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April 2012
April 2012
Swindon M.E. Support Group - News Issue 11
What’s in This Issue
Swindon M.E. Support Group - News April 2012 Issue 11
Page 1
Visual Guide to CFS
Page 2
What is Easter?
Page 3
Ten Uses for Soap
Easter Humour
Page 4
Creative Writing Corner
Page 5
10 Things to Stop Doing
Contact Us
Page 6
Things to start doing for yourself
Page 7
Visual Guide to CFS -continued
Page 8-9
Things to start doing for yourself
continued
Vitamin B12 Trial
Page 10
Visual Guide to CFS- continued
Page 11
Membership Form
Page 12
Venue and map for ME Meetings
Visual Guide to CFS – continued
Micro Story- The Shopping List
Page 1
Taken on 15/03/2012 from
http://www.webmd.boots.com/a-to-z-
guides/ss/slideshow-cfs-me-overview
Visual Guide to CFS
What is chronic fatigue
syndrome (CFS)?
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS),
also known as ME (myalgic
encephalomyelitis), is a complex
illness involving debilitating fatigue
along with other symptoms. The
fatigue is severe enough to
interfere with daily activities and is
not relieved by bed rest. Although a
standard treatment for CFS has yet
to be developed, many people
improve through personalised
exercise and stress management
programmes.
CFS: Symptoms
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)
can now be diagnosed by looking
for a pattern of specific symptoms -
physical and brain-related, but the
causes of the illness are still a
mystery. Possible culprits include a
faulty immune system, nutritional
deficiency or a viral infection that
somehow triggers CFS. Scientists
are also exploring a possible
connection to sleep disorders,
anaemia, low blood pressure or
other metabolic abnormalities.
CFS: Intense fatigue
Everyone feels sluggish now and
then. The difference with chronic
fatigue syndrome is that the fatigue
is overwhelming and lasts for at least
four months. It may get worse after
physical or mental exertion, and a full
night's sleep provides little, if any,
relief. The fatigue is often
accompanied by other troubling
symptoms, such as chronic pain.
Thousands of candles can be lighted
from a single candle, and the life of
the candle will not be shortened.
Happiness never decreases by being
shared.
Buddha
Recurring pain
Many people with chronic fatigue
syndrome develop recurring pain,
including headaches, sore throat,
muscle pain and joint pain. The
joints may hurt without showing
signs of redness or swelling. The
cause of these symptoms is not
well understood, but the pain can
often be managed through
medicine or physiotherapy.
Continued page 7
ME Support Group
Meeting 18th April
7.00-9.00pm
The Speaker for April will be
Lynn Blyth from the Alternative
Therapy unit. She will be
giving us a talk on herbs and
their benefits in alternative
therapies. So do come along to
find out more.
April 2012
April 2012
Swindon M.E. Support Group - News Issue 11
Page 2
What is Easter?
Taken on 3/04/2021 from: http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/ customs/easter.html#what
Easter is the time for holidays,
festivals and a time for giving
chocolate Easter eggs. But Easter
means much more....
Easter is the oldest and the most
important Christian Festival, the
celebration of the death and coming
to life again of Jesus Christ. For
Christians, the dawn of Easter
Sunday with its message of new life
is the high point of the Christian
year.
What is the Easter story ?
Easter is the story of Jesus' last
days in Jerusalem before his
Easter story includes Maundy
Thursday (the Last supper leading
to the Eucharist), Good Friday (the
day on which Jesus was crucified)
and Easter Day (the day on which
Jesus came back to life).
It is a sad story because Jesus was
killed. But the story has a very
happy ending, because Jesus came
back to life and visited his friends
and followers once more. He did not
die at all, but went back up to
Heaven to be with God, his father.
Where does the name 'Easter'
come from?
Pagan traditions give us the English
word "Easter" which comes from the
word "Eostre". The Anglo-Saxon
word for April was "Eostre-monath"
(the month of openings). However, it
should be remembered that
Christians celebrated the
resurrection of Christ long before
the word "Easter" was used, and the
word they used for the celebration
was "Pascha", which is derived from
and linked to the Jewish festival of
Passover.
According to Bede, the English
monastic historian, the English word
Easter comes from the Anglo-
Saxon name for the month of April,
which was known as
"Eostremonath" in the AngloSaxon
tongue and since Pascha was most
often celebrated in Eostremonath,
the English Christians began calling
it "Easter". Bede also notes that the
month was named after the Anglo-
Saxon goddess Esostre.
Rituals related to the goddess
Eostre focus on new beginnings,
symbolized by the Easter egg, and
fertility, which is symbolized by the
hare (or Easter bunny).
What happens on Easter Sunday
today?
Christians gather together on
Easter Sunday for a Sunrise
Service. This service takes place on
a hill side so everyone can see the
sun rise.
