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.

Sunday excursion

Felt really rough on Saturday, so just vegged in bed all day. Sunday it was so gorgeous out that we both felt we had to get out of the house. So wonderful to see so much sunshine.



Liverpool really is a city of cranes at present. I find them interesting - the angles they make against the sky and other buildings. And I love their colour against blue skies! Especially the red ones!



Baltic Fleet and cranes

Went to Gordale Nurseries first, where I was tempted by several plants (especially some of the euphorbias, but I worry about their nasty sap) but decided that I didn't really have the energy to look after any new plants right now. It was good fun to have a look at what is available at this time of year though, and it's so great to even begin to think about gardening again.

John trundled me as far as the kids' playground, when we heard some strange bird calls. We headed off towards them and found these strange birds:



What on earth are they? John made a guess at quail, but I didn't think quail had bald heads!

On to the flat afterwards, brought some more stuff home. Cooking notes Mum made at night school in the 1939-40 session. First recipe is lentil soup, followed by kidney soup. Not had time to read further yet. John went for a walk round the marine lake while I went through more bits and pieces.

It was very still, though very cold despite the sunshine. We watched a couple of kayackers paddling round the lake. Rather them than me!!! And then we watched the sun sink over the hills of Wales. Here's the last glimmer before it disappeared:



Today I went for my regular Monday evening counselling session. Been going for a few weeks now, was lucky enough to be able to contact the Counsellor I saw when I was fairly newly disabled with ME. She helped me a lot back then, and now I am seeing her for bereavement counselling. Today we began work on my Life Line. This is going to be painful I think, but I am convinced it will all help in the long term.



Sunday Traffic jam outside St Luke's Church. We think there must have been something on at the new stadium. Obvously this is something we are going to have to take account of when planning on driving through Liverpool!