About

I have had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome since 2003. I came down with a mild case of Glandular Fever and didn’t give myself a chance to rest properly and simply never recovered from it. CFS has shaped my entire adult life but I was always able to maintain work and study. My Chronic Fatigue became a real issue at the start of 2013. By June of that year I was no longer able to work or support myself, I lost contact with friends and became fearful of leaving the house; basically my life just fell apart. Multiple Chemical Sensitivity was found to be contributing to my fatigue, and I was diagnosed with Neurally Mediated Hypotension (a form of dysautonomia) in December 2013. In January 2014 I moved to Ocean Grove to avoid some of my allergens, namely car pollution and since then I have begun a very slow recovery. I now live in Canberra with the wonderful Dr. Guy and the beloved Nelson-dog.

I hope that by keeping a written record of my progress I will keep focused on the positives and be less overwhelmed by the bad days. As well as being a great cathartic experience, social connection and motivational support for me, I also hope to reach out to others with chronic illness and support them too, even if it’s only knowing that there is someone else out there facing the same issues as they are.

I hope you enjoy reading about my experiences as I try new ideas; help me celebrate my successes and sympathise with me when I make mistakes. Hopefully not too many mistakes.

Sincerely,
Claire