Monday, February 26, 2007
What shall I do?
Well because lately I have been feeling a little better (on the whole) compared to say this time last year I have been thinking about the possibility of doing a little part time work. It’s a difficult one though because I would like a little mental stimulation and something to get “stuck into to” but without too much responsibility on me in case I have a bad day. Have any other ME sufferers out there found a happy balance between work and rest?
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3 comments:
Hi Sarah,
It really is a difficult one. On the one hand you want to get your life back on track, on the other you have this panic about the thought of overdoing it and falling back to square one. It really is about finding a nice balance that your body is comfy with and then gradually increasing the level of work that you do.
If you are like me and hate sitting around doing nothing, then you really have no choice but to try and get back out there again. I think most people with CFS feel like this and do much too soon. However, the worst thing you can do is worry about this and do nothing. There have been people with CFS who have tried to continually rest and just got worse and worse.
I was lucky in that my job(s) were very flexible. I (still) am a PhD. student so my work is on my own time, and during my recovery I did teaching when I felt up to it and worked for the disability service of my university. Both jobs were very flexible and if I didn't feel up to it, I just didn't do it and this was ok. In saying this, I had 2 major setbacks with this approach that just snuck up on me.
My advice would be to start at a very low-level 1 or 2 hrs per week and get your confidence up again. Then, gradually, when you start to believe that your body can handle it, increase to 3 or 4 hrs per week and try that for a while. Continue this at your own pace.
Of course finding a job with this kind of flexibility is not easy. It is not often that you have full control of your working hours like this. May be you could think about volunteering first, this could in the end up lead to a good career or at the very least be very rewarding (even without the £££) and get your life back.
I read a really good book about this that might help you. It was only a couple of pounds and worth every penny. I will dig it out and post a link to it and a short review on my blog.
Hope this helps,
Dave
http://livingwithcfs.blogspot.com
Hi Sarah,
I'm sorry I haven't got around to reviewing that book for you. I will get around to it eventually I promise. For now the title is (very similar to your blog) Coping with Chronic Fatigue by Trudie Chaulder. It is a great wee book that deals only with one aspect of the illness - the tiredness. It takes a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)approach to changing the way you think about your illness and the way in which you manage your daily tasks (life). Basically it gives some good advice on how to grade your progress from ill to normal and how to deal with setbacks etc. I thoroughly recommend it.
Now for the real reason for my post. I was reading Ellie's blog this morning and she has just written a wonderful entry about returning to work. I also recommend you check it out. I have posted a reply to her but it is queued for moderation.
Hope you are well,
Dave
Since you can write, you should attempt freelancing for magazines and newspapers. Though it is not especially lucrative, it will make you some money. Perhaps when you are recovered (and that WILL happen) you can turn that writing resume into a staff position at a publication. Just a suggestion...
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