An Inspiring and Hopeful Story

I'm still lying low, trying to wait out this crash and using most of my mental energy on actually earning some money for a change (some things are finally starting to open up again in the freelance world).

So, I thought I'd let someone else write today's blog post.  I received an e-mail letter this weekend.  When I read it, tears came to my eyes.  I asked the writer if I could share it here.  I hope you'll find it as inspiring as I did.

"I'm a 23 year old medical student that came down with a severe case of 
mononucleosis in December 2009. My case was unusual and difficult to 
diagnose, so I spent hours (hundreds, literally) on the internet 
researching, and often came up with your blog. It was an extremely 
scary time, because the 8 different doctors I saw couldn't tell me 
when or if I'd get better.

I'm happy (thrilled, ecstatic) to report I'm almost healed.  Yesterday 
I ran 2 miles, swam 20 laps, and feel great today. I'm on my way to 
the rock gym to climb for the first time since November.  This morning 
I found myself sitting outside, just thanking every particle of the 
universe for being alive and having good health.

I wanted to tell you, and everyone else that you are networked with 
and communicate with...this has changed my life path.  I know now that 
I will graduate medical school and go on to specialize in diseases 
like yours.  I never, ever thought it would take an experience as 
difficult as this one to make me realize what kind of physician I am 
destined to be.  I will never forget the experience of 3 months into 
my illness, seeing this particular doctor...I spent over a week 
planning out my visit, making a little list of symptoms, and was 
so...excited, that maybe I might have found someone that could finally 
help me.  I got there, waited anxiously for her to come in, and when 
she did...she hardly listened to me. I was given a bunch of Ambien and 
sent out the door. I remember coming home and actually crying because 
I was so distraught in the idea that the healthcare system, in which I 
had placed so much of my heart and future, was such a complete and 
epic failure.

I don't know if I healed myself. I worked hard to improve my sleep, my 
mental health (I got a pet cat!), and I slowly and gradually worked 
into an exercise program (which was really painful at first). I 
swallowed more vitamins than I knew existed. I took olive leaf, 
valerian, and coconut oil. I can't say for sure that any of those 
things was the one that did it.   I know that most likely I just had a 
severe case of mono, that was likely to end with time anyway. I know 
this is nothing like CFS, and I don't pretend that my 6 month 
experience was anything like your 8 year one. But this feeling of 
being 'reborn'...I don't know how to describe it.  Every day I feel 
like I'm on borrowed time. I don't want to waste a second of it.

I promise, that as a future physician, you and everyone else that has 
CFS will experience something different from me.  I know now that 
there is a huge difference between 'curing' and 'healing'.  I'm 
committed to helping those who suffer from CFS, and other 
misunderstood chronic diseases as well, find the that path. I will be 
a healer.

I want to thank you, personally, for providing such insight just 
through your personal experiences."

Thank YOU, Jennifer, for reminding us that some people do recover and for giving us hope for the future of CFS healthcare.  You're going to be an amazing doctor!

P.S. I do think she had CFS.  Dr. Bell told me once that many people with virally-triggered CFS (especially post-mono/EBV) recover within the first year and are never even accurately diagnosed with CFS.  In fact, the length of time it usually takes for someone to get diagnosed with CFS (a year for me) probably skewers the recovery data and misses many of the milder cases that resolve themselves.