Liz's health

A few months ago we wrote a ‘question and answer’ style blog about finances (if you missed it click here to read it now). People seemed to like the style and so we decided we’d do another one, this time about another current ‘hot topic’… Liz’s health!

So you’ve been ‘unwell’ for quite a while, Liz. When did it start?
I first felt ill in December 2009. I had had a series of various viruses so we assumed it was just a ‘tummy bug’ first of all but I didn’t recover as we’d hoped I would.

Have your symptoms stayed the same all that time?
No. First of all I was nauseous and vomiting frequently, then I also became very tired and weak with muscle aches (Dec-Apr). For a lot of this time I could do very little apart from lie down. From May(ish) 2010 until now I have had a lot less vomiting but the fatigue, intermittent nausea, muscle aches and inability to concentrate have continued.

What have you done to try to get a diagnosis?
When we were in Tanzania we visited four different doctors/clinics, two in Mbeya and two in Dar es Salaam. All tests came out clear but various doctors recommended drugs (antibiotics) for different things. Since returning to the UK I’ve been to the Centre for Clinical Vaccinology & Tropical Medicine in Oxford and two different GPs (as we’ve moved around the country). All tests have been clear, ruling out lots of different things but not diagnosing anything clearly. My most recent visits to the GP (the last one being this morning!) have resulted in him giving a diagnosis of Post-viral Fatigue Syndrome, otherwise known as ME or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

So what does that mean? What can you do to get better?!
There is no simple cure for ME (as yet). The most important thing is to rest a lot and not to do more than you have energy for. It is better to take frequent rests and pace yourself rather than keep going until you are exhausted.

How long might it be before you are ‘back to full health’?
That is not easy to say. Some people who suffer from ME recover within a few months, some take years and some never fully recover. It differs a lot from person to person. We are trusting that I will get better but it may take time.

What is there that you wish other people knew about how you feel?
ME has no obvious physical signs so most of the time you see me I’ll look totally normal. How I feel is very variable, some days I feel that I could do almost anything I want to, whilst other days I am exhausted by just having a shower and getting dressed. I can’t stand up for very long or walk a long way. I still very much enjoy being with people but I don’t always have the energy to ‘throw myself into’ socialising as I want to. So if I’m with you and I’m quiet don’t worry – I enjoy just ‘soaking up’ the company.

What can people do to help?
Firstly, pray! We believe I can be fully well again. Please join us in seeking full healing. Please also be understanding if plans change, or we meet up and I can’t do as much as we might normally. Also, please come and visit whenever you can! We can’t do as much travelling as we might normally want to at the moment but we still love to see people! Finally, Matt has had to take a lot of the strain practically and emotionally over the last 14 months. Please think of him, and support him as you can, as he continues to care for me.

What has God been teaching you?
God has used this time, hard though it has been, to teach me lots of things: that my worth comes not from what I can do but who I am and that I am loved by God, the importance of taking each day as it comes, being thankful for the blessings I have, the importance of prayer, that God sustains me and His love casts out all fear. God has also brought Matt and I closer together and helped us to really support each other through the ups and downs.

We hope this helps to explain clearly how Liz is on a day-to-day basis, whilst also giving some more background to the situation. As ever if you have any questions, or thoughts on what we’ve written, please do get in touch. We really appreciate your support at this time.