My Award acceptance and nomination blog

I`m fairly new to this blogging lark . So I was very pleased and surprised when I saw that Tanya Tonks Mawer had nominated an award to me and my blog. I have recently discovered her excellent blog Crazy Purple Mama.

I started my first blog with the help, encouragement and excellent example from Mama Chill and the help and guidance from The Big Sleep for ME.

The idea of sharing and nominating blogs was started by Sally Burch from her blog Just ME. I think it`s an excellent initiative and so I am trying to support it.

My problem is that the blogs I have read or previously commented on have already been given awards!

So who to nominate? I`m not familiar with many blogs. 

Anyway here are my nominations

M.E. Space
http://www.mespace.org/blog
This is part of a very warm, bright and welcoming site for sufferers, their friends, family and carers. There are lots of creative ideas especially for the young.

Crafting with M.E.
 http://poohbear71.blogspot.co.uk/ 
A lot of people with M.E. are very artistic and Jane Shaw`s blog is full of wonderful craft projects and ideas along with glimpses into her family life as she battles against her illness.       

Sally`s ME/CFS Blog
http://sallysmeblog.blogspot.fr/2014/02/an-introduction.html#comment-form
This lady is a new blogger. As I liked her first blog I have decided to include her in my nominations. She says she wanted to start a blog in the hope that it helps other people. This is what I aim to achieve in my blogs. I hope this will encourage her to continue writing.    

Here are the instructions

ME & CFS & FMS BLOGGER AWARDS: Awarded by bloggers, to other bloggers, to acknowledge outstanding endeavour in promoting awareness of Myalgic Enchephalomylitis (ME), Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)  and/or Fibromyalgia (FMS).

The blogs receiving the awards do not need to be dedicated solely to ME, CFS or FMS, but they should contain at least one post that has helped to increase awareness.

It is hoped that these Awards will increase blog readerships and also encourage networking between ME & CFS & FMS bloggers themselves.  No matter the title of our diagnosis, patients of these conditions all suffer from a frustrating state of health that is poorly recognised by most of society.
HOW IT WORKS: 1,   On receiving the ME & CFS & FMS BLOGGER AWARD, you should be directed to a post that describes why you (and others) have been given this award.  The page will also include this set of instructions and the two award images.

2. Please note, you do not need accept the award.  The aim of the awards is about recognition and a bit of fun, NOT extra work! Please do not feel pressured to participate.

3. To claim your award:

a) Create a new post on your blog, in which you thank the individual who gave you the award  (remember to include a link back to their blog).  You can then copy the images to your blog post and/or side bar as you wish.

You may need to click on the image and download it before putting it into your own post.

Below is the code for adding the small image as a link in your blog side bar if you wish to do so:

< a href="
http://sallyjustme.blogspot.com/2014/02/launching-me-cfs-fms-blogger-awards.html
" target="blank">
< img src="http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i4/salpublicphotos/BloggerBadge_zps26d28ded.png"/>
< /a>

b) List three to ten blogs that you would like to recommend, giving a brief description of why you think each one is special.  A couple of lines is fine, but be sure to include a link to each blog you name (or specific page if you prefer) so that others are encouraged to visit.

c) Copy and paste these instructions into your post. Copy from the first *** above, to the last *** below to ensure that every thing is included. (Add the images separately if they don't copy automatically. Control-Shift-V also removes crazy formatting during pasting if that is a problem. ;) )

d) Alert your chosen blog owners to their awards by making a comment on the most recent post of their blogs.  The comment could simply read:
"Congratulations, I have nominated your blog to receive an ME & CFS & FMS BLOGGER AWARD.  Please visit <insert link to the post you have just created> to collect your Award"

3. Hopefully these awards will spread far and wide.  I would love to keep track of where the awards end up, so I would be very grateful if participants would also copy their list of awards into a comment beneath this post:
http://sallyjustme.blogspot.com/2014/02/launching-me-cfs-fms-blogger-awards.html.
I hope that collecting all the recommendations in one place will help each of us to find and explore new blogs.

THANK YOU ALL FOR PARTICIPATING.
Sally
http://sallyjustme.blogspot.co.uk/

Kindness

In a previous blog I talked about turning the negative into positive. One of the positive things to come out of being ill is all the wonderful people I have met and the fantastic friends I have made through social networking sites.