Some Christians take part in an
Easter vigil, lighting a new fire
outside the church early on Sunday
morning. The Paschal candle,
decorated with studs to celebrate
Christ's wounds, may be lit from the
fire and carried into the church
where it is used to light the candles
of the worshippers. The Easter
Eucharist is a particularly joyful
service. It is a popular time for
baptisms and renewal of baptism
vows. Some churches have an
Easter Garden. A stone is placed
across the mouth of a tomb before
Easter, then rolled away on Easter
morning.
The traditional Easter gift is a
chocolate egg.
The Traditional Egg Gift
The first eggs given at Easter were
birds eggs. These eggs were
painted in bright colours to give
them further meaning as a gift.
As chocolate became more wide
spread in the 20th Century, a
chocolate version of the traditional
painted egg was developed. The
size of the chocolate egg has grown
over the years and is now more
likely to be the size of an ostrich
egg rather than a small birds egg.
Easter Presents
Chocolate eggs are given to
children. The eggs are either hollow
or have a filling, and are usually
covered with brightly coloured silver
paper. Around 80 million chocolate
eggs are eaten each year in Britain.
Easter Egg Hunt
Small chocolate eggs are hidden for
the children to find on the traditional
Easter Egg Hunt. In recent years
this game has been linked to the
Easter Bunny, which only arrived in
England relatively recently.
Other customs involving eggs
Easter cards
Easter cards arrived in Victorian
England, when a stationer added a
greeting to a drawing of a rabbit.
The cards proved popular.
Special Food at Easter
After the lean months of winter and
the fast weeks of Lent, food at
Easter was always a special treat.
Easter day, like Christmas day, is
also associated with special food.
Boiled eggs are traditionally served
at breakfast, then Easter cards and
gifts may be exchanged.
Roast lamb, which is the main dish
at Jewish Passover, is the
traditional meat for the main meal
on Easter Day. It is served with mint
sauce and vegetables.
The traditional Easter pudding is
custard tarts sprinkled with currants
and flat Easter biscuits. Simnel
cake is baked for tea.
April 2012
April 2012
Swindon M.E. Support Group - News Issue 11
Page 3
Taken from : http://www.curbly.com/users/diy-
maven/posts/2056-top-10-uses-for-bar-soap-
besides-the-obvious 31/03/2012
10. Lubricant.
Stuck drawers or windows? Rub a
bar of soap on your drawer glides
and the bottoms of the sides to
ease sticky drawers. For windows,
rub the soap on the sliding
elements.
9. Deodorizer.
Place a bar of your favourite soap
inside your suitcase or your
drawers to keep them smelling
fresh. The same goes for your car;
a bar of pleasingly scented soap
might be just the thing after that
new car smell has faded–or never
was.
8. Repellent.
Problem with rabbits and deer in
the garden? Making soap sachets
out of a particularly pungent soap–
Irish Spring seems to work
particularly well–will help protect
your plants from marauders.
7. Artist medium.
When we were kids, my sibs and I
used to carve figures out of bar
soap. When we–or Mom–grew tired
of our creations, we used them to
lather up in the tub. And don’t throw
away the slivers the kids carve off
the bar; sift them into a toe of a
clean sock for more clean fun at
bath time.
6. Lubricant Part 2.
When faced with a particularly dense
piece of wood, lube the tip of your
screws in a bar of soap for easier
penetration. You can lube your saw
blades as well, for the same effect.
5. Pin cushion.
Wrap a bar of soap in a bit of cloth
and use it as a pincushion. Again,
the soap will act as a lubricant,
making them easier to insert into
fabric.
4. Pre-treater.
Instead of spending a bunch of
money on those spray pre-treaters,
try bar soap instead. Simply wet it
and rub in on the stain before
washing.
3. Dirty fingernail prevention.
Before you do your next gardening
project, scrape your fingernails over
a bar of soap. The resulting soap
accumulation will keep dirt from
getting under your fingernails and
will wash away at clean up.
2. Soot prevention.
If you’re planning a cook out using a
cast iron pot, rub a bar of soap over
the bottom of the pot before you set
it over the open flame. The soap will
make for easy cleanup, as the soap
will prevent the soot from
accumulating.
And the number 1 use for bar soap
(besides the obvious)...
Insect bite anesthetic.
Apparently, a dampened bar of soap
rubbed on insect bites will alleviate
itching. Who knew?
DISCLAIMER
Please note that none of the hints and tips
or any suggested remedy’s or courses
mentioned in this newsletter are tested or
promoted by the Editor and therefore are
used or tested at your own risk. The
Editor takes no responsibility for any
damages that arise from any direct or
indirect result of reading the contents of
this newsletter
Easter Humour
Q: What do you call ten rabbits
marching backwards?
A: A receding hareline.
Q: What do ducks have for lunch? A: Soup and quackers!
Q: Why did the rabbit cross the
road? A: Because it was the chicken's day off.
Q: What do you call a bunny with a
dictionary in his pants?
A: A smarty pants.
Q: What do you call a bunny with a
large brain?
A: An egghead.
Q: What would you call the Easter
Bunny if he married a chicken? A: The very first rabbit to lay an egg!
