I've been doing a lot more drawing recently, since I've been going to a life drawing class on Thursdays, which has inspired me and shown me how much you can improve by practising
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Hi, sorry it's taken me so long to reply, I am not on this account very much. It is nice to hear from you.
I've often thought of the ME/ hard workers connection before. It's often brought up in a very stereotypical, yuppie-flu way, like we all pushed ourselves too hard and got burned out. I think it's a combination of two things; one is that we're seen as lazy so I think people emphasis their accomplishments in their life before ME, to show that it's the illness making them like this and not a character flaw. The second is that when there have been mass outbreaks of ME in places like hospitals, the doctors and nurses have gotten sick, but people who had a slower lifestyle (patients, nuns) didn't. That says to me that being run down can increase your susceptibility.
I've had ME for just over five years, starting when I was 18, but I think the roots of it are about two years earlier. At that time I had some kind of virus and was quite ill, but I carried on going to school. At the same time there was some stressful family stuff going on and after that I became very depressed. I was treated for that with therapy and anti-depressants and after about two years I felt better again. At this point I noticed I was very fatigued. I was told it was a part of depression and that it would fade, but instead the symptoms got worse. Looking back I always had weird symptoms alongside my depression, like muscle and joint pain and a sore throat. Eventually I was diagnosed with ME.
I went to university but I was too ill to cope and had to discontinue my studies and move back home. Last year I did a one year art foundation course at a local college. I passed but it was very difficult, even though they let me work from home a lot.
My main symptoms are the fatigue and malaise (this is the worst, the constant feeling of being sick and unwell). I also have muscle and joint pain, but that is getting slightly better and isn't too bad unless I over-extend myself. I have difficulty standing for long because of muscle weakness. I also get sore throats, swollen glands, trouble finding words, and problems with temperature regulation.
I could say more, but that about sums it up, sorry for the novel like length.
What's your story with the illness? It's cool that you're also a creative person, what kind of creative things do you do? I am also a writer.
Hope you had a good Christmas (if you celebrate) and New Year, and a good birthday on the 30th.
I've often thought of the ME/ hard workers connection before. It's often brought up in a very stereotypical, yuppie-flu way, like we all pushed ourselves too hard and got burned out. I think it's a combination of two things; one is that we're seen as lazy so I think people emphasis their accomplishments in their life before ME, to show that it's the illness making them like this and not a character flaw. The second is that when there have been mass outbreaks of ME in places like hospitals, the doctors and nurses have gotten sick, but people who had a slower lifestyle (patients, nuns) didn't. That says to me that being run down can increase your susceptibility.
I've had ME for just over five years, starting when I was 18, but I think the roots of it are about two years earlier. At that time I had some kind of virus and was quite ill, but I carried on going to school. At the same time there was some stressful family stuff going on and after that I became very depressed. I was treated for that with therapy and anti-depressants and after about two years I felt better again. At this point I noticed I was very fatigued. I was told it was a part of depression and that it would fade, but instead the symptoms got worse. Looking back I always had weird symptoms alongside my depression, like muscle and joint pain and a sore throat. Eventually I was diagnosed with ME.
I went to university but I was too ill to cope and had to discontinue my studies and move back home. Last year I did a one year art foundation course at a local college. I passed but it was very difficult, even though they let me work from home a lot.
My main symptoms are the fatigue and malaise (this is the worst, the constant feeling of being sick and unwell). I also have muscle and joint pain, but that is getting slightly better and isn't too bad unless I over-extend myself. I have difficulty standing for long because of muscle weakness. I also get sore throats, swollen glands, trouble finding words, and problems with temperature regulation.
I could say more, but that about sums it up, sorry for the novel like length.
What's your story with the illness? It's cool that you're also a creative person, what kind of creative things do you do? I am also a writer.
Hope you had a good Christmas (if you celebrate) and New Year, and a good birthday on the 30th.
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