I know many of us lose friends and family because of this dreadful illness but thank goodness there are others like us who suffer the same who provide invaluable help and support. It`s this friendship and kindness that has made all the difference to me.

I have expressed this kindness in one of my poems

 

Kindness

The kindness of others

Who all suffer the same

Provides me with support

And helps to keep me sane! 

When I read your kind words

Tears well up in my eyes

Emotion overwhelms

Taking me by surprise 

Such a little kindness

I find goes a long way

And makes a difference

To a difficult day 

A few kind words and thoughts

I sure appreciate

And I thank you so much

My friends are truly great.

 

 

 

 

This kindness has been further extended and demonstrated since I`ve published my book of poems about M.E.

I`ve had some wonderful response, reviews and feedback. It has moved me greatly and brought tears to my eyes.

It happened again a few days ago when one of my friends did this review of my book by video.

Another friend wrote a lovely blog about me, M.E. and my poems.

Fortunately my husband is always on hand with the tissues!! 

So now I would like to thank all my friends who have helped and supported me in recent years. I would like to thank those who have bought my book and those who have left kind comments and messages . You make it all worth while.

You can buy my book on Amazon.co.uk here or on Amazon.com again here

A percentage of all my sales are going to Invest in ME

And don`t forget that if you like my poems to leave a review. 

Merci beaucoup.

A bientot from the French Femme xxx

DON`T ASSUME...

In my last blog I talked about some of the prejudice and misconceptions that I and many others face living with M.E.

The other problem that I face is the assumptions made by so many people regarding my illness. Myalgic Encephalomyelitis is hard to see and understand. Some may describe it as an invisible illness. 

Assumptions are often made according to my appearance.

But what does a person with invisible disability look like?

Assumptions are made about my ability and my disability. 

Some have tried to create disability levels or scales for M.E. 

Here is one example created by Dr David Bell  

I don't like these scales very much as this illness varies all the time and I don't think we can be placed in one box or disability level. Still they are a useful guide.  

At one end of the scale some people are unable to get out of their bed and never leave their home and at the other end some are able to work.

So no wonder it's hard to understand this illness. 

I guess I fall somewhere in between moderate and severe, depending on which scale I look at. Though I've had period in the past when I was at a mild level and able to work full time. I tried everything to stay in work and made a lot of adjustments to my work and my life. Unfortunately I was unable to continue working and had to concede that it was not longer possible. 

I wrote this poem from my own personal experience. Often I look well and it's hard for others to see my health problems and my disability. Even though I have proof of my illness my appearance can seem normal!  

Don’t 

Don’t assume because I’m younger than you

I’m healthy, strong and can stand in this queue.

Don’t think I have plenty of energy

At seventy-five you have more than me!

Don’t look at me as if I have no right

The last thing I want is to make a fight.

Don’t say that there is nothing wrong with me

My handicap is not easy to see.

Don’t be so rude, please show me some respect

It’s what I deserve and hope to expect.

Don’t treat me like a liar and a fake

This illness is for real, make no mistake!

Don’t be so cruel and cause me distress

When you say it’s nothing but laziness.

Don’t judge me when you don’t understand

I’m truly ill and need a lending hand.

Don’t tell me how I really look so well

It’s only those closest to me can tell.

Don’t you consider how hurt I might be

By your words and actions made carelessly.

Don’t assume that you have priority

I have proof of my disability!

Many people assume that just because I can do something one day that I can do it the next day. They may even assume that I have recovered! Generally, I'm only seen outside of my house when I have to do something, like go to a medical appointment, or when I have a relatively better day. Of course I'm not visible the next few days afterwards when I try to recover. 

Just because

I can do this

today

doesn`t mean

M.E. has gone

away

Just because

I look well and

OK

doesn`t mean

I really feel

that way

Just because

there is nothing

you see

doesn`t mean

That I`m fine and

healthy

Just because

you don`t accept

M.E.

doesn`t mean

you can treat me 

disrespectfully

Like many with M.E. I try to pace and rest. This helps me to manage and organise my day and any activities. It helps me to avoid post exertional malaise.  If I keep to my base level of activities I can hopefully avoid any setbacks or a relapse.

We all make assumptions in life. We assume that as we get older we will be able to do less. Recently I saw a story on French tv about a 105 year old  man who cycles 14 km a day! I`d be lucky if I could cycle even 1km a day. 

All I ask is that others don`t assume anything about me, show me some respect and some understanding.

Merci!

A bientot from the French Femme

xxx