Cort, I think the article you just posted to the home page is a great example of why what is being said on this thread, and what is being begged of the CAA, is
so important.
Emergency at the Emergency Room
Why aren't these emergency rooms, these doctors and medical personnel, taking CFS seriously? The CDC has done its job of misrepresenting us, of diverting research funds, of giving us this horribly useless and stigmatizing name, of watering that down even further, and then of making light of, through Reeves, the most exciting research we've had in a decade. Who, besides the CAA, is in a position to really put something else out there so that the kind of treatment you mention happening in the emergency room doesn't continue? Who else can counter the stigma that has been bequeathed to us by the CDC?
We are passionate about the CAA because someone needs to stand up for us in the realm of public opinion and in the job of educating our doctors and health care providers. That won't happen as long as we keep getting saddled with any
hint of ME/CFS being a psychological problem helped by psychological techniques. There will be plenty of time to focus on stress reduction later. The time right now is to put out an unequivocal message that we are dealing with a
real disease that needs
real medical support. Period. Otherwise, we will continue to have to hide from our own doctors the name of our disease so that they won't dismiss us in their haste to be rid of us. Emergency rooms will continue to be a dangerous place for all of us, no matter our current state of functioning.
Ahhhh . . . I think I feel better now.