...DEFEAT Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: ...............................................................You don't have to live with it
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ME/CFS Recovery - Every Day Counts

4/2/2013

2 Comments

 
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© 2013 TSM
I have a long-term goal, which I have been aiming to accomplish.  I make progress in some ways but fall short in others.  It’s been a struggle.  I made a recent decision to rethink my time management around this goal and remembered a favorite quote from Annie Dillard, “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”  And I started to see the parallels between my recent approaches to this new goal and how I had initially reacted to my struggle with ME/CFS.  My approach had been inconsistent and I misunderstood the need to apply myself every day to my desire to get well.

So much of what I did in those early days of ME/CFS came out of frustration and anger.  But even when I moved past that, I still wasn’t focused on the importance of how I spent each and every day.  It took a while before I began to see each day as a building block, which was added to the day before. 
And so on until I had built up a week of days, then a month of days and eventually many months and finally a year of days.  That added up to 365 days in a row of consciously working toward recovering my health.  When I finally understood the value and rewards of daily focus, that was when I began to see real progress.

So our lives do reflect how we spend our days.  And one day at a time, each and every day, you can make progress toward regaining your health.  That’s the only way I was successful.  How do you focus on your recovery every day?  What are your strategies?  Please COMMENT or Send in your thoughts and I’ll post them.  You can use the Contact Form or send an email to Martha at DefeatCFS dot net.

Look for a weekly posting on Tuesdays.  And consider being part of the conversation.

Be Well Again,

Martha

2 Comments
Tim Boland
4/8/2013 09:28:46 am

I pray to be like the ocean, with soft currents, maybe waves at times. More and more, I want the consistency rather than the highs and the lows.
~ Drew Barrymore

One of the things which I find most remarkable about your blog and your book, Martha, is the parallel with what you say and with my own life. At first, when I started to develop more serious symptoms, I had no idea what it was and first going to a naturopath, who advised that I pursue a certain kind of diet, which was in the end no help at all. But she performed lots of tests, and finally I had my diagnosis from my doctor.

I wonder if many people undergo these steps, that of disbelief, confusion, anger and resentment, and a kind of acceptance. I don’t mean that we need to accept our present physical condition as lasting forever, but simply that there is something out of balance, something not right. As you have said, giving ourselves permission to be ‘sick’ and not pretending, or trying to pretend, that everything is fine and okay.

From that, I have been better able to follow your ‘prescription’ for having a consistent, steady approach to wellness. I am not there fully. But I do see huge changes over the past two years when I became more proactive rather than simply sitting for the most part, watching television. I still tend to overdo but today for example, I felt quite tired after working for awhile, so I went up to take a nap and feel much more refreshed, and usually I keep my higher activity to the morning hours and then a gentle walk and rest. My body is the final barometer and when I listen, he tells me how I feel and how much I can do. I’d rather be well than lead a frantic or hurried life style.

Reply
Martha
4/9/2013 12:45:52 am

Thanks Tim for your always insightful comments! Recovering from ME/CFS is a personally challenging path that should be walked each and every day. Consistently. Doggedly. With intentional choices in order to be well again. I hope that we can support each other on a successful journey back to wellness.

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    Hello,  I'm
    Martha Kilcoyne

    Welcome
     to our Community!

    After struggling with CFS for four years I am fortunate now to be fully well and making choices about how I want to live my healthy life.  One choice is to be an active part of the CFS community and to offer one voice from the fully recoverd to the dialogue.  I'm glad you're here!   For more about me, here's my Bio.

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