tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81394564287696901232024-03-05T06:50:20.492+00:00My A-Z of M.E. (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis) This is about me and M.E. (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis).
It`s about living with a chronic and invisible illness.
It`s how I express that life through my poetry. French femmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814891305960111979noreply@blogger.comBlogger109125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8139456428769690123.post-57066913684324999412024-01-19T15:17:00.000+00:002024-01-19T15:17:35.757+00:00NEW YEAR REFLECTIONS <p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Bonjour, </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm sorry for the absence of my blog for a while but I had a lot of personal things and health issues to deal with. It then put me into a relapse. I'm only just beginning to recover from that relapse. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'll start by wishing you Bonne année et Bonne santé. It's not too late as we are still in the first month of 2024. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I know it's customary at the start of a new year to reflect and make new resolutions. But surely reflection can take place at any time. In fact it might be a good habit to make regular reflections, to set aside time every week, to pause and take careful thought. Of course you could also keep a journal if that helps. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Reflection should be honest and maybe the chance to look back and learn. Some of the questions maybe as follows. What am I grateful for? What have I learnt? What could have I done better? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Therefore, I'm using this blog to take a moment to reflect and contemplate on my own situation and my feelings. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Looking back I make the following observations </span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">don't ignore new symptoms which then lead to other severe health problems</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">listen to your body </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">know your limits </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">don't push yourself too much </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">pace and rest </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">don't be afraid to ask for help </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">be more forgiving and understanding </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">learn to appreciate all that you have, despite chronic illness </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">be proud of your achievements, no matter how small </span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">In recent months I had also started to doubt whether I should continue in my efforts to raise better awareness and understanding of M.E. through my poetry and my blogs. After nearly 22 years of living with M.E. I began to wonder if I could write or say any more. After all it takes a great effort and sacrifice on my part. Is it costing me my health? </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">But then something happens to make me think again and change my mind. When I see the never ending suffering I feel that I have to continue. When I see some ridiculous proposition of how this illness can be cured it makes me angry. When I still come across people who have never heard of this illness. When I come across those who disbelieve in this illness. While there is still not one clear diagnostic test for M.E. and so doubt and confusion remains. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">So in 2024 I vow to carry on, health allowing. I can not give up now. I still have more to do, to write about and to share. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuU5Ew1_qEeERult1ZfUYIWf9wV-irLdGoJtetuDijnsDEmgDzGuFciFadnLsK8NLk19EsSnDWkBFuNlG1jHcS09vI5TA3vI-NslTx-x9560UPDpFUVStjTocygOqYdRTj5GpIvNZp9QEcxt7h0u8_HrsMvfsrzoUAiaM3rfOqy_eXvk_pjLhbnIRhbto/s950/57f2b01b66aba87bc0e84f91f834bf1a_bonne-anne.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="950" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuU5Ew1_qEeERult1ZfUYIWf9wV-irLdGoJtetuDijnsDEmgDzGuFciFadnLsK8NLk19EsSnDWkBFuNlG1jHcS09vI5TA3vI-NslTx-x9560UPDpFUVStjTocygOqYdRTj5GpIvNZp9QEcxt7h0u8_HrsMvfsrzoUAiaM3rfOqy_eXvk_pjLhbnIRhbto/w400-h196/57f2b01b66aba87bc0e84f91f834bf1a_bonne-anne.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Au revoir </span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The French Femme </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;" /></div></div><p></p><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></div><p></p>French femmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814891305960111979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8139456428769690123.post-60337538093426892232023-09-21T14:03:00.002+01:002023-09-21T14:03:26.412+01:00IT'S BACK, IT'S BIGGER AND BETTER<p> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Bonjour, </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Six years ago I published my second book of poems <a href="https://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2017/05/may-2017-awareness-month.html" target="_blank">'So many symptoms' </a>about living with M.E. (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis). However, it was published in a hurry to coincide with May M.E. awareness month and was poorly done. I've been meaning for a long time to go back and remedy that. At last I have succeeded in revamping the contents and the cover and republished. I've added some other poems, gone back and edited some of my poems, added my personal comments under some of the poems, added a contents list, page numbers and many links and references. Plus I found Sam Miller who so kindly volunteered to design a new cover for my book. I would like to thank Sam for her perseverance in creating a stunning cover. I would also like to thank Stacy Hart for writing a very kind and incisive foreword to my book. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Of course with time and experience I have improved, as is the case with many things in life. You can always go back and improve on something. Besides Amazon is more exigent now in the format and requirements for a self published book. What's more the publishing costs have increased greatly. So that means I've had to increase the price of this book and all other books that I've published. Otherwise there will be no profit margin. I don't make much money for my books and I don't really do this to for monetary gains. I do this to raise better awareness and understanding of M.E. What's more I always donate a percentage of my sales to the charity <a href="https://www.investinme.org/index.shtml" target="_blank">Invest in ME Research</a>. With each book I set up a <a href="https://www.justgiving.com/" target="_blank">Just Giving Page.</a> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">I wouldn't be able to do that if there was no profit margin. My books are always available both in paperback and kindle versions and the kindle version is much more affordable for those living on low incomes. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">So at last I'm pleased to announce that my book 'So many symptoms' is available on Amazon in many countries throughout the world. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Here are some of the links to my book </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/So-many-symptoms-French-Femme/dp/B0CHLC8DQP/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1W4UX99GS0YGQ&keywords=so+many+symptoms+by+the+french+femme&qid=1695287833&sprefix=so+many+symptoms%2Caps%2C514&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Amazon UK</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.amazon.fr/So-many-symptoms-French-Femme/dp/B0CHLC8DQP/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2WR15Q35TTF22&keywords=so+many+symptoms&qid=1695288663&sprefix=so+many+s%2Caps%2C545&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Amazon France</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/So-many-symptoms-French-Femme/dp/B0CHLC8DQP/ref=sr_1_1?crid=SPHZDXDWALZ&keywords=so+many+symptoms+by+the+french+femme&qid=1695288838&sprefix=so+many+symptoms+by+the+french+femme%2Caps%2C409&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Amazon.com </a></span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1YKlfMTFRY4sPx8D7uDAviVjDBuHnRKAenSHxCe7oMpndtqktVaIAaJHnY40e88-wzPTBqhhbIkExN9K9RW6YDGcn1mZbktYjd6fbQFMIfx43ulbttqw9RshStuOtBxTTcbmHqqkKn4pLtOkIz5MTKKpkmPZCwy_qtJ78ZdH3e8bXmQLCRKNKpm9V7bA/s1200/so%20many%20symptoms.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1200" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1YKlfMTFRY4sPx8D7uDAviVjDBuHnRKAenSHxCe7oMpndtqktVaIAaJHnY40e88-wzPTBqhhbIkExN9K9RW6YDGcn1mZbktYjd6fbQFMIfx43ulbttqw9RshStuOtBxTTcbmHqqkKn4pLtOkIz5MTKKpkmPZCwy_qtJ78ZdH3e8bXmQLCRKNKpm9V7bA/w400-h300/so%20many%20symptoms.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;">So many s</span></b><b>ymptoms<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">There are so many symptoms</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">that come along with M.E.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">which make it extremely hard<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">to diagnose properly. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">There are so many symptoms.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">How do you know it`s M.E.?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">With no one simple, clear test<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">it seems like a lottery.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">There are so many symptoms<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">which are confused with M.E.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">No wonder there is much doubt,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">delay and anxiety. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">There are so many symptoms,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">that are difficult to see.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">So doctor`s don`t believe us<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">and question our sanity.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">There are so many symptoms</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">that come along with M.E.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A complete system breakdown<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">that affects the whole body. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">
</span></p><div>
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="ftn1">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The poems in my book have been
written from my own personal experience of living with M.E. for over 20 years.
They are also inspired by and reflect the feelings of so many others who suffer
the same as myself. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I believe that my book is a must read
for those living with M.E. or anyone else facing the challenges of a chronic
and invisible illness. In this collection of my poems I mainly focus on the symptoms
of M.E. and how they affect us. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I hope my poems help
friends, family and anyone else wanting to better understand M.E. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I also hope you will consider buying my book and help to raise better awareness and understanding of this illness, as well as funds to help the research into M.E. </span></p></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I would also appreciate it if you share my blog via social media and with your friends and family. Thank you. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Au revoir </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The French Femme </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><h1 class="firstHeading mw-first-heading" id="firstHeading" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; flex-grow: 1; line-height: 1.375; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"> </span></h1><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p>French femmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814891305960111979noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8139456428769690123.post-5346018023128428132023-05-11T08:59:00.001+01:002023-05-11T09:04:46.790+01:00LOOKING BACK OVER MY LAST TEN YEARS<p> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Bonjour, </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">As we arrive into May awareness week 2023 I realise that I've been writing poetry about living with M.E. (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis) for ten years now. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">A lot has also happened to me personally in those ten years. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Although in 2013 I was not unfamiliar with writing poetry I wanted to start writing about me and my illness. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This was, I believe, the start of an amazing feat on my part. I had to overcome all the obstacles linked to M.E. It was to become a very difficult process and one that I wanted to abandon at times. It was a slow learning process with pitfalls and successes. Sometimes it was the cause of relapses. But sheer determination and will power has kept me going. I've been faced with criticism but at the same time I've received some lovely comments and support. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In the last ten years I've </span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">written hundreds of poems about living with M.E. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">written many other poems, some even in French</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">I've written over 100 blogs </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">I've self published 7 books of poetry on Amazon </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">I've set up a page on Facebook </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">I've shared my poetry, blogs and books over many social media sites</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">I've taken part in some interviews </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">I've recorded a podcast about me and my life with M.E. </span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Phew! I'm not sure how much more that I can do. After all there are only so many ways that you can write about a chronic illness. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">This was the first poem I wrote in 2013 </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5I2BwdSer5kvVwn14Ww9ksrcio4MAWofomlx1nG_xuj2UudBR4GRd4b6TCdUegtsMGOVgNWuxGbZ3NNWEG36XpSyC20AVA8muhaTGl1JUmNRo5n57-6aljoVv-npijazdytYT0HEz6dYarJBFNLLojJ_Keo2csH3voOlZoQwsTwrnpn1woxQBwIT0/s480/941115_524113777625917_1382132743_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="402" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5I2BwdSer5kvVwn14Ww9ksrcio4MAWofomlx1nG_xuj2UudBR4GRd4b6TCdUegtsMGOVgNWuxGbZ3NNWEG36XpSyC20AVA8muhaTGl1JUmNRo5n57-6aljoVv-npijazdytYT0HEz6dYarJBFNLLojJ_Keo2csH3voOlZoQwsTwrnpn1woxQBwIT0/w335-h400/941115_524113777625917_1382132743_n.jpg" width="335" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">My first book<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/kindle-dbs/entity/author/B09413N2BF?_encoding=UTF8&node=266239&offset=0&pageSize=12&searchAlias=stripbooks&sort=author-sidecar-rank&page=1&langFilter=default#formatSelectorHeader" target="_blank"> 'My A-Z of M.E. (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis)'</a> was written and published in 2013. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">My first blog <a href="https://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2013/11/why-write-poetry-about-me.html" target="_blank">'Why write poetry about M.E.?'</a> was written and shared in 2013. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Back in 2013 when I first embarked on my writing projects I was still married to a French man and living in a small village called <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juign%C3%A9-des-Moutiers" target="_blank">Juigné des Moutiers </a>in the department the Loire-Atlantique . </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">I was so excited and proud when I successfully published my first book of poetry. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Here I am holding a copy of that book </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEWl7A6OM9-fYGnJGLpPHokycFASqtt6s17MbQKUzzk4GI_W_70z5SBB4sN029OD8xziNx_lRJwzq5osLew9Ncja8GIQU12K0RnAWQCczufWb57eHpQTdvsRGrxuueAVbDzqZHoW7_NU7o3RHF7uO6zG1g4KhmG_R0bT1PRDSNQsJ3yFN42WJKXVDv/s4608/004.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEWl7A6OM9-fYGnJGLpPHokycFASqtt6s17MbQKUzzk4GI_W_70z5SBB4sN029OD8xziNx_lRJwzq5osLew9Ncja8GIQU12K0RnAWQCczufWb57eHpQTdvsRGrxuueAVbDzqZHoW7_NU7o3RHF7uO6zG1g4KhmG_R0bT1PRDSNQsJ3yFN42WJKXVDv/w400-h300/004.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>However, by 2014 my ex husband decided on a project to buy a caravan, place most of our furniture and belongings in storage and move around France. He hoped to find work as a butcher in different places. I was not keen on this plan but he persuaded me that it would be good for me and would be like a holiday. So I went along with his project. </span></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The caravan </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2a1_DlCuV8nt15m_FrNnPvNNfTLOfiG6O5I7HBjnwfTWXDbj5XlYdjslAU1d5bw3fP08hP_icL9kBX4ETnM_Z-M39lVp7ZZ1rV1Jl4aqVSDrvPWdvz21wizsnVsJVaNnXIaa4hqj8EMRg8CJN1hGBaVxBaZM0f1po_HEKMKxzhW8KZPt7tZZkucNm/s4608/014.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2a1_DlCuV8nt15m_FrNnPvNNfTLOfiG6O5I7HBjnwfTWXDbj5XlYdjslAU1d5bw3fP08hP_icL9kBX4ETnM_Z-M39lVp7ZZ1rV1Jl4aqVSDrvPWdvz21wizsnVsJVaNnXIaa4hqj8EMRg8CJN1hGBaVxBaZM0f1po_HEKMKxzhW8KZPt7tZZkucNm/w400-h300/014.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In 2014 we started this adventure living in a caravan. At first I loved it and enjoyed seeing new places and relaxing on the campsites. One even had a lovely swimming pool which I was able to profit from. </span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;">However, things soon started to go badly wrong. My ex husband had been diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and life was hard with him. He often developed problems with people and work situations. He couldn't handle stress very well but neither could I. Every time there was a problem we had to move on to a different camp site. During 2014 we stayed in three different camp sites. The caravan proved to be expensive and there was always something to be fixed or repaired. That added to the stress for both of us. Despite this I made the best I could of the situation. What's more I continued to write poetry and blogs. </span><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Without going into much detail a crisis was reached in October 2014. Living in a caravan was lovely in the Summer but not in the oncoming Winter. The caravan had never ending problems. The stress reached intolerable levels for me and my ex husband became very depressed. I left him in a case of urgency. I was placed in a studio and helped by an association for the next year or more. I was also helped by a fantastic women's support group. They helped me to find a place of my own and to start over. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">When I felt settled I once more embarked on putting together another book of poetry. Since then there's been no stopping me! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Now I'm retired, still living in France with my cat. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">I have a few more writing projects planned. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Until then I think it's time for a small celebration! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">A bientot </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The French Femme </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">xxx </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p></div>French femmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814891305960111979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8139456428769690123.post-65317456481921869112022-11-29T15:05:00.000+00:002022-11-29T15:05:20.387+00:00REMINDERS & MEMORIES<p> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Bonjour, </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Yes it's that time of year again. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">We are approaching Christmas and the New Year. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">For some it can be a happy and joyful time. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">For some it can be a difficult time. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Some will be spending it alone. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Some will be facing many challenges. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Some may not want to or be able to celebrate Christmas and the New Year. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">There maybe painful memories associated with this time of year. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Perhaps you may fondly look back and are reminded of what this time of year used to be like and long for those days again. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">For those of you with a chronic illness like M.E. (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis) you may be too ill to participate in any festivities.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Perhaps you will be with family or friends who do not understand your illness and its limitations. You may eat or drink too much, especially those things that you normally try to avoid. You may end up becoming more ill or have a relapse in the level of your health. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I myself will be alone with my cat. I can't help but think of years past and it's just not the same any more. Although, now I at least can please myself and stay in my pyjamas all day if I feel like it. I may have a few nice treats but nothing excessive. I may talk to a friends or family. At least there's no pressure on me to comply with the demands and needs of others. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Are you going to be with family or friends over the festive season and find it difficult to explain your illness and how you feel? Then maybe you would like a copy of one of my books to help you. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Perhaps you might like to treat yourself to one of my books. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I have published books of poetry about M.E. over the last ten years. Some of my more recent books also include poetry on other subjects. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">My books of poetry are written from personal experience of living with M.E. for over 20 years. My books are a must read for those living the challenge of living with a chronic illness as well as M.E. They can also be used to help friends, family or anyone wanting to understand M.E. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">My books of poems are available in paperback and kindle on Amazon throughout the world. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">You can find all my books on my Author's Page as here </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/kindle-dbs/entity/author/B077PVM7SL?_encoding=UTF8&node=266239&offset=0&pageSize=12&searchAlias=stripbooks&sort=author-sidecar-rank&page=1&langFilter=default#formatSelectorHeader" target="_blank">Amazon UK</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.amazon.fr/The+French+Femme/e/B077PVM7SL?ref_=pe_29549121_510405041_pdtl_vu00" target="_blank">Amazon France </a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">As with all my books I donate a percentage of all the sales of my book to the charity<a href="https://www.investinme.org/index.shtml" target="_blank"> Invest in ME Research </a> and I have a <a href="https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Rosalynde-Lemarchand7" target="_blank">Just Giving Page </a></span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2UIPrkP1E5MpSYpputSZKSyyWzPNfOVYdj7UxNPuFEKbBZiUbF5cf9lBaAl-n3WEUXJC7y1S9i2Q6aktoBipKfP1qUnkYelUTRyPmsARFhF9cdke_nz2ddr6uNicH9aZlMPQpsHfJoHoYD2AM_91suTcv1B5-8C8GWv4yB70UNXgDoPtgrr7V_HxU/s1440/Collage%20Maker-23-Nov-2022-12.02-PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2UIPrkP1E5MpSYpputSZKSyyWzPNfOVYdj7UxNPuFEKbBZiUbF5cf9lBaAl-n3WEUXJC7y1S9i2Q6aktoBipKfP1qUnkYelUTRyPmsARFhF9cdke_nz2ddr6uNicH9aZlMPQpsHfJoHoYD2AM_91suTcv1B5-8C8GWv4yB70UNXgDoPtgrr7V_HxU/w400-h400/Collage%20Maker-23-Nov-2022-12.02-PM.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">All that remains to be said is I hope that despite everything you will be able to pass a restful and happy time. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Au revoir </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">from the French Femme </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">xxx</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p>French femmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814891305960111979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8139456428769690123.post-67016198145711452102022-10-21T15:27:00.006+01:002022-10-21T15:33:24.475+01:00REFLECTIONS <p> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Bonjour, </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm sorry that my blogs have been not been frequent this year. Since my last blog I had a bit of a health crisis with a long time for recovery. It made me reflect on my life and my priorities. A book that I've recently read has also contributed to making me reflect on my life and what changes I can make. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">So here I want to review this book and hope that it also helps you to reflect and maybe make some changes. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">It's entitled <b><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Finding-New-Normal-Chronic-Illness-ebook/dp/B084JFBCDZ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=31SY6F5TV73EN&keywords=finding+a+new+normal&qid=1666362544&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIwLjAwIiwicXNhIjoiMC4wMCIsInFzcCI6IjAuMDAifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=Finding+a+new+%2Caps%2C448&sr=8-1" target="_blank">'FINDING A NEW NORMAL - living your best life with chronic illness' by Suzan L. Jackson.</a> </b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The book is aimed to help you live your best life with chronic illness. Suzan has had ME/CFS, an immune disorder, since 2002 and also has Lyme disease. Both of her sons also became ill with ME/CFS. Her younger son is now fully recovered after 10 years of mild illness. Her elder son still has ME/CFS as well as three tick-borne infections. It's an amazing and positive story of how she has found a new normal for herself and her family. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">On reading the introduction of this book I was immediately amazed that Suzan's life had changed in March 2002 at about the same time that my life also started to change. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">She writes </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>'</i><b>I suddenly felt horrible, with a severe sore throat, aching all over and complete exhaustion. I thought I'd caught the flu, but it never went away'</b><i> </i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This is exactly what happened to me in the Spring of 2002. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">She goes on to say </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>' For months my symptoms improved and worsened in a seemingly random pattern' </b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This was the same experience for me. I'd recover a little and go back to work and then become worse again and so needing to go back on sick leave. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Like me Suzan searched for a diagnosis or treatments. Like me she finally found a physician who diagnosed her accurately. