Author Archives: Anna Redshaw

Doing less gives me more. Mr Tree Surgeon and I were chatting recently about how I’m doing ‘okay’ at the moment. And we realised that I’m only doing okay because of the additional alterations I have made to my life, the concessions I make, and because of the constant compromises I have to make toContinue reading “Doing less gives me more”

12 cakes for 12 years of M.E. It’s that time of year again! When I treat myself to an M.E. Anniversary cake to mark another year of trying to make the best of a very hard situation. Self-indulgent? Probably. But it’s the least I or anyone else living like this deserves. I couldn’t find theContinue reading “12 years”

Two years ago, in September 2020, I woke up one day to find I had plummeted back into Severe M.E. For quite a few years, I had been lucky enough to not be in the severe category anymore. Although any severity of M.E. will see the patient experiencing Post Exertional Malaise (an exacerbation of symptomsContinue reading “Phoenix”

Hi to anyone else who has been conditioned to feel like an absolute fraud for being well enough to do A Thing. My mind doesn’t always go ‘there’ anymore, after being able to get out of the house or have visitors, but when it does it’s just so tiresome that my thoughts and worries spoilContinue reading “Second-guessing ourselves”

Full health isn’t the end goal for me. The goal for me, the same goal I’ve had for a long time now, is to be content and at peace with the way things are. What helps me most in striving for contentment is not fighting the feelings that are the complete opposite of being content.Continue reading “Spinning The Grief Wheel”

I am mostly oblivious to the fact that my life is not the same as most peoples’. I have moulded a nice little life, where I appreciate being able to brush my teeth, use the stairs, make my own coffee…for these are things I cannot do every day. Those feel like wonderful things. How couldContinue reading “Life in the bubble”

I have been feeling like I’m on an emotional and mental high after being well enough to interact with other people in-person recently. And ahead of Severe M.E. Day tomorrow (8th August) it’s made me think about how valuable human interaction is and how many people are too unwell to experience it. It’s very hardContinue reading “Human interaction – Severe M.E. Awareness Day”