Well, it's been a while since I posted! I got all excited during the first Covid lockdown, when all my healthy friends were bemoaning all the extra time they had to fill, and I deluded myself that my life would also have lots of newly spare time. Yeah right! What I took a week to realise was that Covid Lockdown No 1 in the UK, whilst unbearably restrictive for normal people, was actually at least double, if not triple or quadruple what I am capable of doing. Pfft! Turns out even a now moderately severe ME/CFS person is significantly more restricted by their illness than what the whole of the UK, in a sweeping generalisation, saw as restrictions they never want to be under again, but for me, represented unimaginable freedoms. Who knew! Yeah, turns out self awareness of my own abilities is significantly weaker then I thought, this may explain why I strand myself so often amongst half done stuff. Anyway, it turned out I didn't have any extra spare time, so my intentions of daily posting hit the buffers before they got underway.
Nevertheless, I was asked to write something for The 25% Group charity newsletter, and as during that initial first Covid lockdown period I was given the opportunity to join a group 10 week course run by the local ME/CFS Unit, that I'd never ordinarily have been able to attend in person, thanks to the Lockdown, it was on Zoom, and magically my world opened out in unimaginable ways, being able to do stuff I couldn't usually, that's what I wrote about - under the umbrella of REST.
The course itself was run by the head of the ME/CFS unit in Lincolnshire, Lynsey Woodman. She'd been making home visits to me, initially I think every month or other month or quarterly (can't remember) to help me try and stabilise after the move, and then via Zoom. And then she talked about the 10 week (10 module) course, and I nearly bit her hand off accepting a place on it.
It covered a wide range of topics, and since the course, I've been taking one Module at a time, the first was Sleep, trying to put it into practice properly before moving onto the next. I'm currently on the second Module - Energy. Yeah what can I say, a year per Module? Why not, it's not like I've got anything better to do...
Anyway the Article - ALL ABOUT REST - was written shortly after the course and drew together the strands from the whole course that fed into resting.
Why did I write about this? Because it's something that's frowned on in our society, most of us have no idea how to do it, and it's a key skill for managing fatigue and our bodies are built to need it.
Part 1 - HERE
Part 2 - HERE
Part 3 - HERE
If I was brighter, I'd know how to format them to be easy to print. I'm not. Apologies, one day I will work it out. But not this day.
THE 25% ME GROUP https://25megroup.org/
From their About Us page:
About the 25% M.E. Group
There are approximately 200,000 people in the UK who suffer from M.E. Some do recover. However, approximately 25% of sufferers remain long term ill and severely disabled by the disease. Many are left isolated, housebound or even bedbound by the effects of the illness. It affects people from all walks of life, all age groups and can strike when you are least expecting it.
The 25% M.E. Group exists to support all who have the severe form of M.E. and those who care for them. This includes people who are housebound, bedbound and wheelchair users.
At present there is no other organisation concerned specifically with the needs of the severely affected.
This website is devoted to providing support to this group.
The 25% M.E. Group is a unique nationwide community based voluntary group. We have two paid members of staff and a number of volunteers – most of whom have M.E. We provide a range of services to people affected by severe M.E. (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis).
Because of the intensity of the symptoms and disabilities experienced by severe M.E. sufferers we seek to alleviate the isolation which having this illness can cause. The 25% ME Group encourages: communication between members; participation in the Group at a number of levels; assistance with articles and information for the newsletter etc. These are just some of the initiatives employed by the group.
Services We Offer
Twice Yearly Newsletter
Group Library
Practical and Emotional Support
Advocacy
Welfare Advice and Assistance
Listening Ear Helpline
Various Fund Raising Initiatives
Special Interest Groups organised by members themselves
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