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">She writes </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>' I had an immune disorder known in the US by the cringe inducing misnomer Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). Fortunately since then there has been much resistance to the name CFS and a return to M.E. or even ME/CFS' </b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In her book Suzan shares her experiences personally as well as that of her family. She shares some valuable advice and help in finding a new normal. She has had to find her own path in living a new life in which she can still be full and happy. With no cure or very little care and treatment we all have to try and do the same as her. This is why I found </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">her book to be a very useful tool in trying to achieve just that. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Her book deals with emotional coping, daily life, relationships and improving your life. It's </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">full of interesting and helpful tips. Some of these I have already adopted or tried for myself. </span></p><div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Her book has made me reflect further on my own personal life. She discusses acceptance and hope and how keeping a balance between them is an ongoing goal. I believe that's the case for me and these two words often crop up in my poems and my blogs. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">I've written a poem about acceptance and a blog about <b><a href="https://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2013/12/turning-negative-into-positive.html" target="_blank">turning the negative into the positive </a>. </b>This is much the same as Suzan expresses in her book. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Acceptance</b></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>To say “this illness I accept”<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Is such a very hard concept<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>To accept my life has to change<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>To accept it can’t stay the same<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>To accept how I must now live<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>To try not to be negative<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>To accept my limitations<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>To lower my expectations<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>To accept I need to take care<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>To accept energy is rare<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>To accept I need to have rest<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>To pace myself and do what’s best<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>To accept new ways of coping<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>To find better understanding<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>To not be demanding on me<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>To reject those feelings guilty<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>To accept help on a bad day<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>To be honest in what I say<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>To accept I’ll have some bad days<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>And to feel denial and rage<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>To stop fighting against my fate<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>To stop my anger and my hate<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>To again find myself grieving<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>To mourn that life I’m now missing<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>To accept does not mean defeat<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>To know this illness I will beat<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="line-height: 18.4px;">To accept is not giving in</span> </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>But hope one day this fight I’ll win<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>To accept part goes to M.E.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>To know it can’t take the real me!<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>I wish I could say “I accept”<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="line-height: 18.4px;">But it is such a hard concept</span> </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">I further explored this area in another blog<a href="https://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2019/01/can-you-feel-happy-with-chronic-illness.html" target="_blank"> <b>'Can you feel happy with a chronic illness?' </b></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><span face="verdana, sans-serif">Happy</span></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><b>I used to be happy<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><b>Look forward to each day<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><b>Then M.E. came along<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><b>And took it all away!<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><b>My happiness was gone<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><b>Replaced by a grieving<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><b>Anger and frustration<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><b>And numb kind of feeling.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><b>I thought life had ended<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><b>And chance for happiness<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><b>With all my days now filled<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><b>By this chronic illness<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><b>Yet slowly there has been<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><b>Acceptance within me<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><b>Adjustment of my life<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><b>New ways to be happy. </b></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: left;"><br /></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Of course positive thinking is not always easy and unhelpfully can be claimed as a road to recovery! No amount of positive thinking is going to cure me!!! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Suzan asks in her book if she should give up all hope of recovery. It's hard to keep on hoping, especially it seems as time goes by and nothing seems much to change. I've also written about <b><a href="https://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2013/12/hope_29.html" target="_blank">'Hope'</a> </b>and expressed feelings of hope in my poem</span></div><div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: red;"><b><u><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><br /></span></u></b></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Hope</span></b></div><span style="background-color: white;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.85px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">To have a better day</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.85px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">The pain to go away</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><b style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></b><br /><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.85px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Hope</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.85px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">This fatigue will soon end</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.85px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">And my body can mend</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><o:p> </o:p></span><br /><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><o:p></o:p></span><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.85px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Hope</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.85px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">To find energy</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.85px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Then start recovery</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><b style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></b><br /><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.85px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Hope</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.85px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">To improve my pacing</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.85px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Against all I’m facing</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><b style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></b><br /><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.85px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Hope</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.85px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">I find new ways to cope</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.85px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Which come within my scope</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><b style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></b><br /><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.85px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Hope</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.85px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">To increase more awareness</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.85px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">So disbelief is less</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><b style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></b><br /><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.85px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Hope</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.85px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">That I can work again</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.85px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">And all’s not lost in vain</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><b style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></b><br /><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.85px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Hope</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.85px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">To better understand</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.85px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">This dreadful M.E. land</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><b style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></b><br /><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.85px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Hope</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.85px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">For a future healthy</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.85px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">And at last M.E. free!</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.85px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">In another blog I write<a href="https://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2019/08/holding-on-to-hope-fighting-to-survive.html" target="_blank"> '<b>Holding on to hope and fighting to survive</b>'</a> and more recently I wrote again about <b><a href="https://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2021/01/hope.html" target="_blank">'Hope'</a> </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Personally I try to hold on to hope and I'm generally a positive person. However, as I get older and the years go by I wonder if in my lifetime a cure will be finally found. In the meantime we all have to learn how to live with this illness, including me. That's why I feel that this book by Suzan is a very useful tool in doing just that and I fully recommend it. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Unlike Suzan, I live alone and that also provides certain challenges. It can be a lonely path and recently Freddie sings 'Face it alone' which resonates with me. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_yJBd99tLdU" width="320" youtube-src-id="_yJBd99tLdU"></iframe></div> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">We are all forced to accept and carry on living despite having a chronic illness. We still have a life so we should try to find a new normal. I know that's not easy but we owe it to ourselves - don't we? </span></div></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOaSbgSgkef6p0_G8ebqEJPb_YZ-n3N-szqzNJZ_OP2EHddlbcY0X_9ZfzN8rPYxzOamAuk0AYvb5iwUd7_dDoVhmZX-IONWHSPvipUhDNcAjqXRH9Q88Kh_oEotiufHP_1wcsTLkJzOpGMQ-kgrFHMTNhI3V04-sgK5aE_rlvpJTl1jO9b8ciUH7P/s3648/DSCF0054%5B1%5D%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="3648" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOaSbgSgkef6p0_G8ebqEJPb_YZ-n3N-szqzNJZ_OP2EHddlbcY0X_9ZfzN8rPYxzOamAuk0AYvb5iwUd7_dDoVhmZX-IONWHSPvipUhDNcAjqXRH9Q88Kh_oEotiufHP_1wcsTLkJzOpGMQ-kgrFHMTNhI3V04-sgK5aE_rlvpJTl1jO9b8ciUH7P/w400-h300/DSCF0054%5B1%5D%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">A bientot</span><br style="font-weight: 400;" /><span style="font-weight: 400;">The French Femme</span><br style="font-weight: 400;" /><span style="font-weight: 400;">xxx</span></span></b></div></div><div><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></span></b></div><p></p>French femmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814891305960111979noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8139456428769690123.post-37115396981095080852022-06-28T14:38:00.001+01:002022-06-30T13:44:45.038+01:00HIGHER MAINTENANCE <p> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Bonjour, </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm going to write a few blogs reviewing books written about living with M.E. (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis). These books have impressed me and influenced my thinking about how I live with this illness. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The first in this series is a book entitled </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Higher-Maintenance-Managing-Transcending-Happiness-ebook/dp/B0794SX6W2/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1Z3WEW94P1LP3&keywords=Higher+Maintenance+by+Marianne+Granger&qid=1656423044&sprefix=higher+maintenance+by+marianne+granger%2Caps%2C142&sr=8-1" target="_blank">'HIGHER MAINTENANCE' by Marianne Granger.</a> </b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: center;">This is what I read on the back cover of the book which intrigued me </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>' Author Marianne Granger suddenly found herself incapacitated at the age of 46. Devastated and with no cure for her illness in sight, she recounts how she went from victim to empowered as she learned to tame her "dragon" by mastering her emotions, her ego. Follow her journey to a fresh perspective on a life that can bring joy and serenity. Whether you or someone you love is struggling with chronic illness, you will find that raising awareness, forgiving and letting go are just a few of the liberating steps on the road to wellness. This is the path of Higher Maintenance.' </b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcSzOWuqs_3sFR7pNL7LH0eqo-xUImlBS7aMUE5uExMXvOM1PslUalR9S99RMpaY0GT1zaV9pk0XRqAYTKm7OhZmmueiWudZuGyKXjS3-kHqf7km67AJN6ODPj0CJ6aeoTzgPyPn_A9-K4uqZGO43-v0mc4JjV04QqJo6cwc6za4aU0P5SQ5vq1m2a/s500/higher%20maintenance.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="323" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcSzOWuqs_3sFR7pNL7LH0eqo-xUImlBS7aMUE5uExMXvOM1PslUalR9S99RMpaY0GT1zaV9pk0XRqAYTKm7OhZmmueiWudZuGyKXjS3-kHqf7km67AJN6ODPj0CJ6aeoTzgPyPn_A9-K4uqZGO43-v0mc4JjV04QqJo6cwc6za4aU0P5SQ5vq1m2a/w259-h400/higher%20maintenance.jpg" width="259" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"><br /></span></p>The first thing that struck me on receiving and reading my copy of this book was that it mirrored my story and journey with M.E. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: center;">I've underlined, ringed and starred many key words and phrases that resonate with me. There are so many that it would be impossible to share them all in this blog. However, I'll share some of the key ones with you. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: center;">Marianne was about the same age as me when she became ill and at about the same time. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: center;">She writes <b>'One morning I woke up to find that I could not get out of bed. I was weak as a kitten and my throat was very sore' </b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">On reading her book I discovered many of her experiences were similar to mine </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">she thought that she was sick with the flu </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">she thought that she was dying </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">she pushed herself to go back to work too soon </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">she lost everything </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">she was told that she had depression </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">she became isolated </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">she became increasingly sensitive to so many things around her </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">she spent a decade of online research </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">she searched for tools to and ways to manage her illness </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">it became increasingly clear that her life would never be the same </span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">She likens her illness to a dragon and she writes </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>'I had to welcome the dragon into my life because, perhaps he was there to teach me something' </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">She found online communities and resources to get answers. She joined a support group and then someone who referred her to an endocrinologist who had taken a special interest in ME/CFS and a lawyer who specialised in Fibromyalgia and ME/CFS disability cases. Like me she went through a battery of tests to exclude the possibility of other illness before concluding that she did in fact suffer from CFS. She was told that about 3% recover from this illness but that there was no cure and too little research. This was in 2005. She also eventually got her disability pension. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">She writes '<b>During that time of uncertainty, I had to find ways of nurturing myself. Once in a while I stopped at a nearby florist and bought myself one flower that I would enjoy for a whole week. On Saturday nights, I set a nice table, lit a candle and sat down with a cheap wine as I dined, listening to my favourite standards. I didn't feel alone or sad. I felt nurtured. I could do this for myself because I was worth it' </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>'These were my first steps on the path of Higher Maintenance'</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">She writes about her inner strength, her loneliness, her grieving, her test of faith, the need to ask for help, becoming selfish to survive, learning how to stop feeling sorry for oneself, learning to set boundaries, learning humility and humour, listening to her body, mind and soul and learning how to accept her illness.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">She writes about how we can get back control over our life, our health and happiness by various strategies. She writes about tools that can help us reach acceptance and how to live with a chronic illness. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">This book is about her personal story, her approaches to higher maintenance, how she manages her illness and what tools she uses to help her. It's full of useful advice and reflections. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">It's a positive and inspiring book. I recommend this book to anyone suffering with a chronic illness. I'm sure it will help you like it has helped me. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">A bientot</span><br style="font-weight: 400;" /><span style="font-weight: 400;">The French Femme</span><br style="font-weight: 400;" /><span style="font-weight: 400;">xxx</span></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><p></p>French femmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814891305960111979noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8139456428769690123.post-86805192349343847672022-05-12T08:00:00.000+01:002022-05-12T08:00:27.016+01:0030TH ANNIVERSARY OF INTERNATIONAL MAY 12TH AWARENESS DAY <p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Bonjour, </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This year, 2022, marks the 30th International May 12th Awareness Day. </span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://me-pedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Hennessy,_Jr." target="_blank"><span lang="EN">The idea originated with Tom
Hennessy, the founder of RESCIND, Inc. (Repeal Existing </span>Stereotypes<span lang="EN"> about
Chronic Immunological and Neurological Diseases). <o:p></o:p></span></a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://me-pedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Hennessy,_Jr." target="_blank"><span lang="EN"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;">M</span></o:p></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">r. Hennessy was based in the
US but understood that it needed to be an International event. He designated
May 12 as the International Awareness Day for the spectrum of illnesses he
called Chronic Immunological and Neurological Diseases (CIND).</span></a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">May 12th was chosen as it
coincided with the birth date of Florence Nightingale, the English army nurse
who inspired the founding of the International Red Cross. Nightingale became
chronically ill in her mid-thirties with a Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic
Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)-like illness. She was often bedridden for the last 50
years of her life. Despite suffering from a debilitating illness, she managed
to found the world’s first School of Nursing. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Each May I try to raise better awareness and understanding of M.E. through my poetry and blogs. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.investinme.org/index.shtml" target="_blank">At the same time I aim to raise funds for the charity Invest in ME Research. </a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Here's a look back at my poems and blogs for May awareness. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In 2014 I wrote about<a href="https://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2014/04/me-groundhog-day.html" target="_blank"> M.E. Groundhog Day </a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh4piUoZOSpQwkKOOGpOWH6Q39PQTRbm5gd0ZO9Xzcy07cUHguN3G9HZrAuE1Ce4nODZhLlEc5A77gmZKNe85hcv73XAV6qHdTXncToGoWS2loIXaS0M3kP-HxYdSOdKD5M9ojCNGXviq_m5gTphjpbicNMbu9GFXaF0l_7XWkjmTfTGj7SxzwsLMO/s960/181284_526124700758158_506185263_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="816" data-original-width="960" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh4piUoZOSpQwkKOOGpOWH6Q39PQTRbm5gd0ZO9Xzcy07cUHguN3G9HZrAuE1Ce4nODZhLlEc5A77gmZKNe85hcv73XAV6qHdTXncToGoWS2loIXaS0M3kP-HxYdSOdKD5M9ojCNGXviq_m5gTphjpbicNMbu9GFXaF0l_7XWkjmTfTGj7SxzwsLMO/w400-h340/181284_526124700758158_506185263_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="mso-element: footnote-list;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In 2015 I asked <a href="https://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2015/05/what-are-you-going-to-do-in-may.html" target="_blank">What are you going to do in May? </a></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In 2017 <a href="https://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2017/05/may-2017-awareness-month.html" target="_blank">May 2017-Awareness Month </a></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr5zDoOn5INtSj0Bz5A2JYR88AiTz42O3vtrJLofYhEmOvc21WvppqNTC-MSzfznYRCo913Fu6PWyI6Fna2wVqL8aec5KYXCzmNBZ8PEn3-tNc8ZsMTSkyGTLm1DW9OqyBxj5FJuGPg20rO8CXnGR6gKdf6NMrWz75gVeJliRubcV7eV-gAMfTlJhD/s960/17820727_10155118813819318_1878086490_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="678" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr5zDoOn5INtSj0Bz5A2JYR88AiTz42O3vtrJLofYhEmOvc21WvppqNTC-MSzfznYRCo913Fu6PWyI6Fna2wVqL8aec5KYXCzmNBZ8PEn3-tNc8ZsMTSkyGTLm1DW9OqyBxj5FJuGPg20rO8CXnGR6gKdf6NMrWz75gVeJliRubcV7eV-gAMfTlJhD/w283-h400/17820727_10155118813819318_1878086490_n.jpg" width="283" /></a></div><div style="mso-element: footnote-list;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">In 2018<a href="https://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2018/05/my-story-for-me-awareness-week.html" target="_blank"> My story for M.E. Awareness Week </a></span></div><div style="mso-element: footnote-list;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWnLaenkpwbJak-jolUzuRBfTl5cm4hyzUl_A6ckgFl6mo9qM4ngKjPYbAPu8T18Dbn3KMOmEB_kqw27m00XUUo53tTLgZSqKrNuC8orKAeWgclTUjDGlUxGHXHTIw1TZ2f4iviKipgNjb-5a9uPcF2orxZK6_pC86ky-hiw9bF-EG8vHZGv6TYkVv/s1376/boots.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1376" data-original-width="992" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWnLaenkpwbJak-jolUzuRBfTl5cm4hyzUl_A6ckgFl6mo9qM4ngKjPYbAPu8T18Dbn3KMOmEB_kqw27m00XUUo53tTLgZSqKrNuC8orKAeWgclTUjDGlUxGHXHTIw1TZ2f4iviKipgNjb-5a9uPcF2orxZK6_pC86ky-hiw9bF-EG8vHZGv6TYkVv/w289-h400/boots.jpg" width="289" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In 2019 <a href="https://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2019/04/31-days-in-may.html" target="_blank">31 Days in May </a></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFAWJxSVLQ90ic1Pkgx_PGgdT4z16m8SYtKf-bEtg6igQDMBIxyKIpKl7z0KvF-FtBIvKDwzhGdNSJIrPgTkxmbzZ8nT34TxQqKjMhf6YIF5orCEHVntlS8aLdG45C3lMIkBgVR-plGG0CihVoWDV2Mz6b0tak8yx45Y_gEoer_qK__jtl2CDt8Mth/s500/51eIs6ebHoL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="314" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFAWJxSVLQ90ic1Pkgx_PGgdT4z16m8SYtKf-bEtg6igQDMBIxyKIpKl7z0KvF-FtBIvKDwzhGdNSJIrPgTkxmbzZ8nT34TxQqKjMhf6YIF5orCEHVntlS8aLdG45C3lMIkBgVR-plGG0CihVoWDV2Mz6b0tak8yx45Y_gEoer_qK__jtl2CDt8Mth/w251-h400/51eIs6ebHoL.jpg" width="251" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In 2020 <a href="https://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2020/05/me-groundhog-day-again.html" target="_blank">M.E. Groundhog Day (again) </a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In 2021 <a href="https://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2021/05/" target="_blank">More of life, love and loss </a></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHp46YJnkwY7XEXhH2uH9Cy9of3mqcWzk-YLii3qL4A1jmRtf_GyOrR_4gmowfNkJpX1ugjaMOuTC2cRXdKx5psiQQTx9VH36mo5wE1ORr8BB55FDaCojF5lRZW_gSSPcF-N6-0l2zDh-pjZmKMPiBRpRSwWuGqGPRjLJYa6Utz0ASSY1zY9IV1zJl/s1280/pjimage%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHp46YJnkwY7XEXhH2uH9Cy9of3mqcWzk-YLii3qL4A1jmRtf_GyOrR_4gmowfNkJpX1ugjaMOuTC2cRXdKx5psiQQTx9VH36mo5wE1ORr8BB55FDaCojF5lRZW_gSSPcF-N6-0l2zDh-pjZmKMPiBRpRSwWuGqGPRjLJYa6Utz0ASSY1zY9IV1zJl/w400-h225/pjimage%20(1).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This year I'm pleased to announce the publication of a book of short poems for May awareness. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It's entitled 'ANOTHER 31 DAYS IN MAY'. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiQ_0RqX4FgD8zDFnOUUKXimewWBq0VGwpjNgsLx01P1G4E3lfgQ0JavpspLVaWnu6wT-RkTk0mRZtDloZJj9yu9qcoXrVOwpw-q9z4zG5rUFomwq0EdOCiMBiSDdem6QQL0LSD7vgvYL2FKFRy3GV-wmARuZO2XZ-L2WmzHxTNaJwFT9bgHqm628J/s1500/61gV1L2Yz7L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiQ_0RqX4FgD8zDFnOUUKXimewWBq0VGwpjNgsLx01P1G4E3lfgQ0JavpspLVaWnu6wT-RkTk0mRZtDloZJj9yu9qcoXrVOwpw-q9z4zG5rUFomwq0EdOCiMBiSDdem6QQL0LSD7vgvYL2FKFRy3GV-wmARuZO2XZ-L2WmzHxTNaJwFT9bgHqm628J/w266-h400/61gV1L2Yz7L.