Two good pieces on ME

[JohntheJack]

Can't see reference to these anywhere on here.

Article in Medical Independent (Ireland), quoting book by @velogubbed

http://www.medicalindependent.ie/100315/is_it_just_me_or_is_this_a_real_disease

Blog by Dariusz Galasiński:

http://dariuszgalasinski.com/2017/10/15/normalising/

 

[Mel9]

Can't see reference to these anywhere on here.

Article in Medical Independent (Ireland), quoting book by @velogubbed

http://www.medicalindependent.ie/100315/is_it_just_me_or_is_this_a_real_disease

Blog by Dariusz Galasiński:

http://dariuszgalasinski.com/2017/10/15/normalising/

thanks for this. I have just started the book by Nasim Jafry. Marvellous so far.

 

[Hajnalka]

I've only read the second article "exercise in normalising" so far, but it's excellent (Dariusz Galasiński is a linguist/author).

The initial period of testing with no results after I fell ill is still kind of a "trauma" (using the term as a layperson, apologies to people with real trauma) for me. He put it into words very well.

It was like banging my head against the wall. I was feeling like shit (do pardon me), there were days when I could barely move, spending hours on the sofa. I was literally too tired to sit in front of my computer in the study. And yet, what I was getting was basically the ‘it’s normal’ story. Well, also the ‘you’re mad’ story.

I’m a very well-spoken, very well educated person. I’ve been trained and experienced in looking at reality critically. I’m also fairly used to being wrong. But in this case, to be completely honest, I was being driven mad. The gap between how I felt and what my doctors told me was way too large to ignore or just dismiss as insignificant. I was either mad or they were seriously wrong.

Unfortunately I bought into the "you're mad" story - and he's right, there are only these two options (I guess the younger you are (and depending on family support), the more at risk you are to swallow the mad-story).

 

[Hilary]

Both excellent pieces and yes, the second one certainly rang bells with me. I recall the first consultant I saw telling me he couldn't see anything wrong with me.... he thought I was 'just a bit depressed and had had too much responsibility..' Silly girl - get back in the kitchen where you belong..... (I was then in legal practice..) Blimey I thought... I didn't know mild depression could give you night sweats, render you incapable of staggering round the supermarket, give you blinding migraines etc etc..............