Life in the slow lane

'M.E. myself and I' by Anna Redshaw

Welcome to Our ‘Normal’

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Anna Redshaw

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Swinging between sympathy for those who are so alien to this kind of isolation, and bitterness that so many initiatives on how to help people feel less isolated are suddenly coming into practice.

One of the places I sit each day, within the four walls of one of the two rooms I spend most of my time in

The rallying of support is heartwarming. Yet at the same time it’s heartbreaking for someone like me to see, because I’ve spent nine and a half years like this. 90% of almost a decade living as you have this week. Where the hell have you been for me and my chronically ill friends for whom this is all completely normal…

Do you get it now? After one week, do you get how our lives really are? How hard this is. How sad it feels to have to cancel plans you’ve been looking forward to for months, through no fault of your own. How lonely you feel. How frustrated.

There were no WhatsApp group daily chats or calls for online games or FaceTime “Just checking in” calls for us despite living years and years as you have had to for just one week. And you’re doing this while you have your health; while you can perhaps work from home or go for a walk or read a book or cram as much DIY into your day to keep you distracted. Guess what? We can’t do that.

All I, and those like me, can hope is that after all this is over, when you get back to your every day lives, that you never forget how much help and support you needed to get through just this first week of enforced Isolation.

Yeah I said it.

3 responses to “Welcome to Our ‘Normal’”

  1. Alison Cardy Avatar
    Alison Cardy

    Interesting to hear your feelings which I’m sure are shared by many with M.E. Unfortunately, even tho’ they think they’ve walked in our shoes, after only a matter of days, it has a different temp with community support …. to avoid feelings of isolation HA !
    Today, a friend asked my 77yr old husband, why we were self isolating. He is my carer but simply said “due to advice for age” but the fact my immune system, after 20 yrs with severe M.E., is shot doesn’t seem to come into the equation. Talk about the invisible disease. I also think this is going to be the long haul but when this is eventually over, sadly people will have short memories. Take Care xxx

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    1. Anna Redshaw Avatar
      Anna Redshaw

      You’re so right Alison. They will never ‘get it’. I’ve had more notifications on my phone in the past week than I think I have in the time I’ve been ill! I can’t keep up so have had to turn them off. We’re still too unwell to join in properly with even virtual support. I’m so sorry you’re feeling all of this too. Best wishes to you and your husband and I hope you stay safe x

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  2. Kate Avatar
    Kate

    Indeed!

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Hello,

I’m Anna

Welcome to M.E. myself and I, my tiny little corner of the internet where I share snippets of life in the slow lane. You’ll also find all things Blue Sunday here, the annual fundraising event I started in 2013 to raise awareness of M.E., include people living with the illness, and raise money for the M.E. charities who support us.

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