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFibC5hAlRaL8zv3Hew0mRDLLVRkcc3FlI-H-fq_8Wfww3QSCYgcpqAgEUKbYRJ66KL8ILULs0xjS2Lh38q-7m7k5NS3Z_olgiWzwveC31AodJqNgNjb3V8qniV5AsPvnTLoAESnzYohn-Js_fnzyK9GTsdvtx7u0eDtk9xPouCGV5R6OW5gJuf7Q_/s500/Another%2031%20days%20in%20May%20kindle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="314" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFibC5hAlRaL8zv3Hew0mRDLLVRkcc3FlI-H-fq_8Wfww3QSCYgcpqAgEUKbYRJ66KL8ILULs0xjS2Lh38q-7m7k5NS3Z_olgiWzwveC31AodJqNgNjb3V8qniV5AsPvnTLoAESnzYohn-Js_fnzyK9GTsdvtx7u0eDtk9xPouCGV5R6OW5gJuf7Q_/w251-h400/Another%2031%20days%20in%20May%20kindle.jpg" width="251" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">This book is a selection of 31 short poems to raise better awareness and understanding as well as to raise funds for the charity Invest in ME Research.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">These poems have been written from my own personal feelings and experience of living with M.E. for over 20 years.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">They also echo the thoughts and feelings of so many others who suffer like myself.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">My poems aim to portray the harsh reality of living with a long term chronic illness.</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: verdana;">It's available in paperback and kindle edition throughout many countries. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Another-days-May-French-Femme/dp/B09YSD9393/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1RHN5XXC7EFLW&keywords=another+31+days+in+may&qid=1652189001&sprefix=Another+31+days+%2Caps%2C191&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Here is the link for Amazon UK </a></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;"><a href="https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/rosalynde-lemarchand7?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=fundraising&utm_content=rosalynde-lemarchand7&utm_campaign=pfp-share&utm_term=7998332e83874feb9ba5eea2713e9ce9&fbclid=IwAR3tekPvU6GEGE3msz4zFDpyYgrTaouXH9VYMqeP1FBLlgpdrnUW6maLxsQ" target="_blank">I've set up a Just Giving Page and all proceeds from the sales of my book during May I will donate to Invest in ME Research </a></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">After reviewing all my awareness raising that I've done for May since 2014, I wonder how much longer I will continue to do so year after year? </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Am I making a difference? </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I also ask if every year my awareness raising is preaching to the already converted? </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjooKVlaqKCxKRic8ZOD8zwxDam3yEK_Fqa2uht1hIqlMIzn5D1RDepiVzx6p362Wp5eGtaWtjP1KFowmxeUDLyGOrwSZ9mFoHOgMCMXtMMEbOUZ4o2wDHsGq7bcCE6jnbccEoN62JjXef113nQO1l3qZND2hdC3GdFJsNOPN5oCOz3-OdKxdMoUTk_/s2048/1620812163921-01.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjooKVlaqKCxKRic8ZOD8zwxDam3yEK_Fqa2uht1hIqlMIzn5D1RDepiVzx6p362Wp5eGtaWtjP1KFowmxeUDLyGOrwSZ9mFoHOgMCMXtMMEbOUZ4o2wDHsGq7bcCE6jnbccEoN62JjXef113nQO1l3qZND2hdC3GdFJsNOPN5oCOz3-OdKxdMoUTk_/s320/1620812163921-01.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><p class="MsoNormal">It seems to me that nothing much really changes. The never ending suffering, poor understanding, ignorance, neglect, abuse, lack of support, lack of help, lack of funding and inadequate research continues. </p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Where will we be in another 30 years? </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Will the 60th anniversary of International M.E. May 12th Awareness Day be unnecessary? </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Will the cause or causes of M.E. be found? </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Will real research produce treatment and a cure for those of us with M.E.? </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Will there be proper recognition and understanding of this illness? </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I certainly hope so.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Although it may be too late for me and many others who have lost so many years to this illness - some a lifetime. You can't get that back. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Please support me and Invest in ME Research. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thank you. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A bientot </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The French Femme </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">xxx</span></p>
</div><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span><p></p>French femmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814891305960111979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8139456428769690123.post-31043845480519809652022-01-14T14:37:00.005+00:002022-01-14T14:46:05.317+00:00MY 20TH M.E. ANNIVERSARY <p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Bonjour, </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">As this is my first blog for 2022 I want to wish you all a <b>HAPPY NEW YEAR.</b> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">It will soon be 20 years since I first started to become ill with M.E. (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis). </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Many people with M.E. can recall the time when they first became ill, sometimes even the exact day. For me it was in the Spring of 2002. Like others I'm calling it my M.E. anniversary. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In this blog I want to look back and share with you my journey, some of my suffering and loss that I've undergone in 20 years. I will be referring to my previous blogs and illustrating with some of the many poems that I've written. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">First of all you can look back to<b> HOW IT ALL BEGAN </b>in my blog<b> <a href="https://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2018/05/my-story-for-me-awareness-week.html" target="_blank">'My story for M.E. Awareness week'</a> </b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">20 years ago I was facing much </span><b style="font-family: verdana;">DISBELIEF. </b><span style="font-family: verdana;">When I first started to become unwell I had no idea what was wrong with me. During 2002 and 2003 I desperately fought to stay in unemployment which caused me much stress and worry. During that time I faced much disbelief from my doctor, my family and some friends. I suppose I even faced doubt myself and wondered if I was imagining things or going crazy. Throughout 20 years of being ill I've faced a lot of disbelief, ignorance and lack of understanding. It still continues to this day. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigL6NBEHYZ5AlTUOyCfZ2HE9OEjHSNGBgooaywczC1LPm34yMa2AfB59Z38TzuqEtzwfhvfU1Y09_7z5qAGnkIX-TdhxfBcuih6J1y7utBQBYT0cxpIJigdDdV9odGfqeF-yv-CYpGQCwfJ-B_nPcOzF6iVBbtfHHUMQdf8VoTHxedHszyX8M1Z1BF=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigL6NBEHYZ5AlTUOyCfZ2HE9OEjHSNGBgooaywczC1LPm34yMa2AfB59Z38TzuqEtzwfhvfU1Y09_7z5qAGnkIX-TdhxfBcuih6J1y7utBQBYT0cxpIJigdDdV9odGfqeF-yv-CYpGQCwfJ-B_nPcOzF6iVBbtfHHUMQdf8VoTHxedHszyX8M1Z1BF=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Over 20 years I've undergone so many<b> MEDICAL TESTS AND EXAMINATIONS.</b> Right from the very beginning I faced a barrage of questions, interrogation, never ending examinations and tests. I've lost count of how many blood tests that I've done which usually came back as showing nothing serious, apart from once a low vitamin D level. I've made countless visits to the doctors and hospitals, both in the UK and in France where I've been prodded, poked and harassed. I've suffered the ordeal of a colonoscopy, an endoscopy and a full hysterectomy. I've been psycho-analysed to see if I'm of sane mind. I've even spent a week in a pain clinic where I was totally disbelieved and forced to undergo physical exercise which put me into a relapse. You can read about one of my medicals in this blog <a href="https://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2016/10/the-medical.html" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">'The Medical' </a>written in October 2016</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjI0XypgPwcdAgcALGmrNuvsOR8uw_lfKOZQE_M9UYqDzIZHg_4Gv01mUaiS2QoSXxVPoTiSzQ9kW5S3x6kZkB3FpaBIvRO4Jpp9JRt6_xuDKLqan55NUTXMJpfFy1mskmZQzdFsl64YVBbGB_hiEsta0FLLW7FD45uvI-inuXZkTme9c7jRVKepBWL=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjI0XypgPwcdAgcALGmrNuvsOR8uw_lfKOZQE_M9UYqDzIZHg_4Gv01mUaiS2QoSXxVPoTiSzQ9kW5S3x6kZkB3FpaBIvRO4Jpp9JRt6_xuDKLqan55NUTXMJpfFy1mskmZQzdFsl64YVBbGB_hiEsta0FLLW7FD45uvI-inuXZkTme9c7jRVKepBWL=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Over 20 years I've tried</span><b> DIFFERENT MEDICATIONS</b><span style="font-family: verdana;">. Twice I was prescribed anti depressants, despite declaring that I was definitely not depressed. I couldn't tolerate the medications and stopped them very rapidly. Different doctors have proposed medications but after two bad experiences I've refused any more. Like many others with M.E. I'm sensitive to most medications. </span></p></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Over 20 years I've tried many different <b>SUPPLEMENTS,VITAMINS AND MINERALS </b>to see if they would make a difference. Perhaps the best is vitamin C and vitamin D but the rest seem to have made little or no difference apart from causing a hole in my pocket!! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Over 20 years I think that I've read about or tried many different <b>ALTERNATIVE TREATMENTS & DIFFERENT THERAPIES. </b>This includes Graded Exercise Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Yoga, meditation, Tai Chi, massage, visited a 'toucher' or 'healer', Emotional Freedom Technique, Lightning Therapy, treatment with electrodes, heat therapy with pads and cushions - the list goes on! Some have helped a little and others downright dangerous. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgoee1mRACRuxVl1shE0QYsydYcG3Xy7142VrHKBmp5A-RIKKTA6O2tIpR1yKfZnyI6QLnDYyAuIEUzZsrLv6nrv2I3vaTSp3n88_v5wpYJV-X1ZKy-OM-QN63WYk3qd23aoW1HQ7-IfxqTgcFJHF7joIXpsOVKIu01l__jcLLLK8_UAC5qCiTdm7_5=s1080" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgoee1mRACRuxVl1shE0QYsydYcG3Xy7142VrHKBmp5A-RIKKTA6O2tIpR1yKfZnyI6QLnDYyAuIEUzZsrLv6nrv2I3vaTSp3n88_v5wpYJV-X1ZKy-OM-QN63WYk3qd23aoW1HQ7-IfxqTgcFJHF7joIXpsOVKIu01l__jcLLLK8_UAC5qCiTdm7_5=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><p>Throughout 20 years I've suffered <b>SO MANY SYMPTOMS. </b>There are too many to list here but you can read about them in my previous blog <b><a href="https://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2017/01/so-many-symptoms.html" target="_blank">'So many symptoms' </a>. </b></p></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgPK040EjZZ0TvGSdqZ43mUTnGwu59c9urM91tbgG-6dnWYmz4A6g8VTF_oHN6ziHFliqB-OfVEGWsz6mEM2z49WRbkwiqGQCJ8AX7LG7N4W2WDj7izLiTwN92Ts8JM819jpKB7BQuHJTSR743f4pMI9pgSvyswPki9lspZ_UpiYym_iaafKUouERd1=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgPK040EjZZ0TvGSdqZ43mUTnGwu59c9urM91tbgG-6dnWYmz4A6g8VTF_oHN6ziHFliqB-OfVEGWsz6mEM2z49WRbkwiqGQCJ8AX7LG7N4W2WDj7izLiTwN92Ts8JM819jpKB7BQuHJTSR743f4pMI9pgSvyswPki9lspZ_UpiYym_iaafKUouERd1=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Over 20 years the one symptom that is here with me every single day is</span><b style="font-family: verdana;"> PAIN. </b><span style="font-family: verdana;">I don't think there is one part of my body where I haven't suffered pain at one time or another. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh1mKKNH2Rx4madKgSkyTsYEaNJ6mZd-lvLgXYTzHj8stZ9kfkvSKCKXHPP54vahjj0HvwsURD-kUNjJYWL0guCekNYy-6ra78XkOxfOS_9bQV2qS-u5IfSpsbiF9das6_M_elXCDXIBxCBYvCA4zZr_KC_hJqrgaXBa1soxJumCjTNHu1IKCtqmvDu=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh1mKKNH2Rx4madKgSkyTsYEaNJ6mZd-lvLgXYTzHj8stZ9kfkvSKCKXHPP54vahjj0HvwsURD-kUNjJYWL0guCekNYy-6ra78XkOxfOS_9bQV2qS-u5IfSpsbiF9das6_M_elXCDXIBxCBYvCA4zZr_KC_hJqrgaXBa1soxJumCjTNHu1IKCtqmvDu=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><p>Over 20 years I've become increasingly <b>SENSITIVE AND INTOLERANT </b>to so many things. You can read more about it in my blog<b><a href="https://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2017/06/so-sensitive.html" target="_blank"> 'So sensitive' </a> </b></p><p>In 20 years I've suffered many<b> RELAPSES and P.E.M. (post exertional malaise)</b> is a defining part of my illness and my life. I've written a couple of blogs about this <b><a href="https://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2015/08/rest-and-relapses.html" target="_blank">'Rest and relapses' </a></b>in August 2015 and again in January 2020 <b><a href="https://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2020/01/relapse.html" target="_blank">'Relapse' </a></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiH4hkBTpcUoaBsJTZ_XKVkFQLJadiBN8smB_VbXCetfiN-Ls0SIVUNu-uB5eXPuOly0-7tMd8Ej4Gf0cep1d9ifNsGKOfr1i1-HlVx2Rnaj07Typ7PFqzLzzB2bdup6ar5PuDrdBPRVY4e3gFARp4aQDsAWzZkLsNzm7HXQA9_PVmtfOPHorPLw4aD=s1080" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiH4hkBTpcUoaBsJTZ_XKVkFQLJadiBN8smB_VbXCetfiN-Ls0SIVUNu-uB5eXPuOly0-7tMd8Ej4Gf0cep1d9ifNsGKOfr1i1-HlVx2Rnaj07Typ7PFqzLzzB2bdup6ar5PuDrdBPRVY4e3gFARp4aQDsAWzZkLsNzm7HXQA9_PVmtfOPHorPLw4aD=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgRPsaHM0TlSf4G8CPx2dyBf6l2THGvmUz5QjjXLuBlHZCzFDMG9K9Lt9z02mgKUsB-defCrjYpP6btJcVNDxUOIQ1ilYBTyBhQniEzQskHngleXPKBX7c7waga9Z3FXUZogoRiBxrkJpJRBTxJosR1XfRxcABteT1axYVjl2aExv2-dH2Ub7UQcDmJ=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgRPsaHM0TlSf4G8CPx2dyBf6l2THGvmUz5QjjXLuBlHZCzFDMG9K9Lt9z02mgKUsB-defCrjYpP6btJcVNDxUOIQ1ilYBTyBhQniEzQskHngleXPKBX7c7waga9Z3FXUZogoRiBxrkJpJRBTxJosR1XfRxcABteT1axYVjl2aExv2-dH2Ub7UQcDmJ=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In 20 years I've seen so much </span><b>LOSS </b>because of my illness. <span style="font-family: verdana;">I've lost my job and career, my house and my home, my security, my social life, my many pleasures and hobbies. I've lost hope. I've lost my life as it used to be. Here is my previous blog about <b><a href="https://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2019/12/loss.html" target="_blank">'Loss'</a> </b></span></p></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZe-vbadWQwRWsXQsIzYppbqoTKBGtM-3Qa98qnwiwXbolF7-LBY1pKnlli13ip0QFWA7gaTpzFYPmINY2sWr8BL6-eNfsO73yY02cP5a_47sGo7LjH89_80xJxp_NT4B7KkcoutBauhevYQa1ImAHl7SLy174FKpOAOfQ29X_BqqpHhuDTk3M7LBl=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZe-vbadWQwRWsXQsIzYppbqoTKBGtM-3Qa98qnwiwXbolF7-LBY1pKnlli13ip0QFWA7gaTpzFYPmINY2sWr8BL6-eNfsO73yY02cP5a_47sGo7LjH89_80xJxp_NT4B7KkcoutBauhevYQa1ImAHl7SLy174FKpOAOfQ29X_BqqpHhuDTk3M7LBl=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><p>During 20 years I've had some moments of <b>HOPE </b>during periods of a slightly improved level of health. I've wondered if at last I was on the road to recovery. However, I'm just fooled and the illness comes back with a vengeance. You can read about this in my blog of September 2016 <b><a href="https://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2016/09/dont-be-fooled.html" target="_blank">'Don't be fooled'</a></b> <b> </b>It's a false sense of hope. This illness is relentless and full recovery is extremely rare. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgbEdxm5hwlYnY0EynYBsymvO1p6blM9VwifSoXHAYXFTfM0j3-E9-_NrZ4O47dphZdlOLgbGvHE1mt1wPMZX1uvvp2H1RBPWKbL7pzyxdqPrS8BnrKb77rhaqI1dId5STXNp8BLBaKRykeFFttvMJqBKQv70tCUlsDl1fYH04WU9rwteV8MaevlBCA=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgbEdxm5hwlYnY0EynYBsymvO1p6blM9VwifSoXHAYXFTfM0j3-E9-_NrZ4O47dphZdlOLgbGvHE1mt1wPMZX1uvvp2H1RBPWKbL7pzyxdqPrS8BnrKb77rhaqI1dId5STXNp8BLBaKRykeFFttvMJqBKQv70tCUlsDl1fYH04WU9rwteV8MaevlBCA=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">During 20 years I've gone through a whole range of</span><b> EMOTIONS. </b><span>You can read all about these emotions in my blog <b><a href="https://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2017/08/so-many-emotions.html" target="_blank">'So many emotions'</a> or <a href="https://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2017/02/frustrated.html" target="_blank">'Frustrated'</a> or <a href="https://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2018/06/sometimes-i-feel-angry.html" target="_blank">'Sometimes I feel angry'</a></b></span></p></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In 20 years I've had to face <b>A NEVER ENDING CONSTANT BATTLE</b></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> FOR</b> <b>BENEFITS </b>to prove that I'm really ill and not faking it.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">I've had to prove myself and my illness over and over again.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">I've filled in countless pages and forms in English and French in an attempt to explain and prove that I'm genuinely ill and unable to work. It has caused me enormous stress and anguish<b>. </b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhBYecbndBIA0EEHeFaGKvSATv53zR75gLgBb8COnpPazk463FokYPgzZx0Dn4FIp_sF2Ilotu1q_a_QhG_Beift8KwNEWZX6GvSpXVFtl2lfAo34NVa0cQQz3TXMqJSaBejvsuKdm_JIJFdLFv829pAfPWDBIUbr3J37OPFbjnEtJBCFMRIhQ5O0yw=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhBYecbndBIA0EEHeFaGKvSATv53zR75gLgBb8COnpPazk463FokYPgzZx0Dn4FIp_sF2Ilotu1q_a_QhG_Beift8KwNEWZX6GvSpXVFtl2lfAo34NVa0cQQz3TXMqJSaBejvsuKdm_JIJFdLFv829pAfPWDBIUbr3J37OPFbjnEtJBCFMRIhQ5O0yw=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Over 20 years I've wanted to </span><b style="font-family: verdana;">GIVE UP THE FIGHT</b><span style="font-family: verdana;">. It's been a constant battle and struggle mostly on my own with little help or support. It's pushed me to the edge and to the point of taking my life. So many do give up and suicide is seen as the only way out. This has happened to some of my dear friends. You can read the story of Lotta in my blog </span><b style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2020/06/losing-loved-one-to-illness.html" target="_blank">'Losing a loved one to illness'. </a></b></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In 20 years I've had to reach some </span><b style="font-family: verdana;">ACCEPTANCE </b><span style="font-family: verdana;">of my illness and that my life can not go back to the way it was. I've had to find a new way of living, a new life and new interests. Life goes on even if you feel like you are dying at times. Perhaps I've been luckier than some as I had a chance to start over in a new country with a new husband. At first it helped me but soon became with fraught with problems and difficulties. I found that in France there was even less understanding and knowledge of my illness than the UK. I did eventually find a doctor who had some understanding and he helped me to review all my health issues. You can read my blog <a href="https://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2013/12/turning-negative-into-positive.html" target="_blank"><b>'Turning the negative into the positive' </b></a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Over 20 years I've had to <b>LEARN AND UNDERSTAND </b>about this illness myself. At first it was difficult as I didn't have access to a computer and social media. I searched through the local library and bookshops. My doctors knew next to nothing. Their advice, help and treatment was very limited. It has become easier over the years with so much more information available on the internet. I suppose I've become my own self expert. When I registered with my last doctor it was me who gave her information about M.E.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In more recent years I've been writing <b>MY BLOG AND POEMS</b> about M.E. This has helped me and given me sense of purpose whilst at the same time hopefully helping others who suffer the same as myself. You can read about why I write poetry in the following blogs <b><a href="https://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2013/11/why-write-poetry-about-me.html" target="_blank">'Why write poetry about M.E.'</a> <a href="https://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2020/07/why-i-write-poetry-about-me-part-two.html" target="_blank">'Why I write about poetry (part two)'</a> <a href="https://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2015/11/meet-author.html" target="_blank">'Meet the author'</a></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Over the 20 years I've found<b> NEW FRIENDS </b>in the M.E. community. There is wonderful support, help and friendship. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Next month I will be reaching retirement age. I never imagined that my life would be like this. I never imagined that I would be ill for one third of my life. I thought that I would recover but I have never done so. This illness is here with me every single day. The only small compensation on arriving at retirement age is that I will no longer have to fight for recognition as disabled and the right to disability benefits. I will no longer be under that constant pressure to prove that I'm really sick and unable to work. The down side is that health deteriorates naturally with age so I'm never going to go back to the way I was over 20 years ago. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm a survivor and a <b>M.E. WARRIOR. </b>We are all M.E. warriors. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjxJa7zNIVcI2GtfWwe9p-Im5t5vgo478s5l6V9IzXNVf2h5bFro9LlpCiZWxjacpBwGl6HeL_d-rjMbgttjXxMmHEGpfG-EkJzbPpk-uiI-qj6CqtFJ2wK87yJWVCZgSOQEUOEcptvzH4YktbhfVOhTC5pX73_WQhQP312cvY3Zb-D6w19WJRe0dYt=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjxJa7zNIVcI2GtfWwe9p-Im5t5vgo478s5l6V9IzXNVf2h5bFro9LlpCiZWxjacpBwGl6HeL_d-rjMbgttjXxMmHEGpfG-EkJzbPpk-uiI-qj6CqtFJ2wK87yJWVCZgSOQEUOEcptvzH4YktbhfVOhTC5pX73_WQhQP312cvY3Zb-D6w19WJRe0dYt=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">On my birthday I may have a toast with something sparkling to celebrate reaching retirement but it's coupled with some sadness. And I'm wondering if I'll survive another 20 years!!! </span><b style="font-family: verdana;"> </b><p></p><p><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-weight: 400;">A bientot</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-weight: 400;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-weight: 400;">The French Femme</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-weight: 400;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-weight: 400;">xxx</span></span></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><br /></p>French femmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814891305960111979noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8139456428769690123.post-49111533503302689202021-12-14T15:09:00.001+00:002021-12-14T15:09:35.530+00:00MYTHS AND MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT ME AND M.E. <p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Bonjour, </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Sorry it's been a while since I last wrote a blog but one horrible dental problem put me into relapse. I had to wait over 6 months before I could have the appropriate treatment and then it took a long time to recover. Those of you with M.E. will know that any second infection can cause a relapse and we are very slow to recover. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">So the first misconception is that I haven't disappeared and I haven't stopped writing poetry. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Over many years I've written countless poems about M.E. in order to try and dispel the misunderstanding and misconceptions about my illness. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In this blog I want to explore some of the MYTHS AND MISCONCEPTIONS surrounding M.E. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The following are some statements made about M.E. and underneath each statement I share with you one or more of my poems to try and dispel that myth or misconception. You will also find a quote and links to further information. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;">M.E. is not real - or "all in your head"</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYv-W92koRva3Q2psWwOxIpU0Bby986uH2sWLLQh2Tte7Zgy6HDz6mH5qTt8DDmWjZcYqW507ijkS2WP2mbDbFywxoh4Y0PqaYaTmtDQsYN9SFhOUzg0zru3f0x2VLksOfb519BYl4ctpQfN0LiSI6cDsrwDIJq5kopCGw58xsp3z41UE8gh9oLd7E=s2048" style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYv-W92koRva3Q2psWwOxIpU0Bby986uH2sWLLQh2Tte7Zgy6HDz6mH5qTt8DDmWjZcYqW507ijkS2WP2mbDbFywxoh4Y0PqaYaTmtDQsYN9SFhOUzg0zru3f0x2VLksOfb519BYl4ctpQfN0LiSI6cDsrwDIJq5kopCGw58xsp3z41UE8gh9oLd7E=s320" width="320" /></a></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #595959; font-style: italic; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="https://solvecfs.org/5-myths-of-me-cfs/" target="_blank">“There are now thousands of published studies that show underlying biological abnormalities in patients…It’s not an illness that people can simply imagine and it’s not a psychological illness.”</a></b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #595959; font-style: italic; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="https://solvecfs.org/5-myths-of-me-cfs/" target="_blank">– Dr. Anthony Komaroff, Harvard University</a></b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #595959; font-style: italic; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><h3 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #5a5a5a; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 10px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><a href="https://solvecfs.org/5-myths-of-me-cfs/" target="_blank">FACT: ME/CFS has very clear and proven biological (not psychological) traits,</a></span></h3><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #595959; margin: 0px 0px 25px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="https://solvecfs.org/5-myths-of-me-cfs/" target="_blank">which include the following (as well as dozens of other measurable traits):</a></b></span></p><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #595959; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 0px;"><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="https://solvecfs.org/5-myths-of-me-cfs/" target="_blank">Low natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity and compromised immune response</a></b></span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="https://solvecfs.org/5-myths-of-me-cfs/" target="_blank">Abnormal brain scans</a></b></span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="https://solvecfs.org/5-myths-of-me-cfs/" target="_blank">Abnormal cognitive-evoked EEG brain maps</a></b></span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="https://solvecfs.org/5-myths-of-me-cfs/" target="_blank">Up-regulated 2-5A antiviral pathways</a></b></span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="https://solvecfs.org/5-myths-of-me-cfs/" target="_blank">Prominent activation of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines</a></b></span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="https://solvecfs.org/5-myths-of-me-cfs/" target="_blank">Measureable reduced aerobic work capacity</a></b></span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="https://solvecfs.org/5-myths-of-me-cfs/" target="_blank">Abnormal gut microbiome diversity</a></b></span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="https://solvecfs.org/5-myths-of-me-cfs/" target="_blank">Metabolomics and bioenergetics abnormalities</a></b></span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="https://solvecfs.org/5-myths-of-me-cfs/" target="_blank">Cardiovascular abnormalities</a></b></span></li></ul><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">We are not lazy</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjQuROEHSbGZe2ED3vkkf5AkXJe-H2twGQjcFJBl_P0F5gjYom5So9R_vT9hZWx9ATfVyWvB6xKZpHYg0yId_q2ivahNw0NdRGDByFCwgLmSWHvsUfQM6YUqKkKWDhXPPZeOJvzD2-zc8tERalnkoIb2z7YbhDs7WPL9TI_TQhdu5Ow_tFdp4_i4Qox=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjQuROEHSbGZe2ED3vkkf5AkXJe-H2twGQjcFJBl_P0F5gjYom5So9R_vT9hZWx9ATfVyWvB6xKZpHYg0yId_q2ivahNw0NdRGDByFCwgLmSWHvsUfQM6YUqKkKWDhXPPZeOJvzD2-zc8tERalnkoIb2z7YbhDs7WPL9TI_TQhdu5Ow_tFdp4_i4Qox=s320" width="320" /></a></p><b style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;"> <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span></b><span style="font-family: verdana; font-weight: 700; text-align: center;">We don't look sick </span><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6xGWKiV16WAMRemsrywvTKuUYztQysN4RwlqNJGa8LkSuQFZjlEQWc4DelJWSUaWHgBrTrOmnrhNgaaCOsDDOrOSjXMACGvNJ287DzaWfnuVo61RhFbb8A8QRZufLgXaCjRbdGTGr3wO2XTO6COLvJRkdUBQxVfUHg4vyFKBjhv7Ws1quTSexhDCb=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6xGWKiV16WAMRemsrywvTKuUYztQysN4RwlqNJGa8LkSuQFZjlEQWc4DelJWSUaWHgBrTrOmnrhNgaaCOsDDOrOSjXMACGvNJ287DzaWfnuVo61RhFbb8A8QRZufLgXaCjRbdGTGr3wO2XTO6COLvJRkdUBQxVfUHg4vyFKBjhv7Ws1quTSexhDCb=s320" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><blockquote style="background-color: white; border-left: 5px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-sizing: border-box; color: #595959; font-style: italic; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 10px 20px; text-align: start;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><a href="https://solvecfs.org/5-myths-of-me-cfs/" target="_blank">“Being sick doesn’t mean you have to look a particular way… How is ‘sick’ supposed to look?”