Pandemic v M.E.

Bonjour, 

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. 

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. 

My friend Shirls Chapman has written a great poem comparing the current pandemic versus M.E. 

Pandemic v M.E.

Welcome to my world

All you normal happy folk

Welcome to my life

No this really isn’t a joke

In the days of this pandemic

Self isolation and doubt

This is how I live my life

Day in and day out

You are raring to go

As you do your morning burn

Your creative brains on fire

As you paint then pose and gurn

You put it all on Instagram

Looking for applause

We get washed and that is it

We can’t even manage clothes

Yay, you made it to week three

Now you’re getting really bored

Your ideas have all dried up

Your workout has been floored

You can’t be bothered getting dressed

All your roots are showing through

Try doing this for twelve years

Can’t imagine it, can you?

Shirls Chapman

I have also written many poems about life with M.E. and in this blog I will share a couple of recent ones. 

As full recovery from M.E. is rare it's like we have been given a life sentence.  

Our confinement and self isolation is so completely different from what many healthy 'normal' people are experiencing right now. 

Healthy 'normal' people can not imagine what it's like to live with M.E. 

Only those who suffer the same can empathise. 

 

So we have no choice but to live with this illness and adapt. 

Please feel free to share my blog and poems - especially to healthy people!! 

À bientôt

from the French Femme

xxx