Q: Why are people always tired in
April? A: Because they just finished a march
Q: Why did the magician have to
cancel his show? A: He'd just washed his hare and couldn't do
a thing with it.
April 2012
April 2012
Swindon M.E. Support Group - News Issue 11
April 2012 Page 4
Creative Writing Corner
They say that there is creativity in
all of us. Certainly when I was first
Diagnosed with CFS I was told to
do creative projects because
creativity uses the other side of the
brain and helps relieve stress.
At the time I started with fimo and
plastasine modelling (teddies) and
various bad attempts to knit.
More recently I discovered creative
writing which can include anything
from newsletter writing, poetry and
short 250 word stories.
The advantage of being creative is
that you create something from
nothing which gives a sense of
accomplishment.
Whether you sit in front of a pile of
materials and put them together or
in front of a blank piece of paper(or
computer document page) and write
something.
What you are doing is making a
difference. Each and every piece
you create should make you proud
because nobody else could have
produced what you just produced in
the way that you did. Every single
piece of art and creativity is unique.
With M.E. and CFS you often feel
helpless and frustrated because
you can’t do the things that you
want to and that adds to the stress
which in turn effects energy levels
but if you can make some time to
sit, with some nice music playing in
the battle and let your creative side
out.
Write a story, or a poem, paint or
draw a picture, knit, however you
feel you want to express yourself
and praise yourself when it is
finished because you did this, you
made this….
I would really love to hear back
from people whether they did
something creative and how they
felt about it. Maybe even email
some photo’s in of their work to
share with everyone.
The room was brightly lit with floral
green curtains at the window.
Sunlight flooded through the
gleaming window pane bouncing off
the sparkling lounge. The old man
sat at a small table by the side of an
open fire, steadily working with
pieces of wood.
‘Grandpa how long will you be?
Sarah asked as she stared solemnly
at his wrinkly gnarled hands as he
worked, oblivious to her presence.
Sighing she reached over and
tugged his cuff. ‘Grandpa.’
‘I’m sorry my dear’ he put down the
piece that he was working on ‘What
can I do for you?’
‘Oh Grandpa’ she said shaking her
head. ‘You didn’t even notice me
talking to you. I wanted to know
when you would be finished making
the boat, so we can go to the park’
The old man stared at her and
growled ferociously. He picked her
up and swung her aggressively up
into the air and brought her down
again.
She shrieked and giggled as she
flew through the air until he finally
dropped her safely on his knee.
‘Now what is it you want little lady’
he asked kissing her forehead.
‘Grandpa, what are you making?’
His eyes twinkled
‘What do you think I am making?’
She frowned and peered at it
closely.
I thought you were going to make a
boat but it doesn’t really look like a
The Toothpick © Milly Hayward
boat' she said disappointedly.
'Oh dear that will never do' he said.
'Why doesn’t it look like a boat?'
'It has to have a mast if it’s going to
be a boat silly' Her Grandpa shook
his head
‘I'm sorry my dear I afraid I just don’t
have quite the right kind of wood to
finish it today'
‘Oh Grandpa does that mean that
we can't go to the park? She had
been waiting excitedly for him to
finish it so that they could go down
to the pond and launch it.
Grandpa shook his head ‘No we can
still go to the park but I will have to
finish it another day.' he said
saddened at letting her down. Her
face fell and just as suddenly lit up.
‘Wait! She leapt to her feet. I have
an idea! Grandpa’
Sarah raced over to the kitchen
cabinet drawer and dragging it open,
she rummaged around and with an
exited shriek grabbed what she was
looking for.
‘Look Grandpa’ she said
triumphantly placing the item into his
hand.
‘Well, who’d have thought… What a
clever girl you are’ He turned the
wooden toothpick over in his hand.
‘Is it ok Grandpa? Will it fit?’ He
hesitated for a moment smiling at
her enthusiasm, before gently
positioning the toothpick into a small
hole in the top of the boat.
‘A perfect fit!' he said hugging her.
Thank you!’ ‘That’s ok Grandfather.
We make a great team don’t we?’
‘Yes we certainly do! Come on’ he
said grabbing her hand 'Let’s go
sailing.'
April 2012
April 2012
Swindon M.E. Support Group - News Issue 11
April 2012 Page 5
Taken on 3/04/2012 from
http://chronicfatigue.about.com/
Living Better with Fibromyalgia and
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - By Adrienne
Dellwo, About.com Guide - Updated
March 16, 2012
10 Things to Stop Doing to
Yourself with CFS & ME
When you have a chronic illness
like fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue
syndrome, you've got enough
working against you - you don't
need to make things worse for
yourself!
It's hard not to. By society's
definition, something (other than
illness) is "wrong" with anyone who
isn't go, go, go, full speed ahead, all
the time.
We're expected to work long hours
at stressful jobs, be amazing
parents, have a perfectly clean
house and keep up with the
Joneses. If you can't, you must be
horribly flawed!
Getting out of that mind set is
difficult, but it's something that can
really benefit us and help us
improve. It takes work, though.