</a></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px;"><a href="https://solvecfs.org/5-myths-of-me-cfs/" target="_blank">– Erin Migdol, The Mighty</a></p></blockquote></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-weight: 700;">There is no blood test for M.E. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi35orJg5z6TaSNPM18oxx7SVXNm1CbQlBuYBMR2cG_wain3dwUseJiUf60GpKIW3xvh_zjbvFl9D404FrpnqToP3YSouUpD_2ymk1SFAEeDogxn8RAnDqUSb1-Q2aYxoqDepyzlLwhNd_GFdxXi8zukPT5WE8_S9yWZ-lU5qQbKfGED0HXvTPLIXN5=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi35orJg5z6TaSNPM18oxx7SVXNm1CbQlBuYBMR2cG_wain3dwUseJiUf60GpKIW3xvh_zjbvFl9D404FrpnqToP3YSouUpD_2ymk1SFAEeDogxn8RAnDqUSb1-Q2aYxoqDepyzlLwhNd_GFdxXi8zukPT5WE8_S9yWZ-lU5qQbKfGED0HXvTPLIXN5=s320" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #595959; font-style: italic; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: start;"><span face="Overpass, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 17.5px; font-weight: 400;">“</span><b><a href="https://solvecfs.org/5-myths-of-me-cfs/" target="_blank">In fact, some standard laboratory tests do distinguish cases from matched healthy control subjects. More important, newer technologies (metabolomic, immunologic) reveal other clear differences between cases and controls, as shown next.”</a></b></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #595959; font-style: italic; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><b><a href="https://solvecfs.org/5-myths-of-me-cfs/" target="_blank">– Dr. Zaher Nahle, Chief Scientific Officer, SMCI</a></b></p></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;">M.E. is caused by depression or anxiety</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"> </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqhgYEl6bviWhPHtrZVNLp1G3Czl-lkfm7pYpCtLF0Ppf-yL5frSaTYQS9HebuBnGtRJ3UPMl9STnn5anesvoGTcMrAp95u_0wX_jW4Knh5LgR-61vCe0gulxQwasUMYXq_vkZZRonJpWgqKHVS78L3o62XF39cGvijLTwMV36Dq6sQ-p5UXF803-J=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqhgYEl6bviWhPHtrZVNLp1G3Czl-lkfm7pYpCtLF0Ppf-yL5frSaTYQS9HebuBnGtRJ3UPMl9STnn5anesvoGTcMrAp95u_0wX_jW4Knh5LgR-61vCe0gulxQwasUMYXq_vkZZRonJpWgqKHVS78L3o62XF39cGvijLTwMV36Dq6sQ-p5UXF803-J=s320" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #595959; font-family: verdana; font-style: italic; text-align: start;"><a href="https://solvecfs.org/5-myths-of-me-cfs/" target="_blank">“Chronic illness can also threaten job security, relationships, and plans for the future. Any of those things can lead to depression. It’s a normal response to a bad situation.”</a></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><blockquote style="background-color: white; border-left: 5px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-sizing: border-box; color: #595959; font-style: italic; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 10px 20px; text-align: start;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="https://solvecfs.org/5-myths-of-me-cfs/" target="_blank">– Adrienne Dellwo, ME/CFS Advocate</a></b></span></p></blockquote><h3 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #5a5a5a; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 10px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><a href="https://solvecfs.org/5-myths-of-me-cfs/" target="_blank">Fact: Depression/Anxiety are the most common secondary responses to complex chronic diseases</a></span></h3></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;">Exercise cures M.E. </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8nX08YsNSs2UPUdvk-j9ymC929ubJwgBrj42H9_tGjeU_5jGAVjYjgYGUcEA8SfV8N_ZUXEQBVa6YHCP0HnnCJikpKL2PNb2Fzj1HqV3ty6mR1N4MNoQy1QLjRWgCF6EEYMW8juvtzsEVOs9ZTU64nV59qewrmiHRbX44BomvyqSi5KjZSV_EYC0F=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8nX08YsNSs2UPUdvk-j9ymC929ubJwgBrj42H9_tGjeU_5jGAVjYjgYGUcEA8SfV8N_ZUXEQBVa6YHCP0HnnCJikpKL2PNb2Fzj1HqV3ty6mR1N4MNoQy1QLjRWgCF6EEYMW8juvtzsEVOs9ZTU64nV59qewrmiHRbX44BomvyqSi5KjZSV_EYC0F=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhMyY6w4uBak7XB8cB0SXrBVqcCTe0L1N8oQvNeA6jy8EA6hM1ocBnzjTKYW85Gz0NlsEMo5n_1M5RBjcnG2BX6z6GZh-qXg7QHJ6_Es6mOGxUJy33Hvi9RBEMva5qfTmjCaHR9AsJMKHM3ufD9xshjOuV2R01rVThW52SqAo6EksWpusqYUKc-lhAa=s1080" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhMyY6w4uBak7XB8cB0SXrBVqcCTe0L1N8oQvNeA6jy8EA6hM1ocBnzjTKYW85Gz0NlsEMo5n_1M5RBjcnG2BX6z6GZh-qXg7QHJ6_Es6mOGxUJy33Hvi9RBEMva5qfTmjCaHR9AsJMKHM3ufD9xshjOuV2R01rVThW52SqAo6EksWpusqYUKc-lhAa=s320" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #595959; font-style: italic; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: start;"><span face="Overpass, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 17.5px;">“</span><b><a href="https://solvecfs.org/5-myths-of-me-cfs/" target="_blank">That you can exercise your way out of this illness, that is just not true. You can exercise, but you have to be extremely cautious. It will not cure you…. If a doctor sends a patient to the gym to do endurance exercise, that’s going to be a disaster. Doctors do that all the time and these patients get much, much worse.”</a></b></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #595959; font-style: italic; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><b><a href="https://solvecfs.org/5-myths-of-me-cfs/" target="_blank">– Dr. Nancy Klimas, ME/CFS Expert, Nova Southeastern University</a></b></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #595959; font-style: italic; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><br /></p></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>M.E. is just being tired all the time </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi-mZev9ima4PvTXW5YyYmRKtaucr5_hlBLG8PGllweeCyRLQiIY5AUMnkL0H6a0NBc7km0HZfSCFpJFz7nuOcNUXypgqnseR8yylauM_WFnqYZ1ykMF1tMZXUEyEs4IOs4zPEc4l3j4jfA1ALSwqlHUb2Bw4m9Y1ysVtgkdg9ibLiXWT2vPyjM-v0p=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi-mZev9ima4PvTXW5YyYmRKtaucr5_hlBLG8PGllweeCyRLQiIY5AUMnkL0H6a0NBc7km0HZfSCFpJFz7nuOcNUXypgqnseR8yylauM_WFnqYZ1ykMF1tMZXUEyEs4IOs4zPEc4l3j4jfA1ALSwqlHUb2Bw4m9Y1ysVtgkdg9ibLiXWT2vPyjM-v0p=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: verdana; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="https://www.hfme.org/mesymptoms.htm" target="_blank">M.E. is a complex and forever changing illness. It's so much more than just feeling tired and is unlike any other tiredness that you may have experienced before. There are so many symptoms that fall under the umbrella of M.E. One of the most comprehensive list of symptoms can be found on the web site Hummingbirds' Foundation for M.E. </a> </b> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-weight: 400; text-align: start;"></span></span></div><div style="font-family: verdana; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: verdana; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><b>M.E. is a mental disorder </b></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjeMqGdifYjKt1epyuW9USSdd7okij8v_dNysy7XGKb2FWhB7e1Pluj-A55DtK-7zaC7jlWyNVoQGi1OnWePiV3G_nxIUhxWRW_LYJ7irMk2SkgpuPHRQn7SAllL1tpgr7D0SzKWGCs3Qg_P8qYPLYKTz65zKLHlw4tpnlkENU-zbtiq8uTK3kaA6Dq=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjeMqGdifYjKt1epyuW9USSdd7okij8v_dNysy7XGKb2FWhB7e1Pluj-A55DtK-7zaC7jlWyNVoQGi1OnWePiV3G_nxIUhxWRW_LYJ7irMk2SkgpuPHRQn7SAllL1tpgr7D0SzKWGCs3Qg_P8qYPLYKTz65zKLHlw4tpnlkENU-zbtiq8uTK3kaA6Dq=s320" width="320" /></a></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>M.E. only affects women </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_K3xWhWsyc-plf1MqHwcDat0tiMLN66iPrW3cUr35PQW8hg7Kbj_H4NzUUXYROFrQ-EfIevDtIuskb8VjQHagItls9bYN_DB4YzClOnEBXujKfSlzXHYPUKoT2no0wkR_mUPPsvCG3e-uvGjtdsbR2yVtIlsqHDuoEcrGyR6NJFjX7P9Eits2Qtk5=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_K3xWhWsyc-plf1MqHwcDat0tiMLN66iPrW3cUr35PQW8hg7Kbj_H4NzUUXYROFrQ-EfIevDtIuskb8VjQHagItls9bYN_DB4YzClOnEBXujKfSlzXHYPUKoT2no0wkR_mUPPsvCG3e-uvGjtdsbR2yVtIlsqHDuoEcrGyR6NJFjX7P9Eits2Qtk5=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://me-pedia.org/wiki/Sex_differences_in_myalgic_encephalomyelitis_and_chronic_fatigue_syndrome" target="_blank"><b><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">N</span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">umerous studies have found the rates of M.E.</span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"> to be substantially higher in adult women than in men, with estimates ranging from 75-85%</span></b></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>M.E. only affects a certain type of person </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjtM9UyMHfBgdh5bYn3wy5vRw_1jHbdAIpShjwWWFKZlI_9P5prwxec25H-jmi8qvXVw04s6hjvJLOuXlIAc24IGikjW8H3yDOD8jCKP2lxf_XJmcPZQ-YnGPNoJ7G7efp50Sd0IC3D0q16AU-95Pnw1fF9DrjEaBN-Unqp5K0Xj3RB_SQtduT1hFUs=s960" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjtM9UyMHfBgdh5bYn3wy5vRw_1jHbdAIpShjwWWFKZlI_9P5prwxec25H-jmi8qvXVw04s6hjvJLOuXlIAc24IGikjW8H3yDOD8jCKP2lxf_XJmcPZQ-YnGPNoJ7G7efp50Sd0IC3D0q16AU-95Pnw1fF9DrjEaBN-Unqp5K0Xj3RB_SQtduT1hFUs=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.cdc.gov/me-cfs/about/index.html" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Anyone can get ME/CFS. While most common in people between 40 and 60 years old, the illness affects children, adolescents, and adults of all ages. Among adults, women are affected more often than men. Whites are diagnosed more than other races and ethnicities. But many people with ME/CFS have not been diagnosed, especially among minorities.</span></b></a></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>M.E. isn't a serious medical condition</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_L7l1DXtPGLW8utJYNk0hvET32A893aRHsfVYRTSba0x7tn6T35gOrm9-OxIacoRWzuyFKEm1bMm6WQ7tTS-0aiEz3EJ9YXk1OHv8BncbDCnwCpbOLjEjaVebVrJU0P2W_RO8bkyNPMa0e231QQt2DzGsWtsX-WABhgwkYvZpKfpMsiZ1rImBU5qM=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_L7l1DXtPGLW8utJYNk0hvET32A893aRHsfVYRTSba0x7tn6T35gOrm9-OxIacoRWzuyFKEm1bMm6WQ7tTS-0aiEz3EJ9YXk1OHv8BncbDCnwCpbOLjEjaVebVrJU0P2W_RO8bkyNPMa0e231QQt2DzGsWtsX-WABhgwkYvZpKfpMsiZ1rImBU5qM=s320" width="320" /></a></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p style="background-color: white; line-height: inherit; margin: 0.5em 0px; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="https://me-pedia.org/wiki/Myalgic_encephalomyelitis" target="_blank">ME is a chronic, <span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">inflammatory</span></span>, physically and <span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">neurological</span></span> and immune-mediated disease that presents with symptoms involving multiple bodily systems. It is frequently triggered by a <span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">viral infection</span></span> or a <span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">flu-like illness</span></span>.<span style="font-size: 13.3333px; white-space: nowrap;"> </span>ME presents with symptoms in the <span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">central nervous system</span></span> (<span class="mw-lingo-term" data-hasqtip="1" data-lingo-term-id="f32a97390abb58dc789ecfb99ef664d4" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted rgb(187, 187, 255); cursor: default;">CNS</span>), <span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">autonomic nervous system</span></span> (ANS), <span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">immune system</span></span>, <span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">cardiovascular system</span></span>, <span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">endocrine system</span></span>, <span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">digestive system</span></span>, and <span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">musculoskeletal system</span></span>.</a><span style="font-size: 13.3333px; white-space: nowrap;"> </span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: inherit; margin: 0.5em 0px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="https://me-pedia.org/wiki/Myalgic_encephalomyelitis" target="_blank">Myalgic encephalomyelitis was first classified as a <span style="color: #0645ad;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">neurological</span></span> disease by the <span style="color: #0645ad;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">World Health Organization</span></span> (<span class="mw-lingo-term" data-hasqtip="2" data-lingo-term-id="9ed1e9f759b27c20c0ee8a56113c84e3" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted rgb(187, 187, 255); cursor: default;">WHO</span>) in 1969, with the publication of the <span style="color: #0645ad;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">ICD-8</span></span> manual</a></b></span></p></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>M.E. is a rare condition </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiUk0TFz1uYkdMkpRWN97Kgm-uP4j73A5Rf5XhxF0L_uJV6OQXSfEmV3O9ldCNjp4NwFL1kDoAsLtwgtJUcJPvmJvjV00YSzVhgZrjrYqUwsYu-hX8yeyKd3NgfiWCYNde9NbUO1q7RH49E188WVxsnxtf6DcL-mW3pcgTB1X0Rxk2kS9pLbKiTzU1i=s960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="816" data-original-width="960" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiUk0TFz1uYkdMkpRWN97Kgm-uP4j73A5Rf5XhxF0L_uJV6OQXSfEmV3O9ldCNjp4NwFL1kDoAsLtwgtJUcJPvmJvjV00YSzVhgZrjrYqUwsYu-hX8yeyKd3NgfiWCYNde9NbUO1q7RH49E188WVxsnxtf6DcL-mW3pcgTB1X0Rxk2kS9pLbKiTzU1i=s320" width="320" /></a></div><a href="https://me-pedia.org/wiki/Epidemiology_of_myalgic_encephalomyelitis_and_chronic_fatigue_syndrome" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="https://me-pedia.org/wiki/Epidemiology_of_myalgic_encephalomyelitis_and_chronic_fatigue_syndrome" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">The CDC </span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">estimates that one million people in the US</span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"> have ME/CFS and as many as 17-24 million people worldwide have ME/</span><span class="mw-lingo-term" data-hasqtip="1" data-lingo-term-id="88d01685b67f611b42c5f0d4812a362b" style="background-color: white; border-bottom: 1px dotted rgb(187, 187, 255); cursor: default; text-align: start;">CFS</span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">.</span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"> A recent UK biobank study places that estimate at 30 million.</span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"> In 2015, the Institute of Medicine Report</span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"> estimated there were between 836,000 and 2.5 million ME/CFS</span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"> patients in the United States. </span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"> 90% of patients are not diagnosed.</span></a></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>M.E. is difficult to diagnose </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8X0vpKr7TBGbsBI1HKaEwu1TXSuO_Pu5ZhxcIZDP2STMihxgJdLbGNlQb-NTw5IG_uS5c6SDOjCUDL40bvkl6HZkCCLi6wtQvgu5DRmp4w51ZHt47IiuN0SQ_jKyVCRJ0idjRDhtSMQ7L07oTDSA0BTQga6vGglWjEdfrvWvoq-H9onqfKQylPerG=s1080" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8X0vpKr7TBGbsBI1HKaEwu1TXSuO_Pu5ZhxcIZDP2STMihxgJdLbGNlQb-NTw5IG_uS5c6SDOjCUDL40bvkl6HZkCCLi6wtQvgu5DRmp4w51ZHt47IiuN0SQ_jKyVCRJ0idjRDhtSMQ7L07oTDSA0BTQga6vGglWjEdfrvWvoq-H9onqfKQylPerG=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="https://me-pedia.org/wiki/Definitions_of_myalgic_encephalomyelitis_and_chronic_fatigue_syndrome" target="_blank">There are many definitions and criteria which help to diagnose M.E. </a></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;">You can exercise your way out of M.E. </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhlgzNE2YC3JgjKkyMvPzV97k5ausy7K0f2ZtTWu3PYouJO5uSYaR7o67vHVEl_vARZENHoKej3N6Iyj7efZwaQauKnH71FFVU-1j573x0xodrnRqEPfcMh58iIbdM4GewId5vNOHgDpkFBdjPU68z7jiO1_x4-R2-eg_TTAe7oeeeg33qCI1AJvgv4=s2048" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhlgzNE2YC3JgjKkyMvPzV97k5ausy7K0f2ZtTWu3PYouJO5uSYaR7o67vHVEl_vARZENHoKej3N6Iyj7efZwaQauKnH71FFVU-1j573x0xodrnRqEPfcMh58iIbdM4GewId5vNOHgDpkFBdjPU68z7jiO1_x4-R2-eg_TTAe7oeeeg33qCI1AJvgv4=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjSfpBCbmytGmFGdQhEissO5u76SlYJVRz3hSVxgY0kd_9YYwpO4-UwleVtFImQBTU4IQHCtiYd_ofvrPGzS8EDIxuI2T3OKeUTgfJh-CfDM3DCtS5Pmfmpa2bEowp9IdMGoRmfZRzUU72AHgUujhM8SyDwEb2UaP_DFEOB9LaUt45e-KFoxf84kxTg=s1350" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjSfpBCbmytGmFGdQhEissO5u76SlYJVRz3hSVxgY0kd_9YYwpO4-UwleVtFImQBTU4IQHCtiYd_ofvrPGzS8EDIxuI2T3OKeUTgfJh-CfDM3DCtS5Pmfmpa2bEowp9IdMGoRmfZRzUU72AHgUujhM8SyDwEb2UaP_DFEOB9LaUt45e-KFoxf84kxTg=w320-h400" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">On the web site <b><a href="https://www.hfme.org/themythsaboutme.htm" target="_blank">'The Hummingbirds Foundation for M.E.'</a></b> you can find an extensive list of myths about M.E. as written by Jodi Bassett. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I hope this blog, my poems and links to further information help you in the face of much prejudice, ignorance, disbelief and misunderstanding that surrounds M.E. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I've done my best to cover some of the main myths and misconceptions about Myalgic Encephalomyelitis. Maybe you can add some more. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I hope that this helps you in face of what I and you face on an almost daily basis. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">You may indeed face some of this in the upcoming festive season. So stay strong and keep fighting. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>WE ARE ALL M.E. WARRIORS </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjO9v4Z9YCdaK0u7vgjKY5PIRfHUDpluDy9QWva6pTYmq2ONyf5rnBcjHaOX0icfkgyVpgzKA81tO2TEeCnb1Pn4fznUXOODuiqQ6eR0eRKfn7leC-yxQgjm8QWDaqnwbn9_crbbixdPPVIRfQ27ZYQist3gKAJJL6alP0ifNbw7O2fQ9CoP7Kvqxpt=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjO9v4Z9YCdaK0u7vgjKY5PIRfHUDpluDy9QWva6pTYmq2ONyf5rnBcjHaOX0icfkgyVpgzKA81tO2TEeCnb1Pn4fznUXOODuiqQ6eR0eRKfn7leC-yxQgjm8QWDaqnwbn9_crbbixdPPVIRfQ27ZYQist3gKAJJL6alP0ifNbw7O2fQ9CoP7Kvqxpt=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">A bientot</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">The French Femme</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">xxx</span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><p></p></div></div>French femmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814891305960111979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8139456428769690123.post-86403062338956255202021-08-18T15:47:00.001+01:002021-08-18T15:47:34.325+01:00WHY WE NEED TO KEEP FIGHTING - STILL <p> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Bonjour, </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I hadn't intended to write another blog so soon after the last one but after hearing the announcement by<a href="https://www.nice.org.uk/news/article/nice-pauses-publication-of-updated-guideline-on-diagnosis-and-management-of-me-cfs" target="_blank"> NICE </a>yesterday I feel highly motivated to respond through my blogs and my poetry. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This quite rightly has caused much anger and dismay in the M.E. community. For so long so many have been waiting for this update to acknowledge once and for all that GET(graded exercise therapy) and CBT(cognitive behavioural therapy) are not acceptable treatments for M.E. and that if anything they do harm. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I know it's hard to keep fighting but we can't give in and give up the fight against a small minority who try to bully us into a corner. We have a voice and must and should use it. Of course it's hard when we all suffer on a daily basis and have been doing so for year after year, seemingly with no end. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">BUT we deserve and need better understanding, better care and treatment. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">For so long there has been so much neglect and abuse of those who are chronically ill. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I have previously written blogs about how I feel :-</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="https://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2017/11/why-we-need-to-keep-fighting.html" target="_blank">Why we need to keep fighting </a></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2021/02/positive-thinking.html" target="_blank"><b>Positive thinking </b></a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="https://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2020/06/i-pushed-too-far.html" target="_blank">I pushed too far </a></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="https://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2014/03/i-look-back.html" target="_blank">I look back</a> </b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="https://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2015/02/im-not-afraid.html" target="_blank">You said that I'm afraid</a></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I have shared my story and experiences which you can read in these blogs:-</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="https://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2018/05/my-story-for-me-awareness-week.html" target="_blank">My story for M.E. awareness week</a></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="https://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2015/11/meet-author.html" target="_blank">Meet the author </a></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Recently I have also told <b>my story</b> in a podcast with the help of <b>Millions Missing Podcast. </b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">You can listen to my story <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/0ATf4fT8yEjD9vCHKpnEb8?si=yGge5S70RkSmOF-TYUUXWg&dl_branch=1&fbclid=IwAR3aNcFs3KjIewtkGlWjvUjdDaspfiK-OSgBCgKTjc4r7E4V4lBIjQRhJkM&nd=1#_=_" target="_blank">here </a></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>This is my poem about GET & CBT</b> </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0NiaUWC5h4Tn_z4rpSsPlbOLPCTjNED07ZuV1m7TCgnRxdNVinWlCA3w3y3ImTMT_RIibGNM4WnN5uQbwj9QF-baxyb7CukAYOsFa7Tw6zOd1EaNN-cIkoVlMctPj2dhZRxC5r7xmeB4/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0NiaUWC5h4Tn_z4rpSsPlbOLPCTjNED07ZuV1m7TCgnRxdNVinWlCA3w3y3ImTMT_RIibGNM4WnN5uQbwj9QF-baxyb7CukAYOsFa7Tw6zOd1EaNN-cIkoVlMctPj2dhZRxC5r7xmeB4/w400-h400/image.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">And another poem that is about exercise</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqiqqGPODl1pgAGbp-sdOkoN0_7pGY-DAmQ-rM5DlpZ56D2Xq2KjmcgCFGSrPZI2ssxggWVBnuDsbnhyyZDh4Gi53xI_rt-3Kn-wCTXqknEoqfrFCsk7RdCRFy-PcPbGR1T_AhjS4mwS4/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqiqqGPODl1pgAGbp-sdOkoN0_7pGY-DAmQ-rM5DlpZ56D2Xq2KjmcgCFGSrPZI2ssxggWVBnuDsbnhyyZDh4Gi53xI_rt-3Kn-wCTXqknEoqfrFCsk7RdCRFy-PcPbGR1T_AhjS4mwS4/w400-h400/image.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">These quotes remains as relevant as ever</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1iZDmZBNRq3wgmIr19IsTNIZVrueZX-ANXFvn47o8OiIkOOx33gfPB6cpATqQG_WZ9YbW_EtGIcsNkIvgXMpj37zwK3vDZP6EJWBtwfbxvrM4KRfxf_Fn__Zl2vKWgDoHODWO1_JSC0U/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="326" data-original-width="399" height="327" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1iZDmZBNRq3wgmIr19IsTNIZVrueZX-ANXFvn47o8OiIkOOx33gfPB6cpATqQG_WZ9YbW_EtGIcsNkIvgXMpj37zwK3vDZP6EJWBtwfbxvrM4KRfxf_Fn__Zl2vKWgDoHODWO1_JSC0U/w400-h327/image.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6H9n7LVOvps5Px8rIqgkeHCKFCT383mD5_LXKyDBfzzbpRZEafPoFfnyA9SuuxuY0e37j51qEFyv63mtB_-B4AJv1ohdy34BJVKJ0JjrR-QbhxBf9Um_wPtCOIeJ3NW9u-VZQJMSfR4c/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="316" data-original-width="455" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6H9n7LVOvps5Px8rIqgkeHCKFCT383mD5_LXKyDBfzzbpRZEafPoFfnyA9SuuxuY0e37j51qEFyv63mtB_-B4AJv1ohdy34BJVKJ0JjrR-QbhxBf9Um_wPtCOIeJ3NW9u-VZQJMSfR4c/w400-h278/image.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Greg Crowhurst for Stonebird has made a very good response in a video on the failure to publish the NICE guideline on ME/CFS. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WYdHJWSDUro" width="320" youtube-src-id="WYdHJWSDUro"></iframe></span></div><p><br /></p><span style="font-family: verdana;">There is also <a href="https://www.change.org/p/national-institute-for-health-and-care-excellence-don-t-let-vested-interests-derail-the-review-of-nice-guidelines-on-me-cfs?fbclid=IwAR3J7cefQigjnu7o9ramev80NNNHaCkBuNh1V9gOURbuNbjHkzjKZ7rZRLU" target="_blank">a petition which you can sign 'Don't let vested interests perpetuate harmful treatments for ME/CFS'</a></span><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">If you have been harmed by graded exercise do you feel able to share your experience? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This is the message I have received and how you can share your experience </span></p><div role="row" style="background-color: white; 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--filter-placeholder-icon: invert(59%) sepia(11%) saturate(200%) saturate(135%) hue-rotate(176deg) brightness(96%) contrast(94%); --filter-positive: invert(37%) sepia(61%) saturate(200%) saturate(200%) saturate(200%) saturate(200%) saturate(115%) hue-rotate(91deg) brightness(97%) contrast(105%); --filter-primary-icon: invert(8%) sepia(10%) saturate(200%) saturate(200%) saturate(166%) hue-rotate(177deg) brightness(104%) contrast(91%); --filter-secondary-icon: invert(39%) sepia(21%) saturate(200%) saturate(109.5%) hue-rotate(174deg) brightness(94%) contrast(86%); --filter-warning-icon: invert(77%) sepia(29%) saturate(200%) saturate(200%) saturate(200%) saturate(200%) saturate(200%) saturate(128%) hue-rotate(359deg) brightness(102%) contrast(107%); --font-family-apple: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; --font-family-default: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; --font-family-segoe: Segoe UI Historic, Segoe UI, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; --glimmer-spinner-icon: #65676B; 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--progress-ring-disabled-foreground: #BEC3C9; --progress-ring-neutral-background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2); --progress-ring-neutral-foreground: #000000; --progress-ring-on-media-background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.2); --progress-ring-on-media-foreground: #FFFFFF; --scroll-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1), 0 -1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) inset; --scroll-thumb: #BCC0C4; --secondary-button-background-floating: #ffffff; --secondary-button-background-on-dark: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4); --secondary-button-background: #E4E6EB; --secondary-button-pressed: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.05); --secondary-button-stroke: transparent; --secondary-button-text: #050505; --secondary-icon: #65676B; --secondary-text-on-media: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); --secondary-text: #65676B; --section-header-text: #4B4C4F; --shadow-1: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); --shadow-2: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2); --shadow-5: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5); --shadow-8: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); --shadow-inset: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.5); --surface-background: #FFFFFF; --text-highlight: rgba(24, 119, 242, 0.2); --toggle-active-background: #E7F3FF; --toggle-active-icon: rgb(24, 119, 242); --toggle-active-text: rgb(24, 119, 242); --toggle-button-active-background: #E7F3FF; --warning: hsl(40, 89%, 52%); --wash: #E4E6EB; --web-wash: #F0F2F5; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; position: relative; z-index: 0;"><div class="pbevjfx6 n3t5jt4f" dir="auto" role="none" style="color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Jenny Wilson is looking urgently for testimonies that offer some kind of ‘proof’ that graded exercise therapy has harmed people with ME. Your story might be just the one she needs. Apparently they need approx 50 case stories ready to go, and the stakes couldn’t be higher.
