Edinburgh M.E. Self help Group

When I first had ME, I was pretty well bed bound. My legs were so weak that I managed to the bathroom by holding on to the radiators and doors for support. Having a bath was a major event and I wouldn’t attempt to wash my hair on the same day as the bath. I couldn’t find the right words to name certain objects. It was as if my brain was on pause. I was very weak for around two years. And then slowly, very slowly, I began to feel the strength return to my body. I could think again, my vocabulary began to return and my body felt stronger. There were setbacks which were very disheartening but I just seemed to get slowly stronger. I had in the past, pushed myself beyond my energy limits because I wanted to be like my old self. That always backfired and I’d end up in bed aching and foggy-brained. The days when I was bed-bound are long gone. I get out most days: meet friends, go to the shops, watch a movie, see my family. I still have to be careful about how much I take on. I live within my limitations and now that I’ve accepted that life is easier.