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Book: "It's Not the Strongest That Survives: A search for answers in the battle against glandular fever and ME/CFS" (2024) by Lily Whelan
- Thread starter Dolphin
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Dolphin
Senior Member (Voting Rights)
I can see quite a bit of it can be read here:
https://books.google.ie/books?hl=en...=onepage&q="chronic fatigue syndrome"&f=false
https://books.google.ie/books?hl=en...=onepage&q="chronic fatigue syndrome"&f=false
Arnie Pye
Senior Member (Voting Rights)
This is the Amazon link :
Code:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Its-Not-Strongest-That-Survives-ebook/dp/B0D3LFS5YQ/ref=sr_1_1Dolphin
Senior Member (Voting Rights)
Thanks. I’ve put that in now.
Dolphin
Senior Member (Voting Rights)
From the latest Action for ME magazine:
Star letter
The impact of word and action I read with interest your article Cultivating Creativity in the Spring 2024 issue of your magazine, and it inspired me to tell you about my own journey from being bedridden to having a semi-active life as a mum and author.
Like you said in the article’s introduction, writing can become a vocation for some people with ME/CFS, and that is certainly what it is for me.
I always planned on becoming a scientist. Illness brought a halt to my studies halfway through my degree course in the late 90s. I remember wondering if I would ever find fulfilment, but now I am happily married with a teenage son, and I appreciate every moment of health that I have. Initially, I turned to writing out of frustration. There were so many ARGH! moments in my life that made me think, right, that’s it, I’m telling my story. Like when a GP assessed my health by measuring my thighs. Or when friends made ‘helpful’ comments such as “You’re not still ill, are you?” I also wanted to pass on the lessons that the illness taught me and to write the book that I wished I could have read when my condition was at its worst.
After 15 years of writing and relapsing, my story, It’s Not the Strongest that Survives, was finished and has just been published. The story starts with me contracting glandular fever aged 17, and covers everything from me developing autoimmune diseases and food intolerances, to finally being diagnosed with chronic EBV (the virus that causes glandular fever).
I wrote it as candidly and as openly as possible, because I don’t think people are going to understand how this illness makes us feel unless we show them. I’m hoping that my book will achieve three main things. I want to explain to doctors how crucial it is for ME/CFS patients to be thoroughly investigated to identify their underlying medical conditions. I want to show the friends and families of those with ME (as well as the public) how much their words and actions can affect us – both positively and negatively.
I want to say to people with ME that they can find fulfilment, so please hang on in there.
Lily Whelan
Editor’s note: Congratulations on sharing your story, Lily – and also for being our Star Letter winner. An Action for M.E. goodie bag is heading your way!
Star letter
The impact of word and action I read with interest your article Cultivating Creativity in the Spring 2024 issue of your magazine, and it inspired me to tell you about my own journey from being bedridden to having a semi-active life as a mum and author.
Like you said in the article’s introduction, writing can become a vocation for some people with ME/CFS, and that is certainly what it is for me.
I always planned on becoming a scientist. Illness brought a halt to my studies halfway through my degree course in the late 90s. I remember wondering if I would ever find fulfilment, but now I am happily married with a teenage son, and I appreciate every moment of health that I have. Initially, I turned to writing out of frustration. There were so many ARGH! moments in my life that made me think, right, that’s it, I’m telling my story. Like when a GP assessed my health by measuring my thighs. Or when friends made ‘helpful’ comments such as “You’re not still ill, are you?” I also wanted to pass on the lessons that the illness taught me and to write the book that I wished I could have read when my condition was at its worst.
After 15 years of writing and relapsing, my story, It’s Not the Strongest that Survives, was finished and has just been published. The story starts with me contracting glandular fever aged 17, and covers everything from me developing autoimmune diseases and food intolerances, to finally being diagnosed with chronic EBV (the virus that causes glandular fever).
I wrote it as candidly and as openly as possible, because I don’t think people are going to understand how this illness makes us feel unless we show them. I’m hoping that my book will achieve three main things. I want to explain to doctors how crucial it is for ME/CFS patients to be thoroughly investigated to identify their underlying medical conditions. I want to show the friends and families of those with ME (as well as the public) how much their words and actions can affect us – both positively and negatively.
I want to say to people with ME that they can find fulfilment, so please hang on in there.
Lily Whelan
Editor’s note: Congratulations on sharing your story, Lily – and also for being our Star Letter winner. An Action for M.E. goodie bag is heading your way!
I read the story a while back, and I agree. Well written and easy to read.
From memory, Lily reports having chronic EBV, with periodic flares of substantiated active EBV disease, but also with ME/CFS. I meant to go back and read it again not focussed on the story but instead on the symptoms and disease course.