If you can give a rough idea of dates and any ‘evidence’ connecting the treatment specifically with your deterioration, along with any evidence of deterioration (eg you had to claim welfare benefits, or you had to drop work hours, or you needed to go into hospital / GP can corroborate etc) then that’s even better, but anything is good. Maybe 100-200 words, or whatever you can manage
Please email to mkjennywilson@gmail.com and cc in me at tanyamarlow@hotmail.com</b></div></div></div><div class="ns4p8fja j83agx80 cbu4d94t a6sixzi8 bkfpd7mw d2edcug0 buofh1pr nred35xi" role="none" style="align-items: inherit; align-self: stretch; background-color: var(--messenger-card-background); display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; font-family: inherit; justify-content: flex-end; max-width: 100%;"><div class="buofh1pr rj1gh0hx" role="none" style="flex-basis: 0px; flex-grow: 1; font-family: inherit;"></div></div></div></span></div><div class="ns4p8fja j83agx80 cbu4d94t a6sixzi8 bkfpd7mw d2edcug0 kb5gq1qc nred35xi" role="none" style="align-items: inherit; align-self: stretch; background-color: var(--messenger-card-background); display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 0; font-family: inherit; justify-content: flex-end; max-width: 100%;"></div></div><div class="ns4p8fja j83agx80 cbu4d94t a6sixzi8 bkfpd7mw d2edcug0 kb5gq1qc nred35xi" role="none" style="align-items: inherit; 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border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline-flex; flex-basis: auto; flex-direction: row; flex-shrink: 0; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: inherit; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: none; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><div class="kmwttqpk l7ghb35v mx6bq00g mwtcrujb alzwoclg qmqpeqxj e7u6y3za qwcclf47 nmlomj2f jez8cy9q jtronmds i85zmo3j jcxyg2ei hsphh064 fsf7x5fv qudkkb1i om3e55n1" style="align-items: center; border-radius: 50%; cursor: pointer; display: flex; flex-shrink: 0; font-family: inherit; height: 24px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; place-content: center; position: relative; text-align: center; width: 24px;"><div class="epnzikpj kmdng2my fupido9q l7ofbhzv beiy8v6c" style="font-family: inherit; height: 22px; opacity: 0.6; width: 22px;"><svg height="22px" viewbox="0 0 22 22" width="22px"></svg><b><circle cx="11" cy="6" fill="var(--placeholder-icon)" r="2" stroke-width="1px"></circle><circle cx="11" cy="11" fill="var(--placeholder-icon)" r="2" stroke-width="1px"></circle><circle cx="11" cy="16" fill="var(--placeholder-icon)" r="2" stroke-width="1px"></circle></b></div></div></div></span></div></div></div></div><div class="ns4p8fja j83agx80 cbu4d94t a6sixzi8 bkfpd7mw d2edcug0 buofh1pr nred35xi" role="none" style="align-items: inherit; align-self: stretch; background-color: var(--messenger-card-background); display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; font-family: inherit; justify-content: flex-end; max-width: 100%;"><div class="buofh1pr rj1gh0hx" role="none" style="flex-basis: 0px; flex-grow: 1; font-family: inherit;"></div></div></div><div class="ns4p8fja j83agx80 cbu4d94t a6sixzi8 bkfpd7mw d2edcug0 kb5gq1qc nred35xi" role="none" style="align-items: inherit; align-self: stretch; background-color: var(--messenger-card-background); display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 0; font-family: inherit; justify-content: flex-end; max-width: 100%;"><div class="j83agx80 aovydwv3 ni8dbmo4 stjgntxs odw8uiq3" data-testid="messenger_delivery_status" id="" role="none" style="align-items: flex-end; display: flex; font-family: inherit; overflow: hidden; width: 20px;"><span class="tojvnm2t a6sixzi8 abs2jz4q a8s20v7p t1p8iaqh k5wvi7nf q3lfd5jv pk4s997a bipmatt0 cebpdrjk qowsmv63 owwhemhu dp1hu0rb dhp61c6y iyyx5f41" style="align-items: inherit; align-self: inherit; display: inherit; flex-direction: inherit; flex: inherit; font-family: inherit; height: inherit; max-height: inherit; max-width: inherit; min-height: inherit; min-width: inherit; place-content: inherit; width: inherit;"><div class="pfnyh3mw pgctjfs5" style="flex-shrink: 0; font-family: inherit; width: 22px;"></div></span></div></div></div><div class="nred35xi k4urcfbm" role="none" style="background-color: var(--messenger-card-background); font-family: inherit; height: 7px; width: 307px;"></div><div aria-label="Details and Actions" class="oajrlxb2 gs1a9yip ms7hmo2b mtkw9kbi tlpljxtp qensuy8j ppp5ayq2 goun2846 ccm00jje s44p3ltw mk2mc5f4 rt8b4zig n8ej3o3l agehan2d sk4xxmp2 rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 pq6dq46d mg4g778l btwxx1t3 pfnyh3mw p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x tgvbjcpo hpfvmrgz pybr56ya d1544ag0 f10w8fjw tw6a2znq s8sjc6am i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of tkr6xdv7 lzcic4wl abiwlrkh p8dawk7l __fb-dark-mode dm7saucs ormqv51v i9k17dj3 ue3kfks5 pw54ja7n uo3d90p7 l82x9zwi r92hip7p spvqvc9t ikw5e13s ebnioo9u lq84ybu9 hf30pyar rfd0zzc9" role="button" style="--accent: hsl(214, 100%, 59%); --always-black: black; --always-dark-gradient: linear-gradient(rgba(0,0,0,0), rgba(0,0,0,0.6)); --always-dark-overlay: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4); --always-gray-40: #65676B; --always-gray-75: #BCC0C4; --always-gray-95: #F0F2F5; --always-light-overlay: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.4); --always-white: white; --attachment-footer-background: rgba(255,255,255,0.1); --background-deemphasized: rgba(255,255,255,0.1); --base-blue: #1877F2; --base-cherry: #F3425F; --base-grape: #9360F7; --base-lemon: #F7B928; --base-lime: #45BD62; --base-pink: #FF66BF; --base-seafoam: #54C7EC; --base-teal: #2ABBA7; --base-tomato: #FB724B; --blue-link: #4599FF; --button-corner-radius: 6px; --card-background-flat: #323436; --card-background: #242526; --card-corner-radius: 8px; --comment-background: #3A3B3C; --comment-footer-background: #4E4F50; --dataviz-primary-1: rgb(48,200,180); --dataviz-primary-2: rgb(134,218,255); --dataviz-primary-3: rgb(95,170,255); --dataviz-secondary-1: rgb(129,77,231); --dataviz-secondary-2: rgb(168,124,255); --dataviz-secondary-3: rgb(219,26,139); --dataviz-supplementary-1: rgb(255,122,105); --dataviz-supplementary-2: rgb(241,168,23); --dataviz-supplementary-3: rgb(49,162,76); --dataviz-supplementary-4: rgb(228,230,235); --dialog-anchor-vertical-padding: 56px; --disabled-button-background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.2); --disabled-button-text: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.3); --disabled-icon: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.3); --disabled-text: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.3); --divider: #3E4042; --event-date: #F3425F; --fb-logo-color: #2D88FF; --fds-animation-enter-exit-in: cubic-bezier(0.14, 1, 0.34, 1); --fds-animation-enter-exit-out: cubic-bezier(0.45, 0.1, 0.2, 1); --fds-animation-expand-collapse-in: cubic-bezier(0.17, 0.17, 0, 1); --fds-animation-expand-collapse-out: cubic-bezier(0.17, 0.17, 0, 1); --fds-animation-fade-in: cubic-bezier(0, 0, 1, 1); --fds-animation-fade-out: cubic-bezier(0, 0, 1, 1); --fds-animation-move-in: cubic-bezier(0.17, 0.17, 0, 1); --fds-animation-move-out: cubic-bezier(0.17, 0.17, 0, 1); --fds-animation-passive-move-in: cubic-bezier(0.5, 0, 0.1, 1); --fds-animation-passive-move-out: cubic-bezier(0.5, 0, 0.1, 1); --fds-animation-quick-move-in: cubic-bezier(0.1, 0.9, 0.2, 1); --fds-animation-quick-move-out: cubic-bezier(0.1, 0.9, 0.2, 1); --fds-animation-swap-shuffle-in: cubic-bezier(0.14, 1, 0.34, 1); --fds-animation-swap-shuffle-out: cubic-bezier(0.45, 0.1, 0.2, 1); --fds-black-alpha-05: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.05); --fds-black-alpha-10: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); --fds-black-alpha-15: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15); --fds-black-alpha-20: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2); --fds-black-alpha-30: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3); --fds-black-alpha-40: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4); --fds-black-alpha-50: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5); --fds-black-alpha-60: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6); --fds-black-alpha-80: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); --fds-black: black; --fds-blue-05: black; --fds-blue-30: black; --fds-blue-40: black; --fds-blue-60: black; --fds-blue-70: black; --fds-blue-80: black; --fds-button-text: black; --fds-comment-background: black; --fds-dark-mode-gray-100: black; --fds-dark-mode-gray-35: black; --fds-dark-mode-gray-50: black; --fds-dark-mode-gray-70: black; --fds-dark-mode-gray-80: black; --fds-dark-mode-gray-90: black; --fds-duration-extra-extra-short-in: 100ms; --fds-duration-extra-extra-short-out: 100ms; --fds-duration-extra-long-in: 1000ms; --fds-duration-extra-long-out: 1000ms; --fds-duration-extra-short-in: 200ms; --fds-duration-extra-short-out: 150ms; --fds-duration-long-in: 500ms; --fds-duration-long-out: 350ms; --fds-duration-medium-in: 400ms; --fds-duration-medium-out: 350ms; --fds-duration-none: 0ms; --fds-duration-short-in: 280ms; --fds-duration-short-out: 200ms; --fds-fast: 200ms; --fds-gray-00: black; --fds-gray-05: black; --fds-gray-100: black; --fds-gray-10: black; --fds-gray-20: black; --fds-gray-25: black; --fds-gray-30: black; --fds-gray-45: black; --fds-gray-70: black; --fds-gray-80: black; --fds-gray-90: black; --fds-green-55: black; --fds-highlight-cell-background: black; --fds-highlight: black; --fds-primary-icon: white; --fds-primary-text: white; --fds-red-55: black; --fds-slow: 400ms; --fds-soft: cubic-bezier(0.08,0.52,0.52,1); --fds-spectrum-aluminum-tint-70: black; --fds-spectrum-blue-gray-tint-70: black; --fds-spectrum-cherry-tint-70: black; --fds-spectrum-cherry: black; --fds-spectrum-grape-tint-70: black; --fds-spectrum-grape-tint-90: black; --fds-spectrum-lemon-dark-1: black; --fds-spectrum-lemon-tint-70: black; --fds-spectrum-lime-tint-70: black; --fds-spectrum-lime: black; --fds-spectrum-orange-tint-70: black; --fds-spectrum-orange-tint-90: black; --fds-spectrum-seafoam-tint-70: black; --fds-spectrum-slate-dark-2: black; --fds-spectrum-slate-tint-70: black; --fds-spectrum-teal-dark-1: black; --fds-spectrum-teal-dark-2: black; --fds-spectrum-teal-tint-70: black; --fds-spectrum-teal-tint-90: black; --fds-spectrum-teal: black; --fds-spectrum-tomato-tint-30: black; --fds-spectrum-tomato-tint-90: black; --fds-spectrum-tomato: black; --fds-strong: cubic-bezier(0.12,0.8,0.32,1); --fds-white-alpha-05: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.05); --fds-white-alpha-10: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.1); --fds-white-alpha-20: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.2); --fds-white-alpha-30: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.3); --fds-white-alpha-40: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.4); --fds-white-alpha-50: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.5); --fds-white-alpha-60: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.6); --fds-white-alpha-80: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8); --fds-white: black; --fds-yellow-20: black; --filter-accent: invert(40%) sepia(52%) saturate(200%) saturate(200%) saturate(200%) saturate(189%) hue-rotate(191deg) brightness(103%) contrast(102%); --filter-always-white: invert(100%); --filter-blue-link-icon: invert(73%) sepia(29%) saturate(200%) saturate(200%) saturate(200%) saturate(200%) saturate(200%) saturate(200%) saturate(103.25%) hue-rotate(189deg) brightness(101%) contrast(101%); --filter-disabled-icon: invert(100%) opacity(30%); --filter-negative: invert(25%) sepia(33%) saturate(200%) saturate(200%) saturate(200%) saturate(200%) saturate(200%) saturate(200%) saturate(110%) hue-rotate(345deg) brightness(132%) contrast(96%); --filter-placeholder-icon: invert(59%) sepia(11%) saturate(200%) saturate(135%) hue-rotate(176deg) brightness(96%) contrast(94%); --filter-positive: invert(37%) sepia(61%) saturate(200%) saturate(200%) saturate(200%) saturate(200%) saturate(115%) hue-rotate(91deg) brightness(97%) contrast(105%); --filter-primary-icon: invert(89%) sepia(6%) hue-rotate(185deg); --filter-secondary-icon: invert(62%) sepia(98%) saturate(12%) hue-rotate(175deg) brightness(90%) contrast(96%); --filter-warning-icon: invert(77%) sepia(29%) saturate(200%) saturate(200%) saturate(200%) saturate(200%) saturate(200%) saturate(128%) hue-rotate(359deg) brightness(102%) contrast(107%); --font-family-apple: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; --font-family-default: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; --font-family-segoe: Segoe UI Historic, Segoe UI, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; --glimmer-spinner-icon: white; --header-height: 56px; --hero-banner-background: #E85D07; --highlight-bg: rgba(24, 119, 242, 0.31); --hosted-view-selected-state: rgba(45, 136, 255, 0.1); --hover-overlay: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.1); --media-hover: rgba(68, 73, 80, 0.15); --media-inner-border: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.05); --media-outer-border: #33363A; --media-pressed: rgba(68, 73, 80, 0.35); --messenger-card-background: #242526; --messenger-reply-background: #18191A; --nav-bar-background-gradient-wash: linear-gradient(to top, #18191A, rgba(24,25,26,0.9), rgba(24,25,26,0.7), rgba(24,25,26,0.4), rgba(24,25,26,0)); --nav-bar-background-gradient: linear-gradient(to top, #242526, rgba(36,37,38,0.9), rgba(36,37,38,0.7), rgba(36,37,38,0.4), rgba(36,37,38,0)); --nav-bar-background: #242526; --negative-background: hsl(350, 87%, 55%, 20%); --negative: hsl(350, 87%, 55%); --new-notification-background: #E7F3FF; --non-media-pressed-on-dark: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.3); --non-media-pressed: rgba(68, 73, 80, 0.15); --notification-badge: #F02849; --overlay-alpha-80: rgba(11, 11, 11, 0.8); --overlay-on-media: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6); --placeholder-icon: #8A8D91; --placeholder-text-on-media: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.5); --placeholder-text: #8A8D91; --popover-background: #3E4042; --positive-background: #1F3520; --positive: #31A24C; --press-overlay: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.1); --primary-button-background-experiment: #2374E1; --primary-button-background: #2D88FF; --primary-button-pressed: #77A7FF; --primary-button-text: #FFFFFF; --primary-deemphasized-button-background: rgba(45, 136, 255, 0.2); --primary-deemphasized-button-pressed-overlay: rgba(25, 110, 255, 0.15); --primary-deemphasized-button-pressed: rgba(24, 119, 242, 0.2); --primary-deemphasized-button-text: #2D88FF; --primary-icon: #E4E6EB; --primary-text-on-media: white; --primary-text: #E4E6EB; --primary-web-focus-indicator: #D24294; --progress-ring-blue-background: rgba(45, 136, 255, 0.2); --progress-ring-blue-foreground: hsl(214, 100%, 59%); --progress-ring-disabled-background: rgba(122,125,130, 0.2); --progress-ring-disabled-foreground: #7A7D82; --progress-ring-neutral-background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.2); --progress-ring-neutral-foreground: #ffffff; --progress-ring-on-media-background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.2); --progress-ring-on-media-foreground: #FFFFFF; --scroll-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1), 0 -1px rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.05) inset; --scroll-thumb: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.3); --secondary-button-background-floating: #4B4C4F; --secondary-button-background-on-dark: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.4); --secondary-button-background: rgba(255,255,255,0.1); --secondary-button-pressed: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.05); --secondary-button-stroke: transparent; --secondary-button-text: #E4E6EB; --secondary-icon: #B0B3B8; --secondary-text-on-media: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); --secondary-text: #B0B3B8; --section-header-text: #BCC0C4; --shadow-1: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); --shadow-2: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2); --shadow-5: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5); --shadow-8: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); --shadow-inset: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.05); --surface-background: #242526; --t68779821: 0 2px 4px 0 var(--shadow-5); --text-highlight: rgba(24, 119, 242, 0.45); --toggle-active-background: rgb(45, 136, 255); --toggle-active-icon: #FFFFFF; --toggle-active-text: #FFFFFF; --toggle-button-active-background: #E6F2FF; --warning: hsl(40, 89%, 52%); --wash: #3E4042; --web-wash: #18191A; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; align-items: stretch; background-color: var(--overlay-alpha-80); border-bottom-color: var(--always-dark-overlay); border-left-color: var(--always-dark-overlay); border-radius: 8px; border-right-color: var(--always-dark-overlay); border-style: solid; border-top-color: var(--always-dark-overlay); border-width: 0px; box-shadow: 0 2px 4px 0 var(--shadow-5); box-sizing: border-box; clip-path: inset(50%); clip: rect(0px, 0px, 0px, 0px); cursor: pointer; display: inline-flex; flex-basis: auto; flex-direction: row; flex-shrink: 0; font-family: inherit; height: 1px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; outline: none; overflow: hidden; padding: 12px; position: absolute; right: 4px; text-align: inherit; top: -2px; touch-action: manipulation; transform: translateY(-100%); user-select: none; width: 1px; z-index: 1;" tabindex="-1"><div class="j83agx80 cbu4d94t ew0dbk1b irj2b8pg" style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: -5px; margin-top: -5px;"><div class="qzhwtbm6 knvmm38d" style="font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d9wwppkn fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb mdeji52x e9vueds3 j5wam9gi knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto" style="color: var(--primary-text); display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.8125rem; line-height: 1.2308; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word;"><b>Enter</b></span></div></div><div class="n00je7tq arfg74bv qs9ysxi8 k77z8yql i09qtzwb n7fi1qx3 b5wmifdl hzruof5a pmk7jnqg j9ispegn kr520xx4 c5ndavph art1omkt ot9fgl3s" data-visualcompletion="ignore" style="border-radius: inherit; font-family: inherit; inset: 0px; opacity: 0; pointer-events: none; position: absolute; transition-duration: var(--fds-duration-extra-extra-short-out); transition-property: opacity; transition-timing-function: var(--fds-animation-fade-out);"></div></div></div></div></div><div role="row" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><div class="" style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="j83agx80 cbu4d94t l9j0dhe7" data-release-focus-from="CLICK" data-scope="messages_table" role="gridcell" style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; font-family: inherit; position: relative;" tabindex="0"><h3 class="gmql0nx0 l94mrbxd p1ri9a11 lzcic4wl" dir="auto" style="color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span class="spvqvc9t ikw5e13s ebnioo9u lq84ybu9 hf30pyar s8sjc6am rfd0zzc9" style="clip-path: inset(50%); clip: rect(0px, 0px, 0px, 0px); font-family: inherit; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; width: 1px;">Tanya</span></h3><div class="nred35xi k4urcfbm" role="none" style="background-color: var(--messenger-card-background); font-family: inherit; height: 2px; width: 307px;"></div><div class="j83agx80" role="none" style="display: flex; font-family: inherit;"><div class="j83agx80 buofh1pr e409flbk" data-testid="message-container" role="none" style="display: flex; flex-grow: 1; font-family: inherit; max-width: calc((100% - 44px + 2px) - 22px + 2px);"><div class="ns4p8fja j83agx80 cbu4d94t a6sixzi8 bkfpd7mw jit8km0v nred35xi" role="none" style="align-items: inherit; align-self: stretch; background-color: var(--messenger-card-background); display: flex; flex-direction: column; font-family: inherit; justify-content: flex-end; max-width: calc(100% - 67px);"><div class="hael596l alzwoclg cqf1kptm gvxzyvdx om3e55n1" style="align-items: flex-start; display: flex; flex-direction: column; font-family: inherit; max-width: 100%; position: relative;"><span class="tojvnm2t a6sixzi8 abs2jz4q a8s20v7p t1p8iaqh k5wvi7nf q3lfd5jv pk4s997a bipmatt0 cebpdrjk qowsmv63 owwhemhu dp1hu0rb dhp61c6y iyyx5f41" style="align-items: inherit; align-self: inherit; display: inherit; flex-direction: inherit; flex: inherit; font-family: inherit; height: inherit; max-height: inherit; max-width: inherit; min-height: inherit; min-width: inherit; place-content: inherit; width: inherit;"><div class="alzwoclg mfclru0v" role="none" style="display: flex; font-family: inherit; width: 178px;"><div class="l60d2q6s d1544ag0 sj5x9vvc tw6a2znq l9j0dhe7 ni8dbmo4 stjgntxs e72ty7fz qlfml3jp inkptoze qmr60zad jm1wdb64 qv66sw1b ljqsnud1 odn2s2vf tkr6xdv7" role="none" style="background-color: var(--wash); border-radius: 18px; color: var(--always-white); font-family: inherit; max-width: 564px; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; padding: 7px 12px 8px; position: relative; word-break: break-word; z-index: 1;"><div class="rq0escxv l9j0dhe7 du4w35lb __fb-light-mode" role="none" style="--accent: hsl(214, 89%, 52%); --always-black: black; --always-dark-gradient: linear-gradient(rgba(0,0,0,0), rgba(0,0,0,0.6)); --always-dark-overlay: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4); --always-gray-40: #65676B; --always-gray-75: #BCC0C4; --always-gray-95: #F0F2F5; --always-light-overlay: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.4); --always-white: #FFFFFF; --attachment-footer-background: #F0F2F5; --background-deemphasized: #F0F2F5; --base-blue: #1877F2; --base-cherry: #F3425F; --base-grape: #9360F7; --base-lemon: #F7B928; --base-lime: #45BD62; --base-pink: #FF66BF; --base-seafoam: #54C7EC; --base-teal: #2ABBA7; --base-tomato: #FB724B; --blue-link: #216FDB; --button-corner-radius: 6px; --card-background-flat: #F7F8FA; --card-background: #FFFFFF; --card-corner-radius: 8px; --comment-background: #F0F2F5; --comment-footer-background: #F6F9FA; --dataviz-primary-1: rgb(48,200,180); --dataviz-primary-2: rgb(134,218,255); --dataviz-primary-3: rgb(95,170,255); --dataviz-secondary-1: rgb(118,62,230); --dataviz-secondary-2: rgb(147,96,247); --dataviz-secondary-3: rgb(219,26,139); --dataviz-supplementary-1: rgb(255,122,105); --dataviz-supplementary-2: rgb(241,168,23); --dataviz-supplementary-3: rgb(49,162,76); 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--progress-ring-neutral-foreground: #000000; --progress-ring-on-media-background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.2); --progress-ring-on-media-foreground: #FFFFFF; --scroll-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1), 0 -1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) inset; --scroll-thumb: #BCC0C4; --secondary-button-background-floating: #ffffff; --secondary-button-background-on-dark: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4); --secondary-button-background: #E4E6EB; --secondary-button-pressed: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.05); --secondary-button-stroke: transparent; --secondary-button-text: #050505; --secondary-icon: #65676B; --secondary-text-on-media: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); --secondary-text: #65676B; --section-header-text: #4B4C4F; --shadow-1: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); --shadow-2: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2); --shadow-5: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5); --shadow-8: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); --shadow-inset: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.5); --surface-background: #FFFFFF; --text-highlight: rgba(24, 119, 242, 0.2); --toggle-active-background: #E7F3FF; --toggle-active-icon: rgb(24, 119, 242); --toggle-active-text: rgb(24, 119, 242); --toggle-button-active-background: #E7F3FF; --warning: hsl(40, 89%, 52%); --wash: #E4E6EB; --web-wash: #F0F2F5; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; position: relative; z-index: 0;"><div class="pbevjfx6 n3t5jt4f" dir="auto" role="none" style="color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>(Needs to have an email address associated with it)</b></div></div></div></div></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><p><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">So what can you do? </span></b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Share my blog and poems</b></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Share the video by Stonebird </b></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Sign the petition </b></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Listen to my testimony on the Millions Missing Podcast </b></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Share my testimony and that of others</b></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Consider sharing your testimony also in a podcast</b></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Share your testimony regarding your experience of graded exercise</b></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>write to NICE </b></span></li></ul><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">We are all part of a big community and every little bit helps. Do what you feel able and no more. We must keep fighting. This has to end. Please help in any way you can. Thank you </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">A bientot</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">The French Femme</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">xxx</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;" /></div><p></p></div>French femmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814891305960111979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8139456428769690123.post-83558793018458081652021-05-10T09:38:00.000+01:002021-05-10T09:38:06.148+01:00MORE OF LIFE, LOVE & LOSS<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Bonjour, </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">During <a href="https://me-pedia.org/wiki/ME_Awareness_Month" target="_blank">the month of M.E. awareness</a> I'm pleased to announce the publication of my latest book </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>'More of life, love and loss' by The French Femme </b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">It's been a hard struggle through two relapses and much pain and fatigue but at last it's completed. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">What happens when at
the age of 46 you’re suddenly struck down by a mysterious illness? One day
you’re fit and healthy. The next day you become seriously ill. You’ve no idea
what’s happening to you. Your world is turned upside down. Furthermore no one,
including your doctor, believes you. Your life and all that you know and love
has to change. How can you accept that your life has to change? What sort of a
life can you have now</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">? </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In this collection of
poems as <b><i>‘The French Femme’</i> </b>I reveal how my life has changed after becoming ill with M.E. (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis). I recall what my life used to be like before illness and how that compares
with my current life. In these poems I express my feelings and frustrations
of living with a long term chronic illness. I mourn the loss of my old life
and some of those people that used to be in it. Yet, despite my suffering,
life still goes on. I still value and appreciate all that’s around me. My new life is in France so some of my poems reflect that life and are
written in French.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In my book you can
discover and learn about <i>‘The French
Femme’</i> and the impact the illness M.E. has had on my life and so many
others like me. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My book is available on Amazon in paperback edition </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGXCynx6n2BzyfAONyPdgCVrA2m6DP1yJC6HRP8tmhYlYtANKXEJcfPqRtSRzDu5RFRN41SCR0SrRzmEaVb1gIyJo8cEG22NsV-DlIP81ZIflU47KUZq2eLcAQ4Dfj0uCvRundmI0Jl9A/s1500/61SS1olRsSS.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGXCynx6n2BzyfAONyPdgCVrA2m6DP1yJC6HRP8tmhYlYtANKXEJcfPqRtSRzDu5RFRN41SCR0SrRzmEaVb1gIyJo8cEG22NsV-DlIP81ZIflU47KUZq2eLcAQ4Dfj0uCvRundmI0Jl9A/w266-h400/61SS1olRsSS.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">or on Kindle </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieh2prsIMSa30R_U0lfeAtl2WbVV-DovmJaQFMlkAdRLQFINr1sbGYB5Fs8i_jC8uWV2VSCtgERlpznMYiITy7kGIQI586eW8ZP0P5KjuZKyn_Aj55_A7GDE1n91GneY-nBWunu-nZ2eA/s500/41cRPxo%252BANS.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="314" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieh2prsIMSa30R_U0lfeAtl2WbVV-DovmJaQFMlkAdRLQFINr1sbGYB5Fs8i_jC8uWV2VSCtgERlpznMYiITy7kGIQI586eW8ZP0P5KjuZKyn_Aj55_A7GDE1n91GneY-nBWunu-nZ2eA/w251-h400/41cRPxo%252BANS.jpg" width="251" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My book is available on Amazon throughout the world. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I have published other books of poetry about living with the chronic illness M.E. and you can find them all on my Author's page on Amazon as here </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/kindle-dbs/entity/author/B077PVM7SL?_encoding=UTF8&node=266239&offset=0&pageSize=12&searchAlias=stripbooks&sort=author-sidecar-rank&page=1&langFilter=default#formatSelectorHeader" target="_blank">Amazon UK </a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.amazon.fr/The+French+Femme/e/B077PVM7SL?ref_=pe_29549121_510405041_pdtl_vu00" target="_blank">Amazon France</a> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As with all my other
books I will be donating a percentage of all sales to the UK charity <a href="https://www.investinme.org/index.shtml" target="_blank">‘Invest in