The first step is recognizing the
things you do in pursuit of this
idealized picture of who you're
"supposed" to be. Here are 10
damaging things to watch out for:
1.Overdoing it. Pacing is essential
for us; we'll only get worse if we do
more than our bodies can handle.
2.Criticizing yourself. You know
better than anyone that you really
are sick, so give yourself a break
already! When you catch yourself,
try replacing the critical message
with something like, "I'm doing the
best I can and that's all I can do." (It
sounds corny, but it works.)
3.Blaming yourself. It's not like you
asked for a chronic, debilitating
illness to come along and knock you
right out of your life. No matter what
some people may say, your illness
is not your fault!
4.Believing other people's negative
opinions. It's always going to hurt
when someone says you're "lazy" or
"crazy" or "worthless," but you can't
afford to believe them.
Someone who keeps going, the best
they can, through adversity is
stronger and more capable than
most. That's what you need to
remember.
5.Having unrealistic positive
expectations. We tend to put all of
our hope and faith in whatever
treatment we're trying.
All that does is set us up for a major
disappointment when we're not
suddenly cured. Approach
treatments with the attitude that any
improvement is a success, and
remember that we generally need to
use multiple treatments to truly
make progress.
6.Having unrealistic negative
expectations. On the flip side of the
coin, trying treatment after treatment
without success can make you feel
like nothing's going to help at all,
ever. That can prevent you from
trying new treatments that might
work, and it can also cause a
reverse-placebo effect - it won't
work because you expect it not to.
7.Putting yourself last. A lot of us
are willing to put all our energy into
the people around us, our jobs, our
responsibilities ... only to have
nothing left for ourselves.
It doesn't work. If you don't take care
of yourself first, you'll have less and
less to give until there's nothing left -
because you'll keep getting sicker.
Taking care of yourself is survival,
not selfishness.
8.Giving up too soon. When you try
a new treatment or lifestyle change,
it can take time for the effect to be
felt. If you give up too soon, you can
really miss out on long-term
benefits. Give your body time to
adjust to the change.
9.Letting stress overwhelm your life.
Our lives are full of stressors, and
being sick only adds to them. The
problem is, stress just makes our
symptoms worse. Find ways to
reduce or manage your stress so it
doesn't keep driving you into the
ground.
10.Asking why. We all want to know
why we're sick. Is it genetics? Your
diet? Vaccines? Pesticides?
Infection? Some sort of
punishment? Why did it strike you
and not the millions of other
people?
This line of questioning can lead to
a downward spiral of self-blame,
guilty feelings and increased stress.
Instead of "Why," we need to ask,
"What's going on in my body?"
That's the question that can
uncover the causes of symptom
clusters and lead to treatments.
By identifying the things you do and
focusing on breaking those bad
habits, you may be able to feel
better emotionally and physically. If
you feel overwhelmed, take one
item at a time.
CONTACT US
For M.E. Support Group Queries
please contact:
Julie Cushion Swindon ME Support Group (Chairperson)
From
Swindon M.E. Support
Group
April 2012
April 2012
Swindon M.E. Support Group - News Issue 11
April 2012 Page 6
Things to start doing for
yourself
1.Start spending time with the right
people. – These are the people you
enjoy, who love and appreciate you,
and who encourage you to improve
in healthy and exciting ways.
They are the ones who make you
feel more alive, and not only
embrace who you are now, but also
embrace and embody who you want
to be, unconditionally.
2.Start facing your problems head
on. – It isn’t your problems that
define you, but how you react to
them and recover from them.
Problems will not disappear unless
you take action. Do what you can,
when you can, and acknowledge
what you’ve done.
It’s all about taking baby steps in the
right direction, inch by inch. These
inches count, they add up to yards
and miles in the long run.
3.Start being honest with yourself
about everything. – Be honest about
what’s right, as well as what needs
to be changed.
Be honest about what you want to
achieve and who you want to
become. Be honest with every
aspect of your life, always.
Because you are the one person
you can forever count on. Search
your soul, for the truth, so that you
truly know who you are.
Once you do, you’ll have a better
understanding of where you are
now and how you got here, and
you’ll be better equipped to identify
where you want to go and how to
get there. Read The Road Less
Travelled.
4.Start making your own happiness
a priority. – Your needs matter. If
you don’t value yourself, look out for
Taken on 04/04/2012 From:
http://www.marcandangel.com/2011/12/18/
30-things-to-start-doing-for-yourself/
yourself, and stick up for yourself,
you’re sabotaging yourself.
Remember, it IS possible to take
care of your own needs while
simultaneously caring for those
around you. And once your needs
are met, you will likely be far more
capable of helping those who need
you most.
5.Start being yourself, genuinely and
proudly. – Trying to be anyone else
is a waste of the person you are. Be
yourself. Embrace that individual
inside you that has ideas, strengths
and beauty like no one else.
Be the person you know yourself to
be – the best version of you – on
your terms. Above all, be true to
YOU, and if you cannot put your
heart in it, take yourself out of it.
