave~
 
Dynamic Drive DHTML code library
Visit
Dynamic Drive
for free,
original DHTML scripts
and components,
all of which utilize the latest in
DHTML and JavaScript technology!
*This Site Was Created By Anne*
Updated April 28th, 2004
~Anne's Home On The Web!~
Copyright 1998-2004
|
