About Me

[Guest guest]

First of all I want to preface this e-mail by saying

that this is the best E-Group that I have ever been a

member of. The people here are absolutely wonderful;

caring, compassionate, and very supportive. I love

all of you and it has been a real pleasure reading the

posts every day. I have been a lurker as I am a kind

of shy person and need to be sure of the territory

before I volunteer my opinions and feelings.

A bit about me and my background so that you might

know me better:) :

I am a 51 year old single mom with a 15 year old

daughter living in the desert region of southern

California. I am on SSI and would consider myself on

the poverty level. However, my daughter and I are

good survivor types and we make due with whatever we

have the best that we can. I am on sub-standard

state-issued government Medi-Cal and needless to say,

I have a few doctor horror stories to share...and

there doesn't seem to be an end in sight!

I have had CFS since 1968. I had a horrific bout with

Mononucleosis when I was 17 that left me so ill that I

almost died. Since then, my EBV titer has been always

positive and always off the graph. I still did have

remissions throughout my life and even though I never

could have a normal life, I had my remission times to

play at being like everyone else. 15 years ago, about

one year after my daughter was born, I suffered my

second serious bout with Mono and after that, I have

never had a remission. My life has been a living hell

health-wise. I am always exhausted, can barely

function even on the most primitive level and have no

one except my daughter to help me. When she was a

child and unable to help me, I had a great female

roomie who helped me. Unfortunately for me but

wonderful for her, she moved out and got married and

now is living in Fresno. My daughter does the best

she can but she can't drive and I have to do a lot of

that as I live in a rural area with no other recourse.

I hate to drive as it takes so much out of me and

after I have to drive around for a day to various

doctor appointments, household errands, shopping,

going to the pharmacy, etc, I am so exhausted and in

pain that I sometimes cry. I have no family or

friends. My family is deceased. I am not feeling

sorry for myself just stating facts....sometimes it's

good when someone can write down their sad story..it

might make someone else feel as if their life is not

so bad!

Anyway, I also have Fibro especially in my back. I

have severe muscle spasms and no relief for that. At

night it's hard to sleep because of the stabbing pains

throughout my body. I also have a bad gallbladder and

have a very limited diet. I just went to an orthopedic

surgeon last week and after he looked at my neck

x-ray, he was aghast. He said he had never seen such

gross bony abnormalities. I also have osteoporosis

and bone spurs (osteophytes) in my upper back.

Needless to say, I am pain 90% of the time. Thank God

I was approved for SSI as there is no way that I could

work! This is very hard for me to accept as I had

worked my whole life and did not live in such poverty.

Anyway, I don't want to write too long of an e-mail

(it may get truncated) ...I just wanted to extend my

hand of friendship to the group! Take care all and be

well. Love, Lynne

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Lynne, I am so sorry to hear about all of your medical problems and you are

so young with such a young daughter. I wish that you did have someone close

to you to help out. I'm sorry that you have no close family but it is good

that you have your daughter to help out. She must be a very good girl to be

so helpful to her mother.

Is there anything that can be done about neck and are you on any medications

for pain. I know that you need that with all of your pain.

We are here if you need to talk about anything or if you want to rant and

rave about what fate has done to you. All of us have done that at one time

on another.

Jump in if you have questions or want information. Since you have been

reading the posts, you know you will get an answer from someone. In face,

more than one someone.

Take care,

Irene

Books may well be the only true magic

Alice Hoffman.