My name is Cassey and I would like to share my experience with the battle against M.E.
5yrs ago I was a fit and healthy woman. At 7am every morning I would go to my local gym to do my hourly workout before going on to do my work in a garden centre. Back then I had my future all mapped out. I wanted to work hard, have nice holidays and a nice car. The children would have grown up and my husband and I would enjoy life to the full. This was a lesson I was to learn the hard way... Never take life for granted!
My story begins while I was working one day. I was working hard in the fields at the garden centre when I started to experience chest pains. I was taken to my local hospital and I was told I had a chest infection. From that day things were never the same. My energy levels dropped. At times I felt getting out of bed was such a struggle. My whole body started to ache and the symptoms in time got worse and worse. I had all sorts of tests which all came back clear and while I was pleased about that, it didnt explain why I felt so bad.
I remember visiting my GP and him asking me whether I had any problems with my marriage and that I should go home to sort it out after which my problems will disappear. I left in tears - my husband is wonderful and without him I would have fallen apart. It's a horrible situation to be in when you're in so much pain. The GP sent me then to a psychiatrist only to be told I was fine and had no mental health problems. Then I received another letter after the GP who referred my to a phsycologist and yet again I was fine. Next, the GP sent me for cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT). Once again, all clear. I was starting to get so fed up and thought that even my GP didn't believe me.
Then one day my regular GP was on holiday and I managed to see another GP. She was great and referred me to a Rheumatologist who ran some tests. My MRI scan showed cervical and lumber stenosis. I was then examined and he told me I had fibromyalgia and chronic pain syndrome. Althrough no one wants to be ill, it was reassuring that someone finally believed me. My GP then said my fatigue is due to M.E.
The point of my story is to say never take life for granted. Live life to the full and you know your own body. Never ever give up!