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What’s on today: Find out how I contracted chronic fatigue syndrome … PLUS … You may be interested in my new study of racism. And a short story that would make Agatha turn in her grave.
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CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME – THE BEGINNING
As regular readers will know, I have the condition, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I’m often asked questions about it, but apart from the occasional mention, I haven’t really written about it.
Why that is, I’m not quite sure. Maybe it is too close to the real me. But after the latest prompt I’ve decided to take the plunge. This, therefore, is the first of a number of posts about the condition and my life with it.
People often ask what causes it.
I’ll offer a theory of my own in a later post, but many ideas have been put forward. These include stress, a viral infection, exposure to chemicals such as organo-phosphates, and even radiation exposure.
Can any of these factors be found in my contracting the condition? Well, in the two years prior to it I was in a very stressful job. During that time I had viral infection after infection. And it doesn’t stop there.
I was in the Royal Air Force at the time.
And for those two years I was on emergency overseas reinforcement. Hence, I’d been inoculated against every disease known to man – apart from CFS, apparently – and I worked on a site with acute radiation hazards.
So take your pick. But life finally came to a head following a 3 day military exercise in which I’d had practically no sleep. I’d also cracked two ribs a couple of weeks before. Finishing at 8am on the morning, I jumped in the car to drive 200 miles for a period of leave. After 20 minutes I passed out at the wheel. To this day I don’t know how I stopped that car. But I’ve never felt ‘well’ since.
© Anthony North, January 2008
ONE BLOOD – A Study of Racism
You might be interested in this new series I’ve just started. In it I will examine various histories and theories concerning racism – what exactly is it, what atrocities has it caused, what lies behind its existence …
… access here …
Fiction Xtra – THE CASE OF THE ERRANT HUSBAND – Agatha Christie would turn in her grave
Matilda Green walked purposefully out of the village post office, realising she was late. Pension day was always a problem, as Mrs Evans, the post mistress, could chat for England. Not that Matilda minded that much. Although not a gossip herself, she so did like to keep up with village affairs …
… read more …
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