Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Support Group
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) describes a sense of exhaustion and post-exertion malaise, even when you have gotten enough rest and sleep. The disease is characterized by six months of incapacitating fatigue experienced as profound exhaustion and extremely poor stamina, and problems with concentration and short-term memory. The cause is unknown, but it is a...
Hi everyone. We spend alot of time sharing all the things that CFS has taken away from us. I thought I'd share one of the gifts that CFS has brought to my life.
Time with my daughter. She is 23 and lives with her fiance, about 15 minutes away, so it's nice that's she's close. In my pre-CFS days, I was busy all day with work, and working out. I could do everything for myself. Now I need others to sometimes drive me on errands, or bring me things, or take things for me.
My daughter is always there when I need her. We've always been close, but CFS has brought a deeper closeness to our relationship, we both appreciate each other so much more, and we know we have to take advantage of the time we have together.
Today my daughter is coming over to decorate my house for the holidays. My husband got down my 5 big bins of stuff from the garage. What used to be an enjoyable afternoon I spent by myself while decorating, then became a daunting task....is now a special mother-daughter time. She is not the best or most patient decorator, so there's a lot of swearing from her and teasing from me, and tons of laughter. We make it day....and our guys join us at the end of their work day and we all have dinner together. I never would have had this if I never had gotten sick.
So while some of us tend to focus on the gifts that need to be bought and wrapped this time of year, take a minute to acknowledge and appreciate some of the gifts that we never would have had without CFS.
I hope each and every one of you has such a gift in your life, and I ache for anyone who doesn't.
Genie
Time with my daughter. She is 23 and lives with her fiance, about 15 minutes away, so it's nice that's she's close. In my pre-CFS days, I was busy all day with work, and working out. I could do everything for myself. Now I need others to sometimes drive me on errands, or bring me things, or take things for me.
My daughter is always there when I need her. We've always been close, but CFS has brought a deeper closeness to our relationship, we both appreciate each other so much more, and we know we have to take advantage of the time we have together.
Today my daughter is coming over to decorate my house for the holidays. My husband got down my 5 big bins of stuff from the garage. What used to be an enjoyable afternoon I spent by myself while decorating, then became a daunting task....is now a special mother-daughter time. She is not the best or most patient decorator, so there's a lot of swearing from her and teasing from me, and tons of laughter. We make it day....and our guys join us at the end of their work day and we all have dinner together. I never would have had this if I never had gotten sick.
So while some of us tend to focus on the gifts that need to be bought and wrapped this time of year, take a minute to acknowledge and appreciate some of the gifts that we never would have had without CFS.
I hope each and every one of you has such a gift in your life, and I ache for anyone who doesn't.
Genie
Right now my greatest something is a singalong group every other month. I thought for years this is because I love to sing. But after being unable to go for 10 months and finding my favorite person to talk to not there, I realized that the singing comes in second.
The next singalong is in December. I'm going to be very brave and ask if I can come visit in between singalongs. I'm very shy and it won't be easy for me to ask. Life is too short. I don't want another year to pass by without our conversations.
I guess in a roundabout way this is because of cfs. There is no one I'd rather talk to, yet I'm so shy the very idea of asking hasn't crossed my mind. There is something about being lonely that pushes me to ask this timid question.
I watched the movie Pleasantview last night. If you are having trouble finding a gift in the everyday, watch the movie. It was enlightening. It's a good way to gain perspective and find an appreciation for things you take for granted.
Also, just in general, I think that I've become a more sympathetic, empathetic person to those who suffer. In ANY way. Physically, emotionally, spiritually, because I now have time to be alone, to reflect, to listen, to feel. I may be sick, but I do believe that I am a better, more loving, understanding person since I've been ill.
I now believe that I HAVE walked a mile in some other peoples shoes, and I surely have learned a lot! And I am grateful!