MAY AWARENESS 2025 - LIFE, LOVE AND LOSS

Bonjour, 

This is my fourth blog for May awareness 2025. It's focused on three books that I've self published which include a variety of poems and not just about M.E. (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis). 

The first one is entitled 'Life, love, loss and a whole lot more' and was self published in 2017. This time I included photos. 

I also published this book at a cheaper cost without the photos. 

In 2023 I also self published a book entitled 'More of life, love and loss' and included photos. 

In these books I include poems about my life, the loves of my life, the influences in my life, the loss of love, the loss of friends and family, the loss of good health, places and moments in time and a much more. 

If you want to discover 'The French Femme' then you may find this of more interest. 

The foreword of these books was written by Cathy Milby who is a lifelong friend and who faces her own battles with Multiple sclerosis. 

Here is an extract of what she wrote 

Ros's first two books of poetry shared her own, and others' experiences of living with M.E. This collection includes some poems on her illness but also sketches in the background to her M.E. self. 

There are poignant expressions of regret, anger and loss especially about the new life she had hoped to enjoy when she moved to France. Despite poor health, reduced energy levels and now living on her own, she still boldly embraces life in France to the extent that she she includes three poems in French. 

Poetry has helped Ros deal with the limitations of her current lifestyle, reflect on past loves, and remember good times. She can be hopeful about her illness but needs to have a place to express herself in the bad times, more recently in French. 

I admire her ability to grasp new opportunities despite everything. She has found new happiness if not total acceptance of her life with M.E. 

Enjoy learning More of life, love and loss from The French Femme. 

In my introduction I also include a short piece in French written by my M.E. friend Mathilde Khalef. 

Here's an extract of what she has written 

Encéphalomyelite myalgique/Syndrome de fatigue chronique: un nom compliqué pour une maladie complexe. Elle est mal reconnue en France. Pourtant c’est une maladie neurologique très invalidante qui affecte des milliers de malades.

C’est une vie au ralenti, pour certains une vie d’isolement entre quatre murs et dans le noir. Oh le cœur dit oui mais le corps dit trop souvent non, comme une batterie qui ne garde jamais longtemps la charge. Vivre avec et malgré l'EM pour moi c’est fréquemment avoir l’impression de conduire une de Dion Bouton sur un grand prix de F1

My books are available in paperback and kindle versions on Amazon throughout many countries around the world. 

Life, love and a whole lot more  - Amazon UK and Amazon USA

More of life, love and loss -  Amazon UK and Amazon USA 

I've set up a Just Giving Page for raising money for awareness in May 2025.  All proceeds from the sale of this book during May 2025 will be donated to the charity Invest in ME Research. 

I will also be sharing a few of the poems from these books during the fourth week of awareness month. 

Thanking you for your support. 

Au revoir 

The French Femme 

MAY AWARENESS 2025 - 31 Days in May

Bonjour, 

This is my third blog for the third week in May 2025 for awareness of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E.). 

It concerns two books of mine. The first was entitled '31 days in May' published in 2019 

and a second one entitled 'Another 31 days in May' published in 2022. 

The aim was, besides publishing these books, to share a poem every day throughout May. So each book contains 31 poems. 

Kathleen McCall the chairman of Invest in ME Research kindly wrote the foreword of both books. 

Here is an extract of what she wrote 

Once again Ros has compiled a collection of wonderful poems. Her skill in conveying the reality of what it feels like to live with ME is incredible. She does this with short eloquent lines full of pathos, empathy and often humour. Ros expresses in a few words what many of us could not with a thousand. Her work brings comfort and enjoyment to many, as she raises vital ME awareness and funds for biomedical research. Ros typifies the brave, stoical, resourceful and determined nature of the ME patient community. 

Ros writes her feelings in poems and they resonate with many ME patients. Most have had to give up so much of their daily lives and too many have little or no help. Everyone yearns for an effective treatment or even a cure so that they can participate in society instead of living a very restricted life dependent on helpful family members or carers to provide all essentials. 

Invest in ME Research is an independent UK charity facilitating and funding an international strategy of high-quality biomedical research into Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME, sometimes referred to as ME/CFS), and promoting better education and information about ME in order to raise awareness of the effects of the disease on patients and families and overcome ignorance amid misinformation about the disease.

The charity is working to sustain and augment a UK/European Centre of Excellence for translational biomedical research into ME that will facilitate progress in treating this disease. We prioritise education of healthcare professionals, policymakers, media, and the public.

Invest in ME Research is entirely volunteer-run, led by patients and parents. We have no salaried staff, ensuring that every donation directly supports biomedical research and advocacy.

My book is available in paperback and kindle versions on Amazon throughout many countries around the world. Here are some links 

31 days in May on Amazon UK and Amazon USA

Another 31 days in May on Amazon UK and Amazon USA

I have set up a page on Just Giving for May awareness during May 2025.  And all proceeds from the sale of these two books I will donate to charity INVEST IN ME RESEARCH. 