M.E. Research'</a> and have a <a href="https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/rosalynde-lemarchand6" target="_blank">Just Giving page </a></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>During M.E. awareness week 11th - 17th May I will donate all proceeds from the sale of this book and all my other books to Invest in M.E. Research. </b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Au revoir</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The French Femme</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">xxx</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p>French femmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814891305960111979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8139456428769690123.post-59740134041144268972021-02-02T15:16:00.000+00:002021-02-02T15:16:02.525+00:00POSITIVE THINKING<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Bonjour, </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm sorry if this blog is longer than usual but I'm feeling angry, very angry, disgusted, insulted, offended, disappointed..... I could go on! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">It only takes one misleading, misrepresentative blog and a tv interview about M.E./CFS and long Covid to cause a great deal of anger and upset among the M.E. community. It feels as if all the time we take one step forward only to be set back once again. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">It started with a</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><a href="https://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2021/01/25/paul-garner-on-his-recovery-from-long-covid/" style="font-family: verdana;" target="_blank">blog by Professor Paul Garner</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> which was particularly offensive to me and all people who have been suffering with M.E. for many years and no doubt those who are now very ill with long Covid. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In his blog he claimed that you can recover from long Covid and M.E./CFS by positive thinking and exercise!! What?!!! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Then as insult to injury this blog was rapidly followed by an interview on Breakfast BBC tv where both Professor Paul Garner with Dr Clare Gerada told stories of recovery using gradual increases in exercise and that there is no illness where exercise is not beneficial!!! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thankfully there has been some very good response to both. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.virology.ws/2021/01/28/trial-by-error-professor-paul-garners-bmj-blog-post-on-his-powerful-cognitions/?fbclid=IwAR3KoAVJaeS6QONFrHssXuBvoYdnhGdTGBxjXHbQbbXsb_hm_6MAiRfeaHs" target="_blank">You can read an excellent reply by David Tuller and many of the comments </a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.healthcarehubris.com/post/health-politics-in-action-professor-garner-s-change-of-heart-on-long-covid-and-me-cfs?fbclid=IwAR1jBd0uIpM0md_0ifnzFKv7o-Ozls5tXBGznPXapyioQu6AWODIfzOTvqA" target="_blank">This is also a truly excellent article by a former clinician </a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://valerieeliotsmith.com/2021/02/01/professor-garner-the-bmj-and-me-alarming-flip-flop-on-recovery-from-long-covid/" target="_blank">And another excellent blog by Valerie Eliot Smith </a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I know this is a lot of reading, especially for those with M.E., but do try to take the time to understand what has happened and what has been said. It's important as it affects us all. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Then hopefully you will understand why I'm angry and most probably you will feel the same. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">When I read those words 'positive thinking' I immediately thought of the song by Morecambe and Wise </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ODTAATrM1Fs" width="325" youtube-src-id="ODTAATrM1Fs"></iframe></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">If only it was that simple to recover from M.E.! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm a fairly positive person. That's helped me to cope with living with M.E. for over 18 years but it's not helped me to recover. You just can't wish it away </span></p><div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrjD0fhtckUjWK0ZX3ky_KYQ4QCpip17BMZEyWQYg0S3cz3DHviZNMKYO67ldr-e4oMuGnHQZduQnaWs-PSzN7dWVjEzpnSOPMk-B_lGfB1ev26u3dSit7fhuk9YRCzZOkyU1oi9QIbSs/s2048/1611844407467-03.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrjD0fhtckUjWK0ZX3ky_KYQ4QCpip17BMZEyWQYg0S3cz3DHviZNMKYO67ldr-e4oMuGnHQZduQnaWs-PSzN7dWVjEzpnSOPMk-B_lGfB1ev26u3dSit7fhuk9YRCzZOkyU1oi9QIbSs/w400-h400/1611844407467-03.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">When you've been ill for so long you are prepared to try anything that might lead to an improvement or a cure. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I know I've certainly tried many different approaches, strategies, medications, as well as reading a lot of advice and information that's available online and in books.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">When I first became ill I was advised to follow a graded exercise programme but that only made me feel much worse and brought on a relapse. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Cognitive Behavioural Therapy was also suggested. While talking to someone helped a little with coping strategies it was far from a cure. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This poem summarises my experience of GET & CBT </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyzPwGLKSwPS-l0U6i9su-aYuvte-9TQMw0D593CwvuYXo-tLr9l1tcHpqJxSTc5LkKciZ2xcna0iNiIFoByPh7NsKgkhgePBU3GRf999NKswgQSd6ZTVaDBDiPbA0m2zmniSVtIg-KZQ/s2048/1612018303997-01.jpeg" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyzPwGLKSwPS-l0U6i9su-aYuvte-9TQMw0D593CwvuYXo-tLr9l1tcHpqJxSTc5LkKciZ2xcna0iNiIFoByPh7NsKgkhgePBU3GRf999NKswgQSd6ZTVaDBDiPbA0m2zmniSVtIg-KZQ/w400-h400/1612018303997-01.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Sometimes people with M.E. are accused of being afraid to carry out exercise. This is my response in another poem </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuTp71ndhrLvePj01f749pY4uHfcrIHS1Aljm2Sme4C6qI6kBmWLsHLittha5s1wtsvMA8e6m9EeDKtiqpE4-oIExmjcsovG_Dc43XEOvxSsKwG32I9RqBF-tlpHXxbYDxUhhZAflFJHI/s2048/1612017323917-01.jpeg" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuTp71ndhrLvePj01f749pY4uHfcrIHS1Aljm2Sme4C6qI6kBmWLsHLittha5s1wtsvMA8e6m9EeDKtiqpE4-oIExmjcsovG_Dc43XEOvxSsKwG32I9RqBF-tlpHXxbYDxUhhZAflFJHI/w400-h400/1612017323917-01.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I know that the</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> more I push myself the more I become more ill, which leads to post exertional malaise and or even a relapse. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I know after many, many years of suffering, of trial and error that the two strategies that help me the most are<a href="http://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2015/08/rest-and-relapses.html" target="_blank"> pacing and rest. </a></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivIdzw9dON9-Hj18GMjWR9wgo41KWzioLA7kgslj2IJFna9tUposK7Z86UOfdEbxSOqn2ZGl5plllEI8_ak-hKDtvYZfvdt434lImkkYDpi1ONR6EcWbpaMH3FGLEmpc4js5cDGfOpCys/s455/1011570_10151659706802108_480941335_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="316" data-original-width="455" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivIdzw9dON9-Hj18GMjWR9wgo41KWzioLA7kgslj2IJFna9tUposK7Z86UOfdEbxSOqn2ZGl5plllEI8_ak-hKDtvYZfvdt434lImkkYDpi1ONR6EcWbpaMH3FGLEmpc4js5cDGfOpCys/w400-h278/1011570_10151659706802108_480941335_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Everyone with M.E. knows that over exertion and pushing oneself will lead to post exertional malaise or relapse. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">You can read more about this in some of my previous blogs. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="http://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2020/06/i-pushed-too-far.html" target="_blank">I PUSHED TOO FAR </a>,<a href="http://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2016/09/dont-be-fooled.html" target="_blank"> DON'T BE FOOLED </a>, <a href="http://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2014/01/alive-but-not-living.html" target="_blank">ALIVE BUT NOT LIVING </a>, <a href="http://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2015/02/im-not-afraid.html" target="_blank">I'M NOT AFRAID </a></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhqWrj0GYLDWB-kwlBUkCsLdRcBigVR1DxD6EQiwnRs4n11ZmBSJ_-s2QogQOSZsGahoyVQswM_noczJ7zgJm09npIgrp-cmvqllDbBwPEDJoozZ1U_GlLV0qG8E-phmvMn7xmGXAUVN0/s480/10470845_10202830021423948_2435566468234859150_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="480" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhqWrj0GYLDWB-kwlBUkCsLdRcBigVR1DxD6EQiwnRs4n11ZmBSJ_-s2QogQOSZsGahoyVQswM_noczJ7zgJm09npIgrp-cmvqllDbBwPEDJoozZ1U_GlLV0qG8E-phmvMn7xmGXAUVN0/w400-h326/10470845_10202830021423948_2435566468234859150_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">If you look at the latest criteria for M.E. you will see that PEM or PENE is essential criteria for M.E. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://me-pedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Consensus_Criteria#:~:text=The%20Canadian%20consensus%20criteria%20(CCC,a%20more%20severely%20impaired%20population." target="_blank">The Canadian Consensus Criteria</a> describes PEM as usually lasting 24 hours or longer. The word 'relapse' doesn't appear in the CCC clinical case definition. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://me-pedia.org/wiki/International_Consensus_Criteria#:~:text=The%20Myalgic%20Encephalomyelitis%20(ME)%20International,physically%20and%20neurologically%20disabling%20disease." target="_blank">The International Consensus Criteria </a>uses the term Post-Exertional Neuroimmune Exhaustion (or PENE) instead of PEM. It describes PENE as usually lasting 24 hours or longer, but defines PENE broadly so as to include relapses. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">As I write the <a href="https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg53" target="_blank">NICE guideline</a> for "chronic fatigue/myalgic encephalomyelitis (or encephalopathy) or CFS/ME is in the final stages of being updated. The last version was issued in 2007. The draft version of the new guideline was released in November 2020. The final version is due in April 2021</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">. </span></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The new draft guideline indicates that Graded Exercise Therapy is being removed as a treatment recommendation and that Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is being downgraded from a treatment aimed at brain retraining to a purely supportive therapy. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The draft guideline also specifically removes pseudoscientific treatments such as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lightning_Process" target="_blank">the Lightning Process (LP) </a> as treatments for CFS/ME. This is the process which Professor Garner apparently used to achieve his recovery from long Covid. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="http://www.investinme.org/IIMER-Newslet-20-12102.shtml?fbclid=IwAR2NKhdOUDY8SVggVWtzYxZEXHAPuv_sK454wAkF2m5zTjJH59bijxcVozE" target="_blank">This is Invest in ME Research's full response to the draft NICE guidelines </a></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Recently I read a phrase that took me back to January 2003 when I was first seriously ill. In fact i</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">n the current coronavirus pandemic I keep reading so many stories and phrases that resonate with me and my life over the past 18 years</span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">I thought that I had my life ahead of me</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">having to rethink much of life</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">the new normal life after Covid</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">facing anxiety</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">dealing with uncertainty</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">finding acceptance</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">First denial, then fear</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">everyday things we miss</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">no longer taking things for granted</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">life beyond Covid </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">cancelling life events</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">missing family and friends </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">wanting the life back before Covid</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">pain and solitude</span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Does any of this sound familiar? It does to me. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Time will tell if those with long Covid will develop M.E. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Maybe this will lead to better understanding and help for those in the M.E. community who have suffered and struggled for so long. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Well that's all for now folks. This blog has taken several days to write and I've tried to cover as much as possible. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">I now need to go and lie down before a relapse sets in and no amount of positive thinking can avoid that!!! </span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="color: #404040;">Au revoir</span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="color: #404040;">The French Femme</span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="color: #404040;">xxx</span></span></span></div><p></p><p><br /></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>French femmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814891305960111979noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8139456428769690123.post-62646687090719431502021-01-02T14:53:00.000+00:002021-01-02T14:53:01.636+00:00HOPE<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Bonjour, </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This is the third time I've attempted to write a blog in the last few months. Third time lucky - I hope! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Anyway I want to start by wishing you a HAPPY NEW YEAR. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I know 2020 was a really difficult and challenging year for so many and is perhaps one to be forgotten because of the arrival of the coronavirus. Many people have seen their lives changing, curtailed or limited with confinement and restrictions. It's become a strange new world. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">But for me there have been few changes and adjustments. It's not been a great deal different from previous years. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">When I hear people moaning and complaining about what they've lost and how they feel depressed, I want to say "welcome to my world"! </span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">I've had to adjust my life since becoming ill with M.E. (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis) some 18 years ago</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">My life and my world has had to change</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">I've had to accept so many limitations to my life</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">I've had to accept being confined to my home most of the time. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">I've had to accept that I can no longer work</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">I've had to accept that I can no longer go to the cinema</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">I've had to accept that I can no longer go to the theatre</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">I've had to accept that I can no longer enjoy a trip out shopping</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">I've had to accept that I can no longer enjoy any sports</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">I've had to accept that I can't often socialise with friends or family</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">I've had to accept that traveling and going on holiday is not an easy option for me </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">I've had to live with and accept a life with illness that never, ever goes away</span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">So what's a few more changes to me? </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">When you live with a long term chronic illness it's hard to keep on hoping. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Yet what is there if there isn't any hope left? </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Hope is a word and a theme that crops up a lot in my blogs. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="http://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2013/12/hope_29.html" target="_blank">HOPE in 2013 </a> and <a href="http://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2019/08/holding-on-to-hope-fighting-to-survive.html" target="_blank">HOLDING ON TO HOPE & FIGHTING TO SURVIVE </a></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm a fairly positive person and like to keep on hoping. Yet I understand why others give up on hope. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">I want to start 2021 on a positive note so I hope that the coming year is a better one in many ways. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Meilleurs voeux et Bonne Année </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">from the French Femme</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">xxx</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivECgWp4IX1Q3vbPxykSEZSbIjdqqJwr3AiCypYNeIJUDEqgmDE8ENJI9xE9OrqD4Pd3_SNwAa3izjqYY_Rvintjbo4d-U97sLD_9wKapwzqFtspygjDUlU-qlqipMAV0OmVXqs14GI18/s2048/1609595758650-01.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivECgWp4IX1Q3vbPxykSEZSbIjdqqJwr3AiCypYNeIJUDEqgmDE8ENJI9xE9OrqD4Pd3_SNwAa3izjqYY_Rvintjbo4d-U97sLD_9wKapwzqFtspygjDUlU-qlqipMAV0OmVXqs14GI18/w400-h400/1609595758650-01.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></div><p></p>French femmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814891305960111979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8139456428769690123.post-1372802673841224722020-10-15T10:48:00.001+01:002020-10-15T10:53:29.984+01:00OVERWHELMED <p> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Bonjour, </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">It's been a little while since I last wrote a blog but other events and people have come into my life. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This blog and my poem is inspired by an event that I experienced some time ago. I've never forgotten it and how I felt at the time. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">All my senses were totally overwhelmed. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'll explain a little of how I came to find myself in such a situation. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Because of my M.E. and my sensitivity, I've chosen to live in a quiet and calm location in France. <a href="https://paradigmchange.me/locations-research/" target="_blank">See the locations effect.</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Most people with M.E. are sensitive to some degree to light, noise, odours, chemicals, food, medications and touch. </span></p><p><a href="https://me-pedia.org/wiki/Hypersensitivity" style="font-family: verdana;" target="_blank">Hypersensitivity is a real issue for people with M.E. and forms part of the many symptoms</a></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I had a reason to go back to the UK and perhaps underestimated how I would cope and what effect it would have on me. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">When I was younger and healthy I lived and worked in a busy city. I was accustomed to all that came along with it. It was never a problem. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">However when I returned to that environment I felt totally overwhelmed and unable to cope with the sensory overload. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I now know that I made the right decision in choosing to live in a better environment. Of course not everyone with M.E. has that opportunity. </span></p><p><br /></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrfsmxnczggRPxusm-IWU3CMhpqRlVhnhuYToGsT8mrpG17KGlJr1aAGZnpQTnrnOZOG5DeCUrFYOkxSlDI7voO2xuXbHQL9JDxKAV9BdfmW2_ZTKp5GAZxtf04qDTqMhR9xP_ryNfApg/s2048/overwhelmed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1449" data-original-width="2048" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrfsmxnczggRPxusm-IWU3CMhpqRlVhnhuYToGsT8mrpG17KGlJr1aAGZnpQTnrnOZOG5DeCUrFYOkxSlDI7voO2xuXbHQL9JDxKAV9BdfmW2_ZTKp5GAZxtf04qDTqMhR9xP_ryNfApg/w400-h283/overwhelmed.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0i5TH1bY3HgA6LzhEtmOgevqw0MP0CQTLV8sRe7PLLr0qyI350_vXTKVVaDq6Gd0eRUNH-tM0O1inao2mWYt0EERy2M1oJaJhG4X2Lrzr1daA3ycEE0sBo_atVuxyoudgNTcQpkn0SxM/s2048/1602753997825-01.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0i5TH1bY3HgA6LzhEtmOgevqw0MP0CQTLV8sRe7PLLr0qyI350_vXTKVVaDq6Gd0eRUNH-tM0O1inao2mWYt0EERy2M1oJaJhG4X2Lrzr1daA3ycEE0sBo_atVuxyoudgNTcQpkn0SxM/w400-h400/1602753997825-01.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: verdana;">Have you ever been in a similar situation? </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: verdana;">How did you feel? </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: verdana;">Until next time I'll be staying at home! </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: verdana;">À bientôt</span></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">from the French Femme</span></span></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">xxx</span></span></div></span><p></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></o:p></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span><p></p>French femmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814891305960111979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8139456428769690123.post-41275443792975721222020-08-21T10:41:00.003+01:002020-08-21T10:43:54.043+01:00MY MASK <p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Bonjour, </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/when-and-how-to-use-masks" target="_blank">In the current health situation with the COVID-19 many of us are having to wear masks. This is for our protection and protection of others.</a> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Recently a friend of mine bought an <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditional_African_masks" target="_blank">African mask</a>. I have been reading a little about the origin of masks and African masks in particular. African masks are very different and have altogether a different use and meaning. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">started me thinking about my invisible mask that I often wear. You may ask what do I mean by that. Well let's start by looking at the meaning of and t</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">he synonyms for a mask. They are to hide, conceal, disguise, cover up, obscure, screen, cloak, camouflage, veil, mantle, blanket or enshroud. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Unlike those who have recently become ill with the coronavirus, I have been ill and living with M.E. (Myalgic Encepahlomyelitis) for 18 years now. In a way I'm used to wearing a mask. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Sometimes I smile and pretend that I'm really ok and not ill. I put on my invisible mask. But behind my smile and my invisible mask I am hiding how I really feel and how I suffer. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I've adapted a photo that I took of my friend's mask to demonstrate what may behind my invisible mask and smile. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Behind my mask I may hide my suffering </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjClsPO1BTSQ9wR0rHj2D8PSpKIK_zPm1hFNlksjfHU9CN5xciSlWbtkDvk3SetI5X1Fj3ezr3a5VYBNxd7_nw6mrwNd7Ga6O2wn2Q8WOTPc7QkQniDhHwzDa8r7nXt-M2f3yBQJth2Fk8/s1918/1597759509595-01.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1918" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjClsPO1BTSQ9wR0rHj2D8PSpKIK_zPm1hFNlksjfHU9CN5xciSlWbtkDvk3SetI5X1Fj3ezr3a5VYBNxd7_nw6mrwNd7Ga6O2wn2Q8WOTPc7QkQniDhHwzDa8r7nXt-M2f3yBQJth2Fk8/s640/1597759509595-01.jpeg" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Behind my mask you have no idea of the battle I face each and every day </span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWyq8vDPPT29gge_8jJ8wIcoo74WJC9An0nBuInirG5F3pySy1mSCaxpN4HwbVUraT0R_vamUiXc_uioY4119f4ksDQQTRRfVauT-5FJdasbbPRamCuW2N_HkIXFJ1lkJyOXQ0LNmUD5A/s1918/1597758837060-01.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1918" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWyq8vDPPT29gge_8jJ8wIcoo74WJC9An0nBuInirG5F3pySy1mSCaxpN4HwbVUraT0R_vamUiXc_uioY4119f4ksDQQTRRfVauT-5FJdasbbPRamCuW2N_HkIXFJ1lkJyOXQ0LNmUD5A/s640/1597758837060-01.jpeg" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Behind my mask you have no idea of how many times I've cried </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8rPkLlAn_DDXa2-o0Dkf-y7WkmxAWxZvPwaGZxk3MQHCTqe03WMFDHCD2UaE_2tk6VqKvto8HNfcZkqNpk3ScaguWqH0ZwnyvFWECjaN80lyR7ZQ-T99WKWkGtVrt5oRht2C4KQ3tekk/s1918/1597758761037-01.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1918" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8rPkLlAn_DDXa2-o0Dkf-y7WkmxAWxZvPwaGZxk3MQHCTqe03WMFDHCD2UaE_2tk6VqKvto8HNfcZkqNpk3ScaguWqH0ZwnyvFWECjaN80lyR7ZQ-T99WKWkGtVrt5oRht2C4KQ3tekk/s640/1597758761037-01.jpeg" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Behind my mask you have no idea of all that I've lost and how my life has changed with this illness</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMsL2D9hQm7Nh0gfLG6QpxHpQ0dm8CxSW71pK1x-3Kzhw5RE3YQvC5QSh7wbpB-ECz0u9s-F3dVsT7yYSgwEci1ycH64SGry1_lIkVFax8j89inkgaIkzQPoWOKYrTd1Sy9U9og1JTAZQ/s1918/1597758601618-01.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1918" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMsL2D9hQm7Nh0gfLG6QpxHpQ0dm8CxSW71pK1x-3Kzhw5RE3YQvC5QSh7wbpB-ECz0u9s-F3dVsT7yYSgwEci1ycH64SGry1_lIkVFax8j89inkgaIkzQPoWOKYrTd1Sy9U9og1JTAZQ/s640/1597758601618-01.jpeg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Behind my mask you can't easily see how I'm fragile inside </span><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBevKJNAt8V0MdnXJoHJvfMfebOPeq6-_14dj7qpLQslJ5rHhW2J8UArRIVJhZO6eko3bCA2ucdHWTQDWlIKPbNgYVHysXkblIXbedjQGA8eMRLH719UWV1JaXzKUJOpvZQUgrB_yoUkk/s1918/1597759194322-01.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1918" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBevKJNAt8V0MdnXJoHJvfMfebOPeq6-_14dj7qpLQslJ5rHhW2J8UArRIVJhZO6eko3bCA2ucdHWTQDWlIKPbNgYVHysXkblIXbedjQGA8eMRLH719UWV1JaXzKUJOpvZQUgrB_yoUkk/s640/1597759194322-01.jpeg" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Behind my mask you can't see how I often feel like I'm dying </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj75Qz99MqMQgF2gXnp1kyY7XAjV3o71BYOJTnNcBMF2fBGm9d09ACVtza6QC1-16-zIjMdLCmw7-SauAvRAPH3zrBiOIUlrtEu0aGDZDZ1MrtC13ptEy0SO3cFBj6h0NZoyOTY498qKJE/s1918/1597759859323-02.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1918" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj75Qz99MqMQgF2gXnp1kyY7XAjV3o71BYOJTnNcBMF2fBGm9d09ACVtza6QC1-16-zIjMdLCmw7-SauAvRAPH3zrBiOIUlrtEu0aGDZDZ1MrtC13ptEy0SO3cFBj6h0NZoyOTY498qKJE/s640/1597759859323-02.jpeg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Do you have an invisible mask? What do you hide from others? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Of course it's not always possible to wear that mask, especially when we are so very ill. Then it's clear how we are suffering. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: verdana;">À bientôt</span></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">from the French Femme</span></span></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">xxx</span></span></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p></div>French femmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814891305960111979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8139456428769690123.post-85350930140505495402020-07-29T15:26:00.003+01:002020-07-29T15:39:36.586+01:00WHY I WRITE POETRY ABOUT M.E. (part two) <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Bonjour, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In my first blog back in November 2013 I wrote a <a href="https://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2013/11/why-write-poetry-about-me.html?fbclid=IwAR0OHMPN7Wmtev_vu6omNx2selvcAgevpMoS4bY57qQggFq1lmF-Y5d1kj4">short piece</a> explaining why I started to write poetry. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I had written some poetry before becoming ill with M.E. (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis) but I found it was a useful way of developing my skills and at the same time it helped me to survive. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In this blog I want to review and further explain why I continue to write poetry and blogs. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>my life had to change with M.E. and I could no longer pursue many activities that I once enjoyed. There was a void. I felt that life was no longer worth living. I had to find a sense of purpose, a goal and to fill that void. So writing poetry and blogs has become part of my new life. </b></span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>I need to express how I am feeling, my emotions, my anger, my frustration, my sadness, my loss, my need to grieve. If I hadn't found this outlet for my emotions I have no idea what might have happened. I would most probably have spiralled into a well of depression and self pity. My writing has saved me and helped me with my grieving process - grieving for that other life. </b></span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>I want others to understand how I am feeling and what I am going through</b></span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>I hope that others with M.E. can identify with my poetry and so feel less alone in their suffering</b></span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>I hope to raise better awareness of life with M.E.</b></span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>I hope to increase better understanding of M.E. </b></span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>I try to educate others about M.E. through my own experience </b></span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Many of my poems are short with a strong and simple message</b></span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>I also try to make my blogs simple and easy to read </b></span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>I have also published books of my poetry with a percentage of all sales going to the charity <a href="http://www.investinme.org/index.shtml">Invest in ME Research </a></b></span></li>
</ul>
</div>
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<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>I will continue to do all of the above while there still remains a lack of care and treatment, poor understanding, misinformation, confusion, abuse, and neglect of so many. </b></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My books so far which are available on Amazon throughout many countries in the world and also on kindle </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhapY7A400kSbk47tGuDANYPAKMquXM102IuFXU8k1TNuFxXSbHx4IYK8G0M75k57HXEGYOFHlAbjGjlW_JY8QQNl2QeyS-jMwqy7pQVuBZlVS1UQq9g2HdSw94zdzrTOhVMiuOCThE3kQ/s1600/pjimage+%252810%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="851" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhapY7A400kSbk47tGuDANYPAKMquXM102IuFXU8k1TNuFxXSbHx4IYK8G0M75k57HXEGYOFHlAbjGjlW_JY8QQNl2QeyS-jMwqy7pQVuBZlVS1UQq9g2HdSw94zdzrTOhVMiuOCThE3kQ/s400/pjimage+%252810%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Lastly while I'm still able I will continue to write poetry and blogs. It takes a lot of effort and there is always some payback on my health level BUT it's important to continue. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Thank you for reading and please feel free to share any of my poems and blogs. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">À bientôt</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">from the French Femme</span></span></div>
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French femmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814891305960111979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8139456428769690123.post-18047301439577530992020-06-26T11:23:00.001+01:002023-01-24T14:32:40.103+00:00LOSING A LOVED ONE TO ILLNESS <span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">Bonjour, </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">This blog is dedicated to <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-indent: 16px;">Lotta Wirström (from Sweden). </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-indent: 16px;"> </span></span><br /></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjngJS6KDaurw-ClSS1wxSEpGmyT-CM5nc3j55HUwcl7pp7S4etU4jqKtVOe4gJHoGhktdSlbpHMrjUPJwuwVGWgRG0zE26jd0hZeqYzrHqdrhE41z55RHYOIS7v8h9yRliKn9TCQhRIpw/s1600/104213835_3208704782501646_977524890156663991_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjngJS6KDaurw-ClSS1wxSEpGmyT-CM5nc3j55HUwcl7pp7S4etU4jqKtVOe4gJHoGhktdSlbpHMrjUPJwuwVGWgRG0zE26jd0hZeqYzrHqdrhE41z55RHYOIS7v8h9yRliKn9TCQhRIpw/s320/104213835_3208704782501646_977524890156663991_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">During the month of awareness in May 2020 I came across a few very sad stories. </span><br />
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">This one is especially sad and a hard story to write about . This could so easily have been my story. There are so many similarities. </span><br />
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">BUT I feel it's important to share such stories like this no matter how sad or difficult to read. We need to increase awareness and better understanding of this cruel illness and how it robs people of loved ones. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">I was contacted by her husband<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-indent: 16px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-indent: 16px;">Göran </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-indent: 16px;">Wirström </span></span><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">after he read my poems.</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">I write this with his help and permission to share Lotta's story. </span><br />
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">Before Lotta became ill she worked in a retirement home and a kindergarten. She had one son who was born in 1987 but separated from the father in 1990 and was a single mother for many years. </span><br />
