In the year before I became ill with CFIDS, I was graduated from college and raising a daughter; she was entering her teens and was a handful!
Before graduating and sitting for my exam, I had to undergo a series of Hepatitis shots which were mandatory for us students setting out on careers in health care. I was fairly healthy before that, meaning that I was capable of maintaining a full day of classes, part time work and being a single parent. After the shots, I began to feel unwell; I was assured that it would pass. Somehow I finished my coursework, sat for my exams, and graduated.
I got a job offer right away in another state, so we had to move. My daughter stressed me a great deal because she didn't want to leave her hometown and friends, but we somehow got moved to the new place and I started work, even though I was starting to find it extremely difficult to rise in the mornings. I kept telling myself that I would take a weekend and just do nothing but sleep, but the sleep that I got was non restorative and I always needed more. Then there was full work days in a brand new career, driving my daughter to band and choir practice, as well as doing the shopping,the laundry, and trying to keep up with my church event.
The final straw came when the facility where I worked forced everyone to have flu shots. After that shot, I became very ill. Working became more and more difficult, and several times I fell asleep at my desk. The company closed down, and we moved back to our home state and I started work at a new company. It wasn't long before I was let go. I knew that I could no longer be employed in health care, so I tried to work part time at other employment; mostly sales. During that time my car was repossessed, and we were evicted from our home.
So, approximately two years from the flu shot, and five years from the hepatitis shots, I became crashed for good. I applied for disability and was fortunate enough to begin benefits in six months. But during those six months, we had to move into public housing, and eat food from the food bank and charitable donations. This caused a deeper decline in my health. From all this I have never really recovered.
Before graduating and sitting for my exam, I had to undergo a series of Hepatitis shots which were mandatory for us students setting out on careers in health care. I was fairly healthy before that, meaning that I was capable of maintaining a full day of classes, part time work and being a single parent. After the shots, I began to feel unwell; I was assured that it would pass. Somehow I finished my coursework, sat for my exams, and graduated.
I got a job offer right away in another state, so we had to move. My daughter stressed me a great deal because she didn't want to leave her hometown and friends, but we somehow got moved to the new place and I started work, even though I was starting to find it extremely difficult to rise in the mornings. I kept telling myself that I would take a weekend and just do nothing but sleep, but the sleep that I got was non restorative and I always needed more. Then there was full work days in a brand new career, driving my daughter to band and choir practice, as well as doing the shopping,the laundry, and trying to keep up with my church event.
The final straw came when the facility where I worked forced everyone to have flu shots. After that shot, I became very ill. Working became more and more difficult, and several times I fell asleep at my desk. The company closed down, and we moved back to our home state and I started work at a new company. It wasn't long before I was let go. I knew that I could no longer be employed in health care, so I tried to work part time at other employment; mostly sales. During that time my car was repossessed, and we were evicted from our home.
So, approximately two years from the flu shot, and five years from the hepatitis shots, I became crashed for good. I applied for disability and was fortunate enough to begin benefits in six months. But during those six months, we had to move into public housing, and eat food from the food bank and charitable donations. This caused a deeper decline in my health. From all this I have never really recovered.