So please support me, all those who continue to suffer with ME as well as Invest in ME Research. Send a copy to a friend, a member of your family or even someone in the medical profession. 

Let's keep raising awareness of M.E. and make a difference. 

Thank you

Au revoir, The French Femme   

MAY AWARENESS 2025 - SO MANY SYMPTOMS

Bonjour, 

This is my second blog for May awareness 2025. It's focused on my second book of poetry about M.E. (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis) entitled 'So many symptoms'. 

The first edition was published in 2017 and the second edition in 2023. I decided to publish a second edition as I was not happy with the first edition because of the cover and some of the contents. This is the front cover of the second edition and I have thanks to Sam Miller for the design. 

It continues the theme of living with chronic long term illness and specifically M.E. Many of my poems relate to the symptoms of M.E. and that's why I decided on the the focus and title of this book. 

The foreword was this time written by Stacy Hart 

Here is an extract of what she wrote 

On the pages ahead are poems about you and me ....us. We have never met and yet we share the shackled bonds of an illness called Myalgic Encephalomyelitis. 

In her second book of poems, Ros Lemarchand once again engages and educates the reader with first hand experience of what it is like to live with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis. Through her relatable despair you can still detect hope, a longing for public acknowledgement of M.E. and what we all long for ... a cure. A strong inspirational woman, she has, despite poor health and many personal battles, continued to selflessly use what little energy she has to raise awareness and funds through her writing talent. 

There are 55 poems in my book and this is the first poem which gave me the title of my book 

So many symptoms

There are so many symptoms

that come along with M.E.

which make it extremely hard

to diagnose properly.

 

There are so many symptoms.

How do you know it`s M.E.?

With no one simple, clear test

it seems like a lottery.

 

There are so many symptoms

which are confused with M.E.

No wonder there is much doubt,

delay and anxiety.

 

There are so many symptoms,

that are difficult to see.

So doctor`s don`t believe us

and question our sanity.

There are so many symptoms

that come along with M.E.

A complete system breakdown

that affects the whole body.  

My friend Miranda Brewster who has severe M.E. kindly made a video about my book

My book is available in paperback and kindle versions on Amazon throughout many countries around the world. Here are two links to Amazon UK and Amazon USA 

I've set up a Just Giving Page for raising money for awareness in May 2025.  All proceeds from the sale of this book during May 2025 will be donated to the charity Invest in ME Research. 

I will also be sharing a few of the poems from this book during the second week of awareness month. 

Thanking you for your support. 

Au revoir 

The French Femme 

 

 

MAY AWARENESS 2025 - My A-Z of M.E. (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis)

 Bonjour, 

Well here I am again hoping that the month of May and my awareness raising will make some difference. 

This year I'm going to share one blog every week throughout May 2025.  Each blog will focus on one or more of my books that I have self published starting from 2013. I will be also sharing individual poems from each book. 

My first book that I self published was entitled 'My A-Z of M.E. (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis'. I was at that time fortunate to have help from a few people as it was a new and difficult challenge for me. Klara Wilson was one of my friends on Facebook. She helped me enormously. Her husband Rob Wilson also kindly agreed to design the cover of my book. Klara sadly lost her life in 2018. You can read about her in this blog 

I also had help and support from Jo Best who wrote a wonderful and very kind  foreword for my book. 

Here's an extract of what she wrote 

This special collection of poems will undoubtedly resonate with anyone facing the challenge of chronic illness and will also be accessible for friends, family, or anyone with a willingness to understand Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E.). These poems represent what it can be like to live on a daily basis, year to year, often decade to decade with an illness like M.E. 

Ros writes from her own experiences and feelings as well as those of others expressed on social networking sites and other internet forums. 

With a professional background in education, a range of life experiences, insight, common sense, compassion, warmth and humour, Ros plays an important and highly valued role in providing help and support to others through this medium, whilst coping with her own challenges in battling this chronic illness. 

Ros's creative flair, complemented by the artwork of fellow sufferers, will be a book to treasure for its poetic artistry and in the hope that one day soon, thanks to IiME and their supporters, it may also have a place in the archives of medical history. 

I was amazed and extremely proud when my first book was published. You can see me holding a copy of my book. 

The first poem in my book, which became the title, was My A-Z of M.E. and was kindly illustrated by Bob Wilson. 

Other poems from my book have been illustrated by Julia Cottam and I will be sharing them during the first week.  

My friend Miranda Brewster who suffers from severe M.E. kindly made a video about my book. You can view it here

My book is available in paperback and kindle versions on Amazon throughout many countries around the world. For example here is a link to Amazon UK and Amazon USA

I have set up a page on Just Giving page for M.E. awareness during May 2025. And all proceeds from the sale of this book and my others I will donate to the charity INVEST IN ME RESEARCH. 

So please support me, all those who continue to suffer with M.E. as well as Invest in ME Research. Send a copy to a friend, a member of your family or even someone in the medical profession. 

Let's keep raising awareness of M.E. and make a difference. 

Thank you 

Au revoir 

The French Femme