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">In 1996 Lotta became ill with <a href="https://www.me-pedia.org/wiki/Mononucleosis">mononucleosis</a>. This may be a predisposing factor for M.E. </span><br />
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">In 1999 Lotta was diagnosed with M.E. (Myalgic Encephalomyeltis). </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">Luckily she met a doctor who said I think you have a disease called M.E. so Lotta was sent to a hospital and there was a specialist in pain and also knew about M.E. The doctor's name is </span><span style="background-color: #e5e4e4; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><a href="https://www.umu.se/en/staff/birgitta-evengard/">Birgitta Evengård a professor of infectious medicine</a></span></span><br />
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">At first Lotta only had mild M.E. </span><br />
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">In 2005 she met and married Göran Wirström</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyvuYndyiUfeSVzcxNorAaaWeTZTWd9NMRkuVfelZETisBueTlSEH_BywEeTHLxaPbtZPUCG_th8s6_mTrfxoaCOvibSJivt7sgjAlzwMqFhNTVW1gieKtKBY7ZSwQUlSemNZPoVbVbGw/s1600/104123574_3208704885834969_8433860142848506044_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="644" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyvuYndyiUfeSVzcxNorAaaWeTZTWd9NMRkuVfelZETisBueTlSEH_BywEeTHLxaPbtZPUCG_th8s6_mTrfxoaCOvibSJivt7sgjAlzwMqFhNTVW1gieKtKBY7ZSwQUlSemNZPoVbVbGw/s400/104123574_3208704885834969_8433860142848506044_n.jpg" width="267" /></span></a></div>
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">They had a few precious years when they were able to travel although Lotta had to rest a lot. </span><br />
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">She was an amazing talented and creative woman </span><br />
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">She made lots of <a href="https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipPdC4osQdo99wu4INy6B66f-zZZopnoNYhENPG3faeuXQfoLDXXziz4-0wImgg-PA?key=YjkwOWEtUnlkLVJqSHRQZG1TS0hlNE04WE1zMmdn">drawings</a></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-tNMmLFJ7vfYUg8b5IRseWvz4xukUn_cVwUrnE63t0-_4yxhjtNIBgRizh19vRmOATL7ZakQ4Co9hq9YGkSsiVzKIDqP70b55bjwldO1F9xbvNIvmVP2myKH-GtnZWjK3K8abafL34C4/s1600/lotta.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-tNMmLFJ7vfYUg8b5IRseWvz4xukUn_cVwUrnE63t0-_4yxhjtNIBgRizh19vRmOATL7ZakQ4Co9hq9YGkSsiVzKIDqP70b55bjwldO1F9xbvNIvmVP2myKH-GtnZWjK3K8abafL34C4/s320/lotta.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">She also made lots of jewellery </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUJ0dqNhdx1v469h3smLRt6thyphenhyphen2FBqPzUAUsW9uBD47fXP0yuXfJ3bz6bk4xGi1_Jg9x1UvW2JloaBF7I3bI44gNypR_zPhyphenhyphenp-7CCrXaw0wFYFk3xeZeQKeJ4zkAUNMJOChHHCoQdysa8/s1600/103671426_545058919495707_355096443070576881_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUJ0dqNhdx1v469h3smLRt6thyphenhyphen2FBqPzUAUsW9uBD47fXP0yuXfJ3bz6bk4xGi1_Jg9x1UvW2JloaBF7I3bI44gNypR_zPhyphenhyphenp-7CCrXaw0wFYFk3xeZeQKeJ4zkAUNMJOChHHCoQdysa8/s320/103671426_545058919495707_355096443070576881_n.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">In 2008 she bought a horse and could ride very slowly with the help of her husband. In 2012 it was the last time she rode her horse. Here in this short video she is with her horse and her beautiful granddaughter </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyECIJFqvykFtywhVKf0GCqKsLZu1Jods6nHeuI_lhlJN2ByJBPiKWNC8nQ6XbidTMHc1ORrqr7jGwg8_TaWA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div>
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">Lotta's M.E. became more severe and in 2016 they heard about the Rituximab treatment in Stavanger Norway. She stopped after the 4th treatment as she felt that she wasn't getting any better. </span><br />
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">By 2019 Lotta developed anxiety and panic attacks and could not sleep. All her symptoms became worse and increased. She could no longer stand light or sounds. She could not watch tv or use her Ipad. She couldn't do anything. </span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">Her husband told me that the during the last year she was lying in a dark room with earmuffs and a blindfold. Her skin was burning like fire so I couldn't touch her. We couldn't speak to each other. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxIB2kKRnzUPM5TipqlnBDU57OeHGUSYEIAxzLY796TIeHqa-uIOq0_ye1MGOyQgRaZ-XWiBbQNGekeDEwFwA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div>
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">By the end of 2019 Lotta tried to commit suicide. Her husband barely dared to leave home for fear that Lotta would harm herself. </span><br />
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">I've written a poem in trying to express how Lotta must have felt. </span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-indent: 16px;">Göran </span><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">told me that it's like Lotta's words </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">In January 2020 they applied to a psychiatric ward at Danderyds Hospital in order to get some antidepressant medication for Lotta. She was given </span><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">an antidepressant but like many with M.E., including myself, Lotta was intolerant to the medication and had terrible side effects. The doctor then talked about electric shock treatment. Lotta was understandably very frightened. Fortunately her husband managed to get her away from that hospital but it affected her badly. </span><br /><br />
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana;">This is what she wrote on the 13th January </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>"HELP! Psych has been forced to take care of me because I didn't want to take a medicine that made me really much worse in my illness. Interpretation that I am just lying in bed like I am seriously depressive and now want to give me electric shocks. Gonna deteriorate my already serious condition"</b></i></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><i>"</i></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><i>The Galen doctor sent me to st:Göran but well there I got a second opinion from a wonderful elderly female doctor and she didn't understand anything when I told her. Took all the powers I have to talk for my cause and a huge adrenaline impact and just to sit up in a chair... Now I dare not think about what happens to my body and brain How much more care destroyed... will come suffer a lot and not be able to write more here... Panicked, but it went well, pooh" </i></span></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: #1c1e21;"><span style="background-color: white;">This was her last entry on Facebook. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">It was not long after that when Lotta finally succeeded in taking her life in a most dreadful way - too dreadful and upsetting to share the details. </span><br />
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana;">Lotta was only 53. </span></div>
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana;">She was the first of three M.E. sufferers to take their life in just over a week. </span></div>
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana;">The total lack of care and understanding in Sweden seems to be behind these suicides. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-indent: 16px;"><a href="https://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/a/pLvQg6/me-sjuka-lotta-tog-sitt-liv-hon-kampade-for-att-fa-hjalp?fbclid=IwAR2IiLA241gblrw3893JeBTxvnTlhwUW5FRjFsgO590C1qRPb89MboM4aEo">Göran says that Lotta fought extremely hard and long for help. But knowledge about M.E. is far too low in Swedish healthcare</a></span><br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , "verdana" , "geneva" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-indent: 16px; vertical-align: inherit;"><a href="https://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/a/pLvQg6/me-sjuka-lotta-tog-sitt-liv-hon-kampade-for-att-fa-hjalp?fbclid=IwAR2IiLA241gblrw3893JeBTxvnTlhwUW5FRjFsgO590C1qRPb89MboM4aEo"><br /></a></span>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , "verdana" , "geneva" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-indent: 16px; vertical-align: inherit;"><a href="https://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/a/pLvQg6/me-sjuka-lotta-tog-sitt-liv-hon-kampade-for-att-fa-hjalp?fbclid=IwAR2IiLA241gblrw3893JeBTxvnTlhwUW5FRjFsgO590C1qRPb89MboM4aEo">Had it been different this might never have happened. </a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">It's hardly surprising that I'm sitting here in tears as I write this blog but it has to be done. </span><br />
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">Lotta's story must be told and the loss that her husband and her family are now suffering. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Lotta must have felt that she was beyond help </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIZJ-w_TZKgGnZsQVM5uzybJW8Sgm2mtyIAYL5b7Zqx_OYpQRyAo__kSafVQuBP5WgVOiCRLyNDUIdOgQbDnlFSwrKRiBgElJ9EmRfGID5Se2c2QNgd2ofDHNSmJle343EVULz7c1EMMQyf6SDaKg_UYaZyJ3DhFsVbjRvD_tcXoXadKMNkb3QfqMG/s1830/117387285_10223034480679740_6186926961798928384_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1830" data-original-width="945" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIZJ-w_TZKgGnZsQVM5uzybJW8Sgm2mtyIAYL5b7Zqx_OYpQRyAo__kSafVQuBP5WgVOiCRLyNDUIdOgQbDnlFSwrKRiBgElJ9EmRfGID5Se2c2QNgd2ofDHNSmJle343EVULz7c1EMMQyf6SDaKg_UYaZyJ3DhFsVbjRvD_tcXoXadKMNkb3QfqMG/w206-h400/117387285_10223034480679740_6186926961798928384_o.jpg" width="206" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">
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<div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">The incidence of <a href="https://me-pedia.org/wiki/Suicide" target="_blank">suicide</a> seems to be higher in people with M.E. and CFS than that of the general population. There are various possible causes for this. </span></span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">lack of support and resources </span></span></li><li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">a lack of understanding</span></span></li><li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">inadequate treatment or the lack of treatment</span></span></li><li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">loss of self </span></span></li><li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">loss of jobs, homes, relationships</span></span></li><li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">feeling trapped</span></span></li><li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">illness induced stress </span></span></li><li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">isolation </span></span></li><li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">chronic pain</span></span></li><li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">secondary depression </span></span></li><li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">a tortuous life</span></span></li><li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">loss of hope </span></span></li><li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">a poor quality of life </span></span></li></ul><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: verdana;">If you or anyone you know with M.E. or anyone with a chronic illness please seek out help. </span></div></div><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://me-international.org/en/finding-support/" target="_blank">M.E. International</a> has some good resources for help in finding support. </span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">They also have a link to <a href="https://me-international.org/en/crisis/" target="_blank">International suicide hotlines</a>. </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Here is a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_suicide_crisis_lines" target="_blank">comprehensive list of suicide crisis lines. </a></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">Contacting the<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samaritans_(charity)" target="_blank"> Samaritans</a> is another option. This is one that I've used myself in the past. </span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Although I never met you Lotta you were a fellow M.E. warrior and a beautiful person. May you rest in peace and your loss be for nothing. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ8wzdNZA0TqR3oFlJIgCON_fNy8odFlDexE8uxUuEnWqlvVvIDI4MayesD_JtPieE2qdYVbmBd55XViveIBPcxdIrmioqtdqMAWV5-L37XLKx95Lf7X13JMPLL7qPLGhRUqJ8KwZxIcY/s1600/33775347_10156481629058060_3144287699897155584_n+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="409" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ8wzdNZA0TqR3oFlJIgCON_fNy8odFlDexE8uxUuEnWqlvVvIDI4MayesD_JtPieE2qdYVbmBd55XViveIBPcxdIrmioqtdqMAWV5-L37XLKx95Lf7X13JMPLL7qPLGhRUqJ8KwZxIcY/w407-h409/33775347_10156481629058060_3144287699897155584_n+%25281%2529.jpg" width="407" /></span></a></div></blockquote></blockquote><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div>
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">À bientôt</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana;">from the French Femme</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana;">xxx</span></span></div>
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French femmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814891305960111979noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8139456428769690123.post-6069656976967717262020-06-15T09:47:00.000+01:002020-06-15T09:47:09.906+01:00I PUSHED TOO FAR <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bonjour, </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As many of you know throughout<a href="http://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2020/04/31-days-in-may-2020.html"> May 2020</a> I shared one of my poems every day to raise M.E. awareness and better understanding. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This year I didn't share as widely as<a href="http://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2019/04/"> last year</a> as it took a serious toll on my level of health. It's a really hard and challenging task to complete.Both last year and this year I nearly gave up but with some wonderful support <a href="http://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2019/06/">I carried out my promise</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyway the top five poems for this year were as follows </span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I pushed too far</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">M.E. Groundhog Day</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pretend</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Turn the clocks back </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sadness </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can see and share my poems from my </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/My-A-Z-of-ME-1403270009902127/" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Facebook Page</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">, </span><a href="https://twitter.com/frenchros" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Twitter,</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/roslemarchand/?hl=en" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Instagram </a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and </span><a href="https://www.pinterest.fr/fleurdeforet/my-a-z-of-me/" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pinterest.</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Feel free to share any of my poems at any time. Although there is a lot more M.E. awareness raising and sharing in May it can and must continue throughout the year. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So this is the winning poem and it seemed to resonate with so many people </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoq71xX6a7OvBRWbyG-rCXCR-KFKcQyn0bOl2dlx_3Ysfj3eMkrRXj75FK2XE1ECaXPCEL8_yAXgTPKarHy1WtrO3eNOXNSqNw4PHkn0LRMJ9A7W0bb_kmRFsnwJRDzpdmC0_MZb6MERg/s1600/1563547364953-01+%25281%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoq71xX6a7OvBRWbyG-rCXCR-KFKcQyn0bOl2dlx_3Ysfj3eMkrRXj75FK2XE1ECaXPCEL8_yAXgTPKarHy1WtrO3eNOXNSqNw4PHkn0LRMJ9A7W0bb_kmRFsnwJRDzpdmC0_MZb6MERg/s400/1563547364953-01+%25281%2529.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21;">This is a common scenario for many of us who become ill with M.E. especially at the debut of the illness. At that stage we most likely have no idea what is wrong with us and diagnosis can be difficult and long. I had to wait a year before I was given a diagnosis and I’ve heard of cases of where people have to wait much longer than that.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Even when I had a diagnosis I had little help or advice apart to do graded exercise.<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><br />So I pushed myself despite how I felt and despite the pain. I knew next to nothing about M.E.<br />In my ignorance I probably pushed myself too much and for too long, hoping that one day I would recover. I also had a mortgage and bills to pay. I was a single mother. I couldn’t afford to stop working. So I did everything to stay in work. Now I wonder at what cost.</span></span></div>
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How many of you have made the same mistake and pushed yourself too far at the beginning of your illness? How many of you have been forced to continue working? How many feel that you have caused permanent and lasting damage?</div>
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In the early stages of the illness we are most likely clueless and with little or next to no help. Maybe now with the internet and social media people are better informed. I had an unsympathetic doctor and only one book for guidance.</div>
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I now know in hindsight and from what I have learnt in later years that lots of rest in the early stages of the illness is likely to lead to a better prognosis. If only I had known that before!</div>
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In the early stages we are unlikely to know</div>
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<br />• That PEM will occur after physical or cognitive exertion<br />• That prolonged physical and/or cognitive exertion will<br /> cause a relapse<br />• That relapse can last weeks, months or years<br />• A relapse may become severe and permanent<br />• How to pace<br />• That we need to rest, rest and rest<br />• The amount of rest we need</div>
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<a data-ft="{"tn":"-U"}" data-lynx-mode="async" href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fbooks%2FNBK284902%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR1aq7_3VKHwPiesbZi9EEFrCS5aKIShb_lBTN_85OB3_-zWR5dy932sSIE%23sec_073&h=AT0v_9CqL7JpH-sJ187K9uqyCYbZwfmuQsQXP3PAw8Ld6WiszkLA-uIbJ3dhmL01Z4RMsQ7VP_FJzHwMpTUKuPmpg4QWxFVT-ynYszypkqUcHwg4uZgPwNPp5Iabnu2c-TuHIktjh8qQPe4mX2eAa1MD5GYlhIfdwOiPUukYeHd5kJJfhGhUtMigzFjfKeE3z9PUr8o15g30M2qhdvRLr4XUe6TlwgOcGu2lgWb6XQrQjbQtytLs5K7aMXxlBW9bMkRNIJ_jR7EOJjRxC7v4puCkLZzGEQ4j7bYx2xpBFzjuacQSoVud14475KxMP1GKnmWDreAR7qTBYjGszZrclEjtzNky-SEozK8lbzVNV1u0Qq36MQ-9jb3cFuqrNjgIKVC_gv0yaLskctoJrD0Y2G8uBmUAM7cuLq5VKR7BQcSvJVJnF60mV0qEfdgLX7HR_ZoS5N7g1dRkXa8wHUM8waZLPjVr0QyyCti2ynJTssULzmArdwPUuwstN82LkiOg1Sqd6Vk7y_m6TfNj1Z11Ux7kR4VxBNuNBqQfZ1s126mdJthUWrj87CysYlmSAr4ZcMyp-AQvVlAzBgf4KSL-5s45FJ-yUUBdREfz3d0ICg8MOZqUzxB1MrAA4omAURQvNSHNfw" rel="noopener nofollow" style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK284902/#sec_073</a></div>
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I’ve taken a few quotes from the superb book ‘Shattered, life with M.E.’ by Lynn Michell who echoes what I have experienced and write about in my poems.<br /><a data-ft="{"tn":"-U"}" data-lynx-mode="async" href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.co.uk%2FShattered-M-Dr-Lynn-Michell%2Fdp%2F0007155034%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR1Jaw4qHuQPTimXSmyZSLMRHWE6SKIxmNo_XjzxIhiuGd4nCbNcWuYLd5I&h=AT3bcRBd5FQnbExqHoC2YvdY2n2onsM6odLG62_-4nBCqD_vXIJhyKaxv3hutlnlHiYt-gaMosiFc411dUlcWDplJ-ghLY2XPoxrjFYZVrYmc9piLehgWxC3LOzGNqc_YtvI0tLdVrp3wkzWiO-bVC5Cr9wEDTni1CjzUt8sy1UoTULzhDIeXobpJmcQU-5MzDuiD1HML3WoCYpznEJfE-nxVGVFRblkipnOfl2NcxlngvWbZH2bg-hYe7C5u4tR5px0rvIHUJUBnYvcycDyt2rtWLiNgEVchJmfeXnnJK9YvN5V3aHqAKtJwsH-fXOgt2h88VpETB-V5phoNL_iNpR-o1oJR1p1WFe8ZCmPrk1zNh0oeLcPCsjN0xjlBThW4cNezsPIc9A3K-auwUAZjGDO9lINDUzVaiQsksOEyJLwP01YXwtVcYzchLESlYH-_BMMNA3YMt__AOyU7zM8-kATzAg2ITScTcBX5f4mxRAPB1K1mOEFYBWjyKfoiJmUG_Px8kJN2xjHnJkM-6vV_5wC7EMFnreqg5wT63UVqMzSf4mSoYebgv8zuobwqrmYM2YfnuoU-ecwgUbbxkxefLpWC38cyxGLnQeneQ5QYUy06GWkq3kd7XGeYZr6f55XpYOclw" rel="noopener nofollow" style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shattered-M-Dr-Lynn-M…/…/0007155034</a></div>
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“Anecdotal evidence suggests that those who get an early diagnosis and who rest thoroughly in the first months stand a better chance of an early and full recovery.</div>
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But people with M.E. do not know that the harder they push, the more likely they are to propel themselves into a more profound version of the illness. Only with the wisdom of hindsight and armed with more information can they say, ‘If only I had known, I would have rested more and I might not be so ill now’.</div>
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Others struggle on because they are the breadwinners and fight off the alternative of exchanging financial security for the subsistence living of disability benefits – assuming they are granted them. Others struggle because they have young children or are single parents.</div>
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Their determination to carry on was finally thwarted when their symptoms overwhelmed and defeated them. “</div>
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It just remains to say a big THANK YOU for all those who have shared my poems and please continue to do so. </div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"> <span style="color: #222222;">À bientôt</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;">from the French Femme</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;">xxx</span></div>
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French femmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814891305960111979noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8139456428769690123.post-74591934702075158482020-05-12T08:48:00.000+01:002020-05-12T08:48:53.387+01:00M.E. GROUNDHOG DAY (AGAIN) <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Bonjour, </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Well here we are again yet another <span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 17.0775px;">International M.E./CFS & FM Awareness Day on 12<sup>th</sup> May. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">I first wrote about this day back in<a href="http://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/search?q=M.E.+Groundhog+Day+"> 2014 </a>and entitled it M.E. Groundhog Day. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoIN-aK8ZaPsQcI-w5rp_P6MemA5mxkZSmTVPsTXzr07gnBXuJ2s0tkBSI3mUdqBd8Gp6o2I1aEbxfeHDLSR1rLFRsJchZj_VzXL_4w5oskD7AH7opFwPX7vT5L_cpbOogQ-X4VEua83U/s1600/181284_526124700758158_506185263_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="816" data-original-width="960" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoIN-aK8ZaPsQcI-w5rp_P6MemA5mxkZSmTVPsTXzr07gnBXuJ2s0tkBSI3mUdqBd8Gp6o2I1aEbxfeHDLSR1rLFRsJchZj_VzXL_4w5oskD7AH7opFwPX7vT5L_cpbOogQ-X4VEua83U/s400/181284_526124700758158_506185263_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">For me personally there doesn't feel like that much has changed. And now with the coronavirus I suspect that research into M.E. has gone to the back burner. Perhaps if it was as infectious as Covid 19 and many people died then it would receive the same response and treatment. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">So for those of you who don't know why 12th May is special,or need to be reminded, please read the following explanation behind the day and the date. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>The idea originated with Tom Hennessy, the founder of RESCIND, Inc. (Repeal Existing Stereotypes about Chronic Immunological and Neurological Diseases). Mr. Hennessy was based in the US but understood that it needed to be an International event. He designated May 12 as the International Awareness Day for the spectrum of illnesses he called Chronic Immunological and Neurological Diseases (CIND).</b></span><br />
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; line-height: 17.0775px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>May 12 was chosen as it coincided with the birth date of Florence Nightingale, the English army nurse who inspired the founding of the International Red Cross. Nightingale became chronically ill in her mid-thirties with a Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)-like illness. She was often bedridden for the last 50 years of her life. Despite suffering from a debilitating illness, she managed to found the world’s first School of Nursing.</b></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; line-height: 17.0775px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Mr. Hennessy included ME/CFS (also known as Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome -- CFIDS), Fibromyalgia, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity and Gulf War Syndrome under the CIND umbrella. These illnesses, characterized by cognitive problems, chronic muscle and joint pain, extremely poor stamina, and numerous other symptoms, afflict people around the world in alarming numbers. </b></span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; line-height: 17.0775px;"><a href="http://www.may12th.org/" style="color: #6699cc; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">http://www.may12th.org/</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; line-height: 17.0775px;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; line-height: 17.0775px;"></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; line-height: 17.0775px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groundhog_Day_(film)" style="color: #6699cc; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">GroundhogDay</span></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">is a 1993 American comedy film where </span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Murray plays Phil Connors, an egocentric Pittsburgh TV weatherman who, during a hated assignment covering the annual Groundhog Day event in Punxsutawney, finds himself repeating the same day over and over again. After indulging in hedonism and numerous suicide attempts, he begins to re-examine his life and priorities.</span></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>M.E. is much like that where the same day is repeated over and over again and like the film we are forced to re-examine our lives and priorities because of this illness</b><span style="font-size: 14.85px;">. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I always try to do something extra to raise awareness and understanding during awareness month in May. This year, as last year, I am sharing a poem of mine every day. You can find all my poems on my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/My-A-Z-of-ME-1403270009902127/?eid=ARBnHHjYoQ6Zeqt7c7Wi6iI-FMCdxwVu1mUZ0g0ee7Y5rsyOfkO9ZUFg7XnKtmtZA0XpoFW0JmLDiu0e">facebook page</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/frenchros">twitter </a> as well as <a href="https://www.pinterest.fr/fleurdeforet/my-a-z-of-me/">Pinterest </a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/roslemarchand/?hl=en">Instagram</a>. Please feel free to share any of my poems or my blogs. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I always live in hope that something will change and one day this poem will no longer have any meaning. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Until then I continue to raise awareness and better understanding. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px;">Thank you</span><br style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;" /><span style="font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"></span><span style="font-size: 14.85px;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14.85px;">À bientôt</span><br style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;" /></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">from the French Femme</span></span></div>
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French femmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814891305960111979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8139456428769690123.post-87147731955404918602020-04-29T15:02:00.000+01:002020-04-29T15:10:14.769+01:0031 DAYS IN MAY 2020<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Bonjour, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">May is M.E. awareness month leading up to M.E. awareness week from 11th to 17th May and Tuesday 12th May is ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia International Awareness Day. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Even though I do some awareness raising all year round I like to do something special or different in May. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You can see my contribution last year in this <a href="http://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2019/04/">blog </a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This year I will be posting and sharing a poem every day. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It was a major undertaking last year and to great detriment to my health. Still I hope it was worth it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So this year I will not be sharing around so much and I will be hoping that others will share for me. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Some of the poems I will be sharing are shortened or amended versions from my books. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Some of the poems will be new. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I know last year that I had a mixed reception towards my poems. Some people were upset by some of my poems. Some were pleased that I was prepared to be open and honest about the truth of living with M.E. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So as last year I will post a warning with some of my more sensitive poems. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I will continue to raise awareness and understanding. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The way I can do this is through my poems and my blogs. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So please help and support me. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Every day you will be able to find my poems on my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/My-A-Z-of-ME-1403270009902127/">Facebook Page </a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Thank you</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">À bientôt</span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">from the French Femme</span></span></div>
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<br />French femmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814891305960111979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8139456428769690123.post-60132751124887031702020-04-01T10:50:00.000+01:002020-04-01T10:50:38.715+01:00Pandemic v M.E. <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bonjour, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At the moment I'm reading and hearing a lot about how 'normal' people are coping with this recent confinement because of the coronavirus. There are all these wonderful ideas and proposals to help with confinement and self isolation. Of course for them it's only temporary. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">BUT for those of of us with M.E. or any other long term chronic illnesses the situation is permanent. We live in a whole different form of isolation. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My friend Shirls Chapman has written a great poem comparing the current pandemic versus M.E. </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pandemic v M.E.<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Welcome to my world</span></span></div>
