Want to have your say about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome / M.E?

I have had CFS for 4 years and have worked hard to get better. Now I am improving I wish to pass on information about the strategies that I have used as I found very little available and have been asked to write a book for friends and families of sufferers that will help to explain the condition and suggest ways people can help their loved ones. It is for part of a series of books covering a variety of illnesses including cancer, depression and diabetes and will be on sale in major shops so will hopefully reach a lot of people.

I want to include a wide spectrum of experiences and produce something that is useful to anyone with CFS/ME so I am asking if anyone wants to contribute and have their say. More information and details of how to contribute are below.

Sincerely,
Elizabeth Turp

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Want to have your say about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome / M.E?

I am doing some research into what the friends and families of people with M.E. can do to help them. This will form part of a book being published by Manchester University Press to be sold in major shops, and has the aim of improving the quality of life of both sufferers and their loved ones. I have the condition myself and am now making a good recovery, and want to pass on the information I have learned.

As you will know, there are not many books available about M.E, and it is difficult to explain to others how it feels. The book will describe the physical, emotional and practical effects, and offer tips on what friends and family can do. As this is different for everyone I am hoping to gather a range of opinions and ideas so that readers can pick what fits their situation best.

If you would like to contribute your experience and expertise, please write as little or as much as what you wish about what you would like people to do (or would have liked them to do at different points in your illness) via email at: lizahturp@hotmail.co.uk.

Please include your name, age and severity of illness if you wish to.

Some of the areas the book will cover are: physical symptoms; emotional effects; social; financial; work; domestic; family; community; mobility; leisure; other medical conditions; lifestyle; relationships; treatment / management; self-help; sleep problems; pacing; nutrition; relaxation.

Thanking you in anticipation,
Elizabeth Turp.

Volunteering Opportunities - www.do-it.org.uk

There is a super website called www.do-it.org.uk which has loads of volunteering opportunities on it and is easy to use. Free too. I have used it several times.

Relocating

Does anyone have experience of relocating out of a city to recover? I'm
faced with yet another noisy Bristol flat and have to move again, so am
thinking maybe I should move nearer my parents in Dorset while I'm at it.
But there's less chance of a social life there/interesting voluntary work
for when I'm able. My social life has seriously dwindled since leaving work
about 18 months ago, and I find I'm actually relishing my old folks' company
because they're people who know me! But I do realise it's probably best not
to hang out with them too much and need to mix and mingle with new people
too. Can anyone share their experience of doing something similar (moving
to the country) and managing to keep the social side active?

Many thanks
Johanna