6.Start noticing and living in the
present. – Right now is a miracle.
Right now is the only moment
guaranteed to you. Right now is life.
So stop thinking about how great
things will be in the future.
Stop dwelling on what did or didn’t
happen in the past. Learn to be in
the ‘here and now’ and experience
life as it’s happening. Appreciate the
world for the beauty that it holds,
right now.
7.Start valuing the lessons your
mistakes teach you. – Mistakes are
okay; they’re the stepping stones of
progress. If you’re not failing from
time to time, you’re not trying hard
enough and you’re not learning.
Take risks, stumble, fall, and then
get up and try again. Appreciate
that you are pushing yourself,
learning, growing and improving.
Significant achievements are
almost invariably realized at the end
of a long road of failures. One of
the ‘mistakes’ you fear might just be
the link to your greatest
achievement yet.
8.Start being more polite to
yourself. – If you had a friend who
spoke to you in the same way that
you sometimes speak to yourself,
how long would you allow that
person to be your friend? The way
you treat yourself sets the standard
for others. You must love who you
are or no one else will.
9.Start enjoying the things you
already have. – The problem with
many of us is that we think we’ll be
happy when we reach a certain
level in life – a level we see others
operating at – your boss with her
corner office, that friend of a friend
who owns a mansion on the beach,
etc.
Unfortunately, it takes awhile before
you get there, and when you get
there you’ll likely have a new
destination in mind. You’ll end up
spending your whole life working
toward something new without ever
stopping to enjoy the things you
have now.
So take a quiet moment every
morning when you first awake to
appreciate where you are and what
you already have.
10.Start creating your own
happiness. – If you are waiting for
someone else to make you happy,
you’re missing out. Smile because
you can. Choose happiness. Be
the change you want to see in the
world.
Be happy with who you are now,
and let your positivity inspire your
journey into tomorrow. Happiness
is often found when and where you
decide to seek it.
Continued Page 8
April 2012
April 2012
Swindon M.E. Support Group - News Issue 11
April 2012 Page 7
Visual Guide to CFS
Continued from page 1
Other symptoms of chronic
fatigue syndrome
Beyond fatigue and pain, people
with chronic fatigue syndrome may
experience:
Memory problems
Trouble concentrating
Sleep disturbances
Weakness or dizziness
Who is at risk?
It is estimated that around 250,000
people are affected by chronic
fatigue syndrome in the UK. It is
more common in women than in
men. Although people of any age
can get CFS, it most often develops
in the early 20s to mid-40s. There
may be a genetic component, but
there is no evidence that CFS is
contagious.
Chronic fatigue syndrome in
children and teenagers
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is
very rare in children and only
slightly more common in teenagers.
The good news is young people
with CFS are more likely to improve
than older patients. If your child is
diagnosed with CFS, consult a
specialist to create a tailored
exercise and management
Diagnosing chronic fatigue
syndrome
There are no blood tests or brain
scans for chronic fatigue syndrome
(CFS), but your doctor may run
tests to rule out other conditions.
CFS is diagnosed when you have:
Severe persistent or recurrent
fatigue, with a clear starting point,
for at least four months not
explained by other conditions,
where it substantially reduces the
amount of activity a person can do,
and where it feels worse after
physical activity
And one or more of these
symptoms:
Headaches
Memory or concentration trouble
Tender neck or underarm lymph
nodes
Muscle pain
Sore throat
Multi-joint pain without swelling or
redness
Un-refreshing sleep
Exhaustion after physical or mental
activity
programme. Find constructive ways
for your child to cope, and seek out
support groups.
How CFS impacts daily life
Chronic fatigue syndrome tends to
follow a cyclical course. You may
experience periods of intense
fatigue followed by periods of well-
being. It's vital not to overdo it when
you're feeling well, because this
may trigger a relapse. Most people
with CFS are prone to
post-exertional malaise, meaning
that symptoms worsen after
strenuous physical or mental
activity. Work with your doctor to
determine the right activity level for
you.
Treatment options for chronic
fatigue syndrome
There is no cure for chronic fatigue
syndrome, and no prescription
drugs have been developed
specifically for its treatment. Work
with your doctor to develop coping
strategies, such as managing your
activity level and taking medicines
to control symptoms. Focus on
feeling better rather than feeling
"normal".
Graded exercise therapy
Studies indicate gradual, guided
exercise therapy is helpful for
people with chronic fatigue
syndrome. Graded exercise
therapy starts slowly and gradually
increases the duration of exercise
over time. The goal is to avoid
overdoing it and experiencing a
"crash". It's important not to avoid
all physical activity, or the muscles
can become deconditioned.
Graded exercise therapy can help
you adapt your activity level to the
fluctuations in your condition.
Continued Page 10
April 2012
April 2012
Swindon M.E. Support Group - News Issue 11
April 2012 Page 8
If you look for happiness within the
opportunities you have, you will
eventually find it. But if you
constantly look for something else,
unfortunately, you’ll find that too.
