Long time absent

I'm still alive! Grin!

We've been doing a lot of stuff (including ordering a new Motability car yesterday) and I haven't had time and energy to update.

But I'm trying to keep photos uploaded in a relatively timely manner on my Flickr account.

Back yard from the bathroom window



The back yard is looking wonderful at the moment - the lilies and the wonderfully scented mock orange are in full flower. My only complaint is that it's been mostly too cold to sit out and enjoy.

Mock orange



Wish I had smell-o-vision for the mock orange photo!

John took this photo of our back yard earlier this evening.

International ME/CFS Awareness Day 2008

Blogging for ME/CFS Awareness 2008



Denise Vella


M.E Awareness 2008 in Malta

This year one of the youngest M.E sufferers and members of our email support group, Denise Vella, will be taking care of raising and creating awareness about M.E in Malta.

The last 3 years have been difficult for Denise because she did not accept her condition fully. As a result her relationships with friends and teachers were strained due to the fact that she did not explain what she was feeling and her friends thought they were being rude if they asked.

So as this year she is attending a new school (Sixth Form), she has decided to start afresh. On her first day at school she spoke out about her different needs, what she could manage to do and what she couldn't. She was surprised by the students' and teachers' response.

Taking heart, she decided to do the Systems of Knowledge* project (a very important academic project) about pushing for ME Awareness. This entails a lot of energy and work on her part as you can imagine. Financial support was difficult to find however a generous anonymous sponsor has answered Denise' plea and offered to help.

Mr Brian Grech, the photographer chosen for both the poster and the leaflet came up with the idea of using Denise for the poster. Her parents are presently distributing Awareness posters and leaflets in hospitals, clinics, schools and where ever will make a difference to our cause.

ME Sufferers Malta


* Systems of Knowledge is taken at post-secondary level of education (16-18 year-olds) and covers a wide area of Knowledge (interdisciplinary). It also includes a project - the topic of which must be dealt with in an analytic, descriptive and reflective manner. Unless students pass this exam/assessment at the end of sixth form, they will not be able to enter the University of Malta.

Many thanks to Rebecca of ME Sufferers Malta for this information about Systems of Knowledge in Malta.

Off to Cambridge

View from Spindrift Court, 27 April 2008

We intended to travel to London and stay with Sarah for the weekend, but John has had food poisoning the last few days. He has recovered enough for us to travel to Cambridge today, so that we can attend the MERUK New Horizons 2008 Conference tomorrow. I'm so looking forward to it, it's years since I went to a conference.

I spoke to Dr Neil Abbot early last week when I telephoned to pay for the conference. He told me that there are about 130 people booked, and that someone from the MRC is coming. Lets hope that they do actually turn up!

Better pop off now and finish packing!



View from Spindrift Court, 26 April 2008

PS part of my photos are cut off down the right side. If you want to see the whole picture, click on it and you will be taken to the Flickr Website where you can even bigify it it if you want.

Royal Society of Medicine CFS Conference, Monday 28 April

We're struggling on here in Liverpool at the moment, life enhanced by a visit from my favourite visitor again - it's always lovely to have Brodie cat staying with us.



Too much happening to catch up just now, but my friend Suzy has asked me to post this on my blog to help publicise the campaign to send postcards to the Royal Society of Medicine to protest about their conference on CFS that happens near the end of this month.


"On a Postcard, please" Campaign. Have you sent yours in, yet?

Suzy Chapman has asked me to remind you that there's still time to send a postcard to the Royal Society of Medicine in protest against their forthcoming "CFS" conference, on Monday 28 April, in London.

The conference claims to be taking a "a broad look at chronic fatigue syndrome" but Professors Simon Wessely and Peter D White were members of the RSM's Conference Planning Committee and the speakers are mostly drawn from psychiatric/psychological backgrounds.

The line-up includes Profs Simon Wessely (KCL), Peter White (BARTS, PACE), Matthew Hotopf, Rona Moss-Morris (CBT/GET), Chris Dowrick (FINE Trials) and Dr Anthony Cleare (IoP) and the session chairs include Professor Mansel Aylward (Unum Provident Centre for Disability) and Richard Baker (NICE).

Read what the national UK ME organisations are saying about this conference here

For the address to send your postcard and a copy of the Campaign Flyer go here.

For a copy of the RSM CFS Conference Programme go here.

It's not long, now. Please let the RSM know what you think!

Snow!

It's snowing quite hard. Quite a surprise after the sunshine for the Grand National at Aintree. It was forecast, but we mostly don't get snow here in Liverpool.

One of the horses I bet on came in second - beat one of John's bets at the end. So we think I'll be about even on my bets, and John won't have lost much. Sunshiney day and it's fun to watch the big race if you have a small bet on it. We had a bottle of champagne to toast our luck!

More news when more time!