Are there skills from your education or career that have helped you as an ME/CFS patient?

[TiredSam]

I've always been very organised and used to give 2-day seminars in time and self management, so when I discovered pacing I found it very easy to get my head round and implement. Being self-employed made making the necessary re-organisation of my life easier too.

Don't know if it can be called a skill from my education or career, but I've never been very good at accepting authority from someone who clearly isn't very competent (there's a reason why I'm self-employed) so I didn't waste much time on crap doctors at the start of my illness. I have also been blessed with a natural talent for ignoring other people's opinions / advice, which I have found very helpful in my struggles with ME.

 

[Snow Leopard]

Access to paywalled journals through my university. You learn more about science through reading papers than you do in a "science degree".

 

[belize44]

Don't know if it can be called a skill from my education or career, but I've never been very good at accepting authority from someone who clearly isn't very competent (there's a reason why I'm self-employed) so I didn't waste much time on crap doctors at the start of my illness. I have also been blessed with a natural talent for ignoring other people's opinions / advice, which I have found very helpful in my struggles with ME.

 

[JaimeS]

Can you share these with us, especially food i am having big problems

There was some stuff in that blog I posted on that, if you scroll down.

 

[bspg]

I was getting my degree in Biology when I got sick. I was only 6 classes away from graduating Having the science background and ability to analyze scientific research has helped a lot. Unfortunately, my brain fog and terrible memory prevent me from understanding/remembering many things I used to know.

Stupid brain issues. *shakes fist*

 

[Basilico]

Can you share these with us, especially food i am having big problems

I would also love to hear what @belize44 has come up with, but in the meantime, maybe this thread will help?

http://forums.phoenixrising.me/inde...make-meals-when-you-have-little-energy.50091/

 

[CFS_for_19_years]

Bachelor's degree in Medical Technology and 16 years experience working as a medical technologist has helped me understand and interpret laboratory results, also gives me the ability to read and understand some dense science papers. My education has helped me understand physiology and how the body works.

Also having worked alongside doctors all those years makes me feel a bit less intimidated by them.

 

[Jessie~]

There are 2 jobs from my past that have helped me with this illness... 1.) I was a Home Health Aide for about 6 months while in college. 2). After FINALLY earning my degree and graduating from college, I was a COTA (Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant).

After so much work and effort to earn my degree, I was only able to do Occupational Therapy for about a year and then I had to stop working and went on disability. I had been struggling with this illness undiagnosed for many years, through college and many part-time jobs, before going on disability.

1.) Before working as a Home Health Aide I had no idea the job existed, what type of work they did, and how they could help. The knowledge and experience from being a Home Health Aide has helped me to realize that I really need to get a Home Health Aide!

But because their training is minimal, (and even with many doctors and specialists there is such a harmful lack of knowledge or a misunderstanding of ME/CFS), I am holding off on requesting a Home Health Aide for now. I believe that there could potentially be more harm for me than help. I am hoping that within a few years there will be better information and training provided on ME/CFS so that I can finally get the help that I have been needing, and then maybe not struggle so much.

2.) Being an Occupational Therapy Assistant gave me some knowledge of my body and how it works. I learned about recovering from and living with illness, injury, and limitations. And when there is not a complete recovery or a way to overcome, I learned that there are many creative ways to make adaptations.

I was never taught about ME/CFS or specific treatments for ME/CFS patients, but like all of the things that @belize44 has stated, Energy Conservation, Work Simplification, and knowing how to adapt myself and adapt my environment to my needs and limitations has proved to be beneficial. These are all things that none of my healthcare providers have bothered to help me understand, but I am so grateful that I ended up in a career that enabled me to have some knowledge to help myself.

 

[otherworldly]

was brought up 2 always plan ahead & b prepared (keep gas tank at least half full, always, bring an extra layer of clothing, etc) both being a girl scout & being super creative helped immensely with being very resourceful, being a trained scientist helped in some ways 2, even tho i am far more in2 alt. medicine & healing, being deeply spiritual has helped me immensely with just existing whilst having been bedridden. also being an introvert, b/c i've never had an issue w/the isolation & loneliness. it so many ways, i was made 4 this illness.