Read Stumbling on Happiness.
11.Start giving your ideas and
dreams a chance. – In life, it’s
rarely about getting a chance; it’s
about taking a chance. You’ll never
be 100% sure it will work, but you
can always be 100% sure doing
nothing won’t work.
Most of the time you just have to go
for it! And no matter how it turns
out, it always ends up just the way it
should be. Either you succeed or
you learn something. Win-Win.
12.Start believing that you’re ready
for the next step. – You are ready!
Think about it. You have everything
you need right now to take the next
small, realistic step forward. So
embrace the opportunities that
come your way, and accept the
challenges – they’re gifts that will
help you to grow.
13.Start entering new relationships
for the right reasons. – Enter new
relationships with dependable,
honest people who reflect the
person you are and the person you
want to be.
Choose friends you are proud to
know, people you admire, who
show you love and respect – people
who reciprocate your kindness and
commitment. And pay attention to
what people do, because a person’s
actions are much more important
than their words or how others
represent them.
14.Start giving new people you
meet a chance. – It sounds harsh,
but you cannot keep every friend
you’ve ever made. People and
priorities change. As some
relationships fade others will grow.
Things to start doing for
yourself
Continued from page 6
Appreciate the possibility of new
relationships as you naturally let go
of old ones that no longer work.
Trust your judgment. Embrace new
relationships, knowing that you are
entering into unfamiliar territory. Be
ready to learn, be ready for a
challenge, and be ready to meet
someone that might just change
your life forever.
15.Start competing against an
earlier version of yourself. – Be
inspired by others, appreciate
others, learn from others, but know
that competing against them is a
waste of time.
You are in competition with one
person and one person only –
yourself. You are competing to be
the best you can be. Aim to break
your own personal records.
16.Start cheering for other people’s
victories. – Start noticing what you
like about others and tell them.
Having an appreciation for how
amazing the people around you are
leads to good places – productive,
fulfilling, peaceful places.
So be happy for those who are
making progress. Cheer for their
victories. Be thankful for their
blessings, openly. What goes
around comes around, and sooner
or later the people you’re cheering
for will start cheering for you.
17.Start looking for the silver lining
in tough situations. – When things
are hard, and you feel down, take a
few deep breaths and look for the
silver lining – the small glimmers of
hope.
Remind yourself that you can and
will grow stronger from these hard
times. And remain conscious of
your blessings and victories – all the
things in your life that are right.
Focus on what you have, not on
what you haven’t.
18.Start forgiving yourself and
others. – We’ve all been hurt by our
own decisions and by others. And
while the pain of these experiences
is normal, sometimes it lingers for
too long. We relive the pain over
and over and have a hard time
letting go.
Forgiveness is the remedy. It
doesn’t mean you’re erasing the
past, or forgetting what happened.
It means you’re letting go of the
resentment and pain, and instead
choosing to learn from the incident
and move on with your life.
19.Start helping those around you.
– Care about people. Guide them if
you know a better way. The more
you help others, the more they will
want to help you. Love and
kindness begets love and kindness.
And so on and so forth.
20.Start listening to your own inner
voice. – If it helps, discuss your
ideas with those closest to you, but
give yourself enough room to follow
your own intuition. Be true to
yourself. Say what you need to
say. Do what you know in your
heart is right.
21.Start being attentive to your
stress level and take short breaks. –
Slow down. Breathe. Give yourself
permission to pause, regroup and
move forward with clarity and
purpose. When you’re at your
busiest, a brief recess can
rejuvenate your mind and increase
your productivity.
These short breaks will help you
regain your sanity and reflect on
your recent actions so you can be
sure they’re in line with your goals
22.Start noticing the beauty of
small moments. – Instead of waiting
for the big things to happen –
marriage, kids, big promotion,
winning the lottery – find happiness
in the small things that happen
every day.
Little things like having a quiet cup
of coffee in the early morning, or the
delicious taste and smell of a
homemade meal, or the pleasure of
sharing something you enjoy with
someone else, or holding hands
with your partner.
Continued Page 9
April 2012
April 2012
Swindon M.E. Support Group - News Issue 11
April 2012 Page 9
Noticing these small pleasures on a
daily basis makes a big difference
in the quality of your life.
23.Start accepting things when
they are less than perfect. –
Remember, ‘perfect’ is the enemy
of ‘good.’
One of the biggest challenges for
people who want to improve
themselves and improve the world
is learning to accept things as they
are. Sometimes it’s better to accept
and appreciate the world as it is,
and people as they are, rather than
to trying to make everything and
everyone conform to an impossible
ideal. No, you shouldn’t accept a
life of mediocrity, but learn to love
and value things when they are less
than perfect.
24.Start working toward your goals
every single day. – Remember, the
journey of a thousand miles begins
with one step. Whatever it is you
dream about, start taking small,
logical steps every day to make it
happen.
25.Start being more open about
how you feel. – If you’re hurting,
give yourself the necessary space
and time to hurt, but be open about
it. Talk to those closest to you. Tell
them the truth about how you feel.