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All you normal happy folk</div>
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Welcome to my life</div>
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No this really isn’t a joke</div>
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In the days of this pandemic</div>
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Self isolation and doubt</div>
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This is how I live my life</div>
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Day in and day out</div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You are raring to go</span></span></div>
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As you do your morning burn</div>
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Your creative brains on fire</div>
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As you paint then pose and gurn</div>
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You put it all on Instagram</div>
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Looking for applause</div>
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We get washed and that is it</div>
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We can’t even manage clothes</div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yay, you made it to week
three</span></span></div>
<span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: center;">
Now you’re getting really bored</div>
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Your ideas have all dried up</div>
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Your workout has been floored</div>
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You can’t be bothered getting dressed</div>
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All your roots are showing through</div>
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Try doing this for twelve years</div>
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Can’t imagine it, can you?</div>
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<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Shirls Chapman </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have also written many poems about life with M.E. and in this blog I will share a couple of recent ones. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As <a href="https://www.meassociation.org.uk/about-what-is-mecfs/prognosis-and-quality-of-life/#Part%201">full recovery from M.E</a>. is rare it's like we have been given a life sentence. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimeMx0U66IWi22_5UATMqbgABNXTpXGErq6auQBIgAu0OKGQBHL_Au-laX6t-EOoXS_cRb10C9tnhcbEhl-E80m3Vq9TOZo-0WZuJ0407_dbcibFCf33ugPKQ5IcHt5iVm4MDf3O-oHEk/s1600/1585732224525-01.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimeMx0U66IWi22_5UATMqbgABNXTpXGErq6auQBIgAu0OKGQBHL_Au-laX6t-EOoXS_cRb10C9tnhcbEhl-E80m3Vq9TOZo-0WZuJ0407_dbcibFCf33ugPKQ5IcHt5iVm4MDf3O-oHEk/s400/1585732224525-01.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Our confinement and self isolation is so completely different from what many healthy 'normal' people are experiencing right now. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Healthy 'normal' people can not imagine what it's like to live with M.E. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Only those who suffer the same can empathise. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So we have no choice but to live with this illness and adapt. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Please feel free to share my blog and poems - especially to healthy people!! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">À bientôt</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">from the French Femme</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">xxx</span> </span></div>
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French femmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814891305960111979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8139456428769690123.post-58511352056664232152020-03-23T10:20:00.002+00:002020-03-23T10:20:34.335+00:00CONFINEMENT <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bonjour, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the last week I've heard phrases like 'we're at war', 'a new life for the french people' and 'I've lost my freedom'. All because of the <a href="https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus#tab=tab_1">coronavirus</a>. Many people around the world are now confined to their homes and practising self isolation. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I say in response 'welcome to my world'! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some people don't know how they will cope for the weeks of confinement and isolation. Try living like that for years!! Those of us with M.E. have had no choice but to adjust and learn to live in isolation. We've had no choice but to change our lives. We've had to accept all the changes that come with illness. Those with severe M.E. are not only confined to their homes but to their beds. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So now many are having a small taste of what our life is like. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWpaS_ceU-YusNfkdKrGHNd9X0RiIjk9NVxG9TOi690yeYSnmbhkgYrfALheIwWM8ISXvohSypJY3JjW1hZtU9H-8fJK2PLQyqEUnAfctuCXn10jtuAK6Ba8ZAKsWRvV1-vk9HcZyAVqM/s1600/New+life+day+20.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWpaS_ceU-YusNfkdKrGHNd9X0RiIjk9NVxG9TOi690yeYSnmbhkgYrfALheIwWM8ISXvohSypJY3JjW1hZtU9H-8fJK2PLQyqEUnAfctuCXn10jtuAK6Ba8ZAKsWRvV1-vk9HcZyAVqM/s400/New+life+day+20.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Many years ago I wrote a poem and blog about being isolated. You can read it <a href="http://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2014/04/isolated.html">here </a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So not a lot has changed for me in recent weeks. I have lost the little face to face contact that I sometimes had. I have lost my cleaner as I don't want to take the risk. This means I have to cope on my own. Even the small tasks can be exhausting. For me and so many others with M.E. it's a battle just to survive day after day. It takes all my energy and force to just keep going. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Of course some of us with a long term chronic illness like M.E. become depressed. And I'm sure that those who are newly confined may start to get depressed and not know how to pass the time. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After many years I've become very resourceful in keeping myself occupied and to fight off depression and boredom. Also some years ago I wrote about being bored and suggestions on how to still have a meaningful and interesting life despite illness. I can no longer pursue all the activities that I used to love but I still have a life and value it. You can read my blog <a href="http://roslemarchand.blogspot.com/2015/09/bored.html">here </a> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Of course when confined and isolated it's akin to being in jail. Sometimes I yearn to escape and go out into the fresh air and take a lovely long walk. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-56ivU8ls5vPXn72aPTeFxAayX-qhuDhwnRJ7x-BLZi0_PLl7Y-vwBWd7kN7o0VyLnwu2g7CZkMyL45Q6fA58_-v60yBu104sKVMo3aJsjHcZfIqtYznpTcVtXdC92mRdi3UxKAqAOvg/s1600/1584538715106-01.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-56ivU8ls5vPXn72aPTeFxAayX-qhuDhwnRJ7x-BLZi0_PLl7Y-vwBWd7kN7o0VyLnwu2g7CZkMyL45Q6fA58_-v60yBu104sKVMo3aJsjHcZfIqtYznpTcVtXdC92mRdi3UxKAqAOvg/s400/1584538715106-01.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In a way I feel angry when someone complains to me. I become angry when they don't realise that I'm more vulnerable as I have a neurological condition and at higher risk. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There are some excellent blogs and information available for people with M.E. and I will give you some links here in my blog </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>M.E. International blogs</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.me-international.org/blogs/coronavirus-covid-19-and-myalgice?fbclid=IwAR2fwYRjy3mDnnq5IJLnCR6Yk9MsMzB5aY_2gZY3XMGdtHSEnay65mU-whY">UPDATED 3/21/20 People with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (#pwME) are experienced at dealing with a dysfunctional immune system, which includes social distancing and avoiding viral infections. We could teach the world a thing or two about how it's done ... if only they'd listen. We will try to update this blog as additional information comes to light.</a></span></i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>#MEAction </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.meaction.net/covid-19/?fbclid=IwAR3JeEHrUWW1QP6ZhFOA4G5y_eY3XREz1aUuYqUd5gpjM9RdnKD-7uWiusw">We have created a COVID-19 page on our website where we gathered helpful resources for you. Please bookmark it and check back as wekeep it updated. This is a resource for those with ME and also helpful to other chronic illnesses and disabilities IT SHOULD NOT BE YOUR ONLY RESOURCE. Please follow your local health authority for the most up-to-date information specific to your location. While not your only resource, we do hope it will be one that helps you wade through the information and find what applies to your life as a person with ME or care giver to a person with ME.</a> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Occupy M.E. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://occupyme.net/2020/03/19/safety-in-isolation/?fbclid=IwAR33VGGdLLJq_2LTGB5aiVyGdgZKBIwSLjRptHYruVp6gfP8YUI43V8NbxU">Safety in isolation </a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So stay safe and stay informed. Don't take any risks and ask for help if you need it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">À bientôt</span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">from the French Femme</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: start;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">xxx</span> </span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />French femmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814891305960111979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8139456428769690123.post-63586185497512364962020-02-20T14:27:00.000+00:002020-02-20T14:27:31.129+00:00NORMAL - what does that mean? <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bonjour, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As I enter my 16th year of being ill I really can't recall what it's like to be <b>'normal'. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sometimes I talk to friends who have a <b>'normal'</b> life and it reminds me of what I'm missing. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have a <b>new normal</b>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I wrote this poem a few years ago and it not only applies to me but to others who suffer with this illness M.E. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At least I had half a life before I became ill. I did get married. I did have a child. I did have an interesting career. I did enjoy lots of activities and a social life. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">BUT for so many especially those who become ill at an early age all these things are denied. All hope seems to be gone. All dreams forsaken. This is so heartbreakingly cruel. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Normal<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>What
does that mean? <o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>To
me that’s only in a dream<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>To
sleep<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>The
whole night through<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Five
hours is the best I can do<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>At
work<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Five
days a week<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Of
that I can no longer speak<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Career<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>This
started well<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Now
it’s all shot and gone to hell<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Shopping<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>A
happy event<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Perhaps
an exhausting hour spent<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>The
pub<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>A
beer or two<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>But
alcohol is now taboo<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Visit<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>My
family<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Is
always difficult for me</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Talking
<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>On
phone with friends<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>With
mental fatigue it soon ends<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>A
walk<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>What
a pleasure<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Hundred
metres is my measure<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Bike
ride<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Down
country road<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Instead
my bike is better sold<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Romance
<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>And
chance for love<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Instead
I look to heaven above<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Marriage<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>One
of my dreams<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Now
that is unlikely it seems<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Children
<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>A
hope one day<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>What
chance now I am forced to say<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Normal<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>What
does that mean?<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Hope
lost, life wrecked, a broken dream.............!!!<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sometimes I like to pretend that there's nothing wrong with me. I like to pretend that I'm normal and healthy. It doesn't last long of course! </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's sometimes easier when I meet new people to pretend that I'm<b> 'normal'. </b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b></b>It's easier than trying to explain what's wrong with me. My illness is not easy to explain, it varies so much and there are<a href="https://www.hfme.org/themesymptomlist.htm"> so many symptoms.</a></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The only people who can truly understand are those like me with the same or a similar illness. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGTNBoIcGguOLRQ8dX_1W3EOphETWkDkQlKzFV_8dPlVhnuYQb5BhDOZ4w28QuWcobd9wh50f0PJmTMW4Y-qQoMOX4Yf_nIROnblvS9A9QiODKww3JCq9nLUQeHlODqmc-WBWzIo3vCho/s1600/1581441085524-02.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGTNBoIcGguOLRQ8dX_1W3EOphETWkDkQlKzFV_8dPlVhnuYQb5BhDOZ4w28QuWcobd9wh50f0PJmTMW4Y-qQoMOX4Yf_nIROnblvS9A9QiODKww3JCq9nLUQeHlODqmc-WBWzIo3vCho/s400/1581441085524-02.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do you also like to pretend you are normal or are you so ill that it's impossible? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Of course there are times when I feel worse and then it's very apparent that I'm ill. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyway I can always dream and hope that one day I'll have my life back and be 'normal' once again. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: start;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">À bientôt</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center;">
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">from the French Femme</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">xxx</span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span>French femmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814891305960111979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8139456428769690123.post-19107715619353543322020-01-28T15:30:00.000+00:002020-01-28T15:30:00.633+00:00RELAPSE <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Bonjour, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As this is my first blog of 2020 I want to wish you all a Happy New Year and for one of better health. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sadly I've been in a relapse since christmas day. It's the worst for a long time and is probably because of a number of reasons. So I've been reviewing and trying to learn from my recent relapse. I hope the following guidelines not only help me but you as well. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>What is a relapse? </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Very often people with M.E. say and feel that they have gone into a 'relapse'. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The terms 'flare up' or 'crash' are also used </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21;">Some say that a flare up is a worsening of symptoms for a few days; a crash by some is considered a temporary shift of baseline activity which could last from days to weeks; a relapse seems to be more severe and seems to be when things have shifted so much that one is unsure of ever improving again or not and there's a completely new baseline going back to where one was in the past. This relapse may last for years. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21;">
<a href="https://www.tymestrust.org/pdfs/nosmoke.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0wnaWbfxRSs4Xgo02Zx-VQYBIdH6cKiy-uaigJURjcRBOK935T8c1ePEA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The late Dr Elizabeth G. Dowsett said `It is an unexpected deterioration in the condition of a sick person after partial recovery</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">`</span></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>So what causes relapses in M.E.? </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Some relapse triggers are </span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">overactivity 'living outside the energy envelope', sometimes as a consequence of a life event</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">poor sleep which can intensify symptoms</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">a secondary illness or infection </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">stress of some kind such as emotionally charged events, financial problems, family conflict or a disability review</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">do not ascribe all new symptoms to a relapse and seek a medical opinion if possible as you may have developed another treatable condition </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">more than one trigger could result in a severe relapse</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>How to manage a relapse </b></span></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">take extra and prolonged rest and listen to your body </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">go to bed, lie down, draw the curtains and maybe practice some deep breathing</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">postpone, delegate or eliminate tasks </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ask for extra help and support in order to remove all stresses (physical, mental, emotional, intellectual)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">let go of unnecessary and unimportant things </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">talk to someone who may be helpful and supportive </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">make sure as far as possible that you are prepared for any relapse e.g. have a large supply of food and medication </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">arrange your bedroom so that you have all that you need close at hand </span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>How can we recover from a relapse? </b></span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">be patient and do not resume a normal activity level before your body is ready as this could lead to another relapse</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">return gradually to your normal level of activity </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">do not despair as by surviving a relapse you will learn about self-management and how to avoid a future relapse</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>How to limit or avoid relapses</b></span></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">identify relapse triggers </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">pace yourself</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">schedule rests on a regular basis </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">keep a health log</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">accept your limits and lower your expectations</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">learn to listen to your body</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">be assertive and put yourself and your needs first</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">time alone can reduce stress and recharge your batteries</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">find some activity that you can enjoy </span></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I don't have all the answers and sometimes a relapse can happen suddenly and without warning, as was the case for me this time. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I am slowly recovering and improving my baseline of activity but have pushed myself to write this blog as I want to help and warn others. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This photo is a before and after my relapse. I'm sure you can see the difference. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtmOMjUHsuytZFM4z9lrCj36C-a9iquYLiOA6hhH6qTQ4zxJlk2s_WWkEK1AuV7ZMXQ_7bDK1enI8ICOuvcNN7KLmGnxQvF3itN41Ct5CMxcvlB-gJsQhQgd6BohsGiN9oaJS50xQmlXo/s1600/pjimage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtmOMjUHsuytZFM4z9lrCj36C-a9iquYLiOA6hhH6qTQ4zxJlk2s_WWkEK1AuV7ZMXQ_7bDK1enI8ICOuvcNN7KLmGnxQvF3itN41Ct5CMxcvlB-gJsQhQgd6BohsGiN9oaJS50xQmlXo/s320/pjimage.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%;">RELAPSE
</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">I’m
in a relapse <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">I
feel like I’m dying<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">I’m
confined to my bed<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">and
I can’t stop crying <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">I’m
in a relapse <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">it’s
all so frightening<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">all
my energy gone<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">and
hard to keep breathing<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">I’m
in a relapse<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">my
head is just splitting<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">it
makes me feel so sick<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">each
time I try moving <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">I’m
in a relapse<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">all
symptoms worsening<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">somehow
I must survive<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">despite
how I’m feeling<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">I’m
in a relapse<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">it’s
a dreadful feeling <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">there’s
nothing I can do <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">but
to keep on resting </span><span style="font-family: times new roman, serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8vmTkqKQFeVbUF0wWnW3BlG8Bt9gJwKKLlhe7Uhd0OeZJOahYwpGkJIdpUGZvs_ZwJphw8Eiqrq9D-JA2EdhAshuVmQDlr6ntn6gIDPkL3HmWGeuesRv5YmruLOIm47QVvwO8ZyPiFpI/s1600/1580215110738-02.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8vmTkqKQFeVbUF0wWnW3BlG8Bt9gJwKKLlhe7Uhd0OeZJOahYwpGkJIdpUGZvs_ZwJphw8Eiqrq9D-JA2EdhAshuVmQDlr6ntn6gIDPkL3HmWGeuesRv5YmruLOIm47QVvwO8ZyPiFpI/s320/1580215110738-02.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well that's more than enough for now! I need to go and lie down. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: start;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">À bientôt</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;" /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: start;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">from the French Femme</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;" /></div>
<div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: start;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">xxx</span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>French femmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814891305960111979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8139456428769690123.post-13456995410535816342019-12-10T08:30:00.000+00:002019-12-10T08:30:37.423+00:00LOSS<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bonjour, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Many years ago I wrote a poem entitled 'LOSS'. It was in the early days of my illness and when I was at my worst. It's one of the longest poems I have written and is true and straight from my heart. Maybe you can identify with some or all of it. So much loss comes along with a long term chronic illness like M.E. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I think my poem says it all </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Loss<u><o:p></o:p></u></span></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">I`ve
lost so much<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">The
life I knew<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Illness
to blame<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Must
start anew<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">I`ve
lost my job<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">And
career too<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">No
hope for me<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">What
can I do?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Now
my lifestyle<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Can`t
stay the same<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">With
no money<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">It
has to change<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">My
house is sold<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">I
`ll have no home<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">So
where to go?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">As
yet unknown<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Soon
to lose my<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Security<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Which
then causes<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Anxiety</span></b></span><b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Family
and friends<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">All
stay away<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Don`t
understand<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Or
what to say<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Loss
of freedom<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">To
go outside<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Home
a prison<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Where
I now hide<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">My
social life<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Does
not exist<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">So
many names<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Crossed
off my list<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">As
for hobbies<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">I
can`t pursue<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">All
pleasure lost<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">In
what I do<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">No
longer have<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">The
energy<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Or
cognitive<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Ability<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">No
stamina<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Get
up and go<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">No
endurance<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Or
libido!<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">I`ve
lost control<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Of
my body<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">All
function gone<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Such
a worry<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Memory
loss<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">The
wrong words used<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Names
forgotten<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Or
they`re confused<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Concentration<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Hard
to maintain<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Brain
fog blocks me<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">And
clouds the brain<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Loss
of balance<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">With
dizzy head<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">So
hard to walk<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Prefer
my bed<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Loss
of some weight<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">And
appetite<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Feel
sick and weak<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Stomach
not right<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">I`ve
lost all hope<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">And
what I dream<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">My
purpose gone<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">With
self esteem</span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">I`ve
lost my faith<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">In
so much now<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">I
want to pray<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">But
don`t know how<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">I`ve
lost my life<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">The
will to live<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Feels
like the end<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">No
more to give<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9gaf9_AXmJJdhzCNUDs7ThtWdsssNkWo53JDlqus9J76wyt1nVtku0GOvU_48LCf7usRtB2B7Y1sqs2dlQlWJHZa4x-WF96y26FjvI3GVlTUbsYSdfJUrCcpnJfuyUJ4PSeU5hu-oKGI/s1600/1575893717332-02.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9gaf9_AXmJJdhzCNUDs7ThtWdsssNkWo53JDlqus9J76wyt1nVtku0GOvU_48LCf7usRtB2B7Y1sqs2dlQlWJHZa4x-WF96y26FjvI3GVlTUbsYSdfJUrCcpnJfuyUJ4PSeU5hu-oKGI/s400/1575893717332-02.jpeg" width="400" /></a></span></b></div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I'm sorry if this blog and my poem causes upset and distress to anyone but the truth must be told. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The suffering and my loss and that of others still goes on today. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">À bientôt</span></div>
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">from the French Femme</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">xxx</span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
French femmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814891305960111979noreply@blogger.com0