We take a break from our regularly scheduled programming for a health item.
Today is ME/CFS International Awareness Day. It’s on May 12th because it’s the birthday of Florence Nightingale. I love that fact as she was one of my favorite historical figures in my 4th grade history book.
I had plans to go to the grocery store today. I was super excited that I was actually going to be out on ME Awareness Day. I planned to wear blue and even contemplated putting a sign on my wheelchair that said, “Ask me about ME” or something.
Alas, I spent all morning resting on the couch, trying to tell myself I could go this afternoon, before I admitted it just wasn’t happening. My body has no energy (as in I can’t get out of bed at the moment) and the brain fog today has made concentrating or talking difficult.
Having ME is awful, and depending on which statistics you look at, an estimated 1 million Americans live with this disease and an estimated 15-30 million worldwide (many go undiagnosed). That number may have risen to 65 million worldwide since the COVID pandemic as many people with long-COVID meet the diagnostic criteria for ME.
I suppose it’s fitting that I have an ME crash on ME Awareness Day. I just hope this is one of the short ones.
Here is some information on ME:
CDC Article on ME Awareness Day.
What is Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome? from the Bateman Horne Center.
A. W. Downer 
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