Let them listen. The simple act of
getting things off your chest and
into the open is your first step
toward feeling good again.
26.Start taking full accountability
for your own life. – Own your
choices and mistakes, and be
willing to take the necessary steps
to improve upon them.
Either you take accountability for
your life or someone else will. And
when they do, you’ll become a
slave to their ideas and dreams
instead of a pioneer of your own.
Things to start doing for
yourself
Continued from page 8
You are the only one who can
directly control the outcome of your
life. And no, it won’t always be
easy.
Every person has a stack of
obstacles in front of them. But you
must take accountability for your
situation and overcome these
obstacles to the best of your ability
and working around your energy
levels. Choosing not to is choosing
a lifetime of mere existence.
27.Start actively nurturing your
most important relationships. –
Bring real, honest joy into your life
and the lives of those you love by
simply telling them how much they
mean to you on a regular basis.
You can’t be everything to
everyone, but you can be
everything to a few people. Decide
who these people are in your life
and treat them like royalty.
Remember, you don’t need a
certain number of friends, just a
number of friends you can be
certain of.
28.Start concentrating on the
things you can control. – You can’t
change everything, but you can
always change something.
Wasting your time, talent and
emotional energy on things that are
beyond your control is a recipe for
frustration, misery and stagnation.
Invest your energy in the things
you can control, and act on them
now.
29.Start focusing on the possibility
of positive outcomes. – The mind
must believe it CAN do something
before it is capable of actually
doing it. The way to overcome
negative thoughts and destructive
emotions is to develop opposing,
positive emotions that are stronger
and more powerful.
Listen to your self-talk and replace
negative thoughts with positive
ones. Regardless of how a
situation seems, focus on what you
DO WANT to happen, and then
take the next positive step forward.
No, you can’t control everything that
happens to you, but you can control
how you react to things.
Everyone’s life has positive and
negative aspects – whether or not
you’re happy and successful in the
long run depends greatly on which
aspects you focus on.
30.Start noticing how wealthy you
are right now. – Henry David
Thoreau once said, “Wealth is the
ability to fully experience life.”
Even when times are tough and
energy is low, try and keep positive
and remember that across the
Globe there are many less fortunate
people out there.
You didn’t go to sleep hungry last
night. You didn’t go to sleep
outside. You had a choice of what
clothes to wear this morning. You
hardly broke a sweat today. You
didn’t spend a minute in fear, hiding
in fear for your life. You have
access to clean drinking water. You
have access to medical care. You
have access to the Internet. You
can read (sometimes).
Some might say yes we are ill but
we are also incredibly wealthy, so
remember to be grateful for all the
things you do have and not ponder
on what you don’t have.
Editor
Vitamin B12 Trial We have all heard about
miracle cures for ME/ CFS,
and spent out good money
only to be disappointed with
the results. However I have
been reading about the
benefits that Vitamin B12
can make to people suffering from
M.E. / CFS in increasing energy
levels.
I have decided to trial the Vitamin
B12 patches for one month and
report in the next newsletter my
findings on any side effects or
improvements.
So keep a look out for the Trial
results in Mays edition.
April 2012
April 2012
Swindon M.E. Support Group - News Issue 11
April 2012 Page 10
Visual Guide to CFS
Continued from page 7
Medicines
Medicines are primarily used to
relieve symptoms, such as sleep
problems and chronic pain. Some
prescription medicines, such as
tricyclic antidepressants, may
reduce pain and improve sleep.
Many people with chronic fatigue
syndrome are sensitive to
medications and may need lower
doses. Ask your doctor or
pharmacist about the benefits and
side effects of any medicine you
take, even if they are over the
counter.
Counselling
A counsellor may help you develop
coping skills that will decrease
anxiety, depression, anger and
guilt. A therapist may recommend
combining medicine and
psychotherapy. Cognitive
behavioural therapy (CBT) aims to
enhance coping by changing
dysfunctional thinking and
behaviour. Recent studies show this
form of therapy is a helpful
component of chronic fatigue
syndrome treatment
Complementary therapies
Complementary treatments -
sometimes called alternative
therapies - may aid in pain
management, although more
research is needed. These include
stretching therapies, toning
exercises, massage, hydrotherapy
and relaxation techniques.
Acupuncture may also treat pain.
Make sure you use qualified
practitioners who are knowledgeable
about chronic fatigue syndrome.
Herbs and supplements
Talk to your doctor about herbs and
supplements before your try them.
Supplements may interfere with
prescribed medicines. People with
chronic fatigue syndrome should
consult a qualified herbal
practitioner before taking herbal
remedies.
Scam alert
Many nutritional supplements and
vitamins are targeted toward people
with chronic fatigue syndrome
(CFS). These products may not be
regulated to the same degree as
prescription medicines, and most
have not gone through extensive
testing in people.
CFS and diet
Doctors recommend a well-
balanced diet for people with
chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), but
no specific dietary strategy has
been widely accepted. Essential
fatty acids, found in nuts, seeds and
cold water fish, may reduce fatigue,
but more research is needed. Some
people with CFS notice their
symptoms are triggered by certain
foods or chemicals, including
refined sugar, caffeine and alcohol.
Chronic fatigue syndrome and
sleep
Most people with chronic fatigue
syndrome experience sleep
disturbances. This may include
difficulty falling asleep, restless
legs, vivid dreaming and frequently
waking up in the night. To create
healthy sleep habits, establish a
regular bedtime routine and engage
in light exercise and stretching at
least four hours before bedtime.
Chronic fatigue syndrome and
depression
Chronic fatigue syndrome is not a
psychiatric illness, nor a form of
depression. However, up to half of
people with CFS become
depressed during the course of
their illness. This may be the result
of the difficulty in adjusting to life
with a debilitating, chronic
condition. Depression generally
responds well to treatment, and
getting it under control can make
CFS easier to cope with.
Continued page 12
Right now I'm
having amnesia
and deja vu at the
same time. I think
I've forgotten this
before.
April 2012
April 2012
Swindon M.E. Support Group - News Issue 11
Page 11
Date of Birth
Email: [email protected]
The speaker for May will
be Nicola Brown Head
of the company which provides
physiotherapy for sufferers of
ME/CFS in Swindon.
Nicola will be explaining to us the
benefits of physiotherapy and what
is available, answering questions
and passing around informative
leaflets.
Don’t forget it’s M.E. Awareness Week 6th May – 12th May
Dear Readers,
I’ve got to the stage where I really need some help and support to help keep
the newsletter going. It is starting to really impact my health so all help would
be really gratefully received. I am happy to put it together but what I need is
material - things like: unusual or interesting facts to share, personal
experiences, Holidays, days out, What works for you, what doesn’t. Jokes,
Stories, Website links, newspaper articles, hints and tips, Instructions on how
to do things, special offers etc. Anything that you think might be remotely
interesting to the rest of the readers. It an be anonymous or you can have
your name printed. Email me at [email protected] with anything
you have – Thank you much appreciated - Michelle x
U R G E N T N E W S L E T T E R R E Q U E S T
April 2012
April 2012
Swindon M.E. Support Group - News Issue 11
Page 12
Swindon M.E. Support Group Monthly Meetings
Venue Park South Community Centre,
Cranmore Avenue,
Swindon, Wiltshire SN3 2EE
(Please note that Sat Nav’s don’t take you to the exact address)
INSTRUCTIONS
If you can make it to the Marlborough roundabout on Queens Drive, take the
first exit into Shaftsbury Avenue, take the first left hand turn and carry on to the
T-junction and turn left into Cranmore Avenue. The first turning on the Right
should take you to the building
Action for M.E are collecting Used
Stamps - if you and your friends and
family would like to bring your stamps
into one of our meetings, or send
them to me, then Julie can pass
them on as a group with a letter.
Group Information
Visual Guide to CFS
Continued from page 10
Tips for family members
Chronic illnesses like chronic
fatigue syndrome may impact the
whole family. Consult with a mental
health professional to learn how to
cope with changes in family
dynamics. Don't expect your loved
one to "snap out of it" and return to
his or her usual activities. Try to be
supportive, because emotional
health is vital for anyone coping with
CFS.
Outlook for chronic fatigue
syndrome
The percentage of people who make
a full recovery from chronic fatigue
syndrome is not known, but many
people enjoy long periods of
remission, especially by learning to
manage their activity levels. Early
treatment with stress reduction and
graded exercise therapy may
increase the chances for
improvement. These therapies have
been effective in many cases.
The Shopping List
Chicken, lettuce. toilet rolls, rich tea
biscuits and most importantly dog
treats. Ethel put the list in her
handbag smiling as she stroked
Ruddie’s soft furry head.
Dressed in her best burgundy and
grey tweed coat, she adjusted her
matching beret and brushed up a
stray hair from her tight grey bun.
Taking a deep breath, Ethel
stepped outside, closed and locked
The door behind her and set off, heels
and stick tapping confidently as she
walked up the road.
‘Common Ruddie, this is it, this is the
day’. Ruddie looked up at the sound
of her voice and wagged his tail and
licked her hand in enthusiastic
agreement and increased his speed
so that he was just half a paw ahead
of her.
It was a slow and pleasant walk
through the park and Ethel enjoyed
the feel of the midday sun on her face
as she walked and breathed in the
aroma of freshly cut grass.
Today was a big day of shopping firsts
for them both. Ruddie’s since he
officially past his test to identify and
pick out two hundred shopping items
and hers since she had passed her
independence living exam at the blind
school and had typed and brought with
them, her first Braille shopping list.
Suddenly a whir of bike wheels and
Ethel felt a brief but rough tug as
her handbag was ripped from her
shoulder. Ruddie barked furiously
and struggled to go after the rider
but Ethel held strong her grip on his
harness, she was afraid of left
alone.
© + Hayward
