Category Archives: Occupying

What a Crash Looks Like

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Jennie Spotila

On the suggestion of my friend Claudia, I recorded a video of myself on the third day after the FDA Drug Development Workshop on ME and CFS. I had to swallow my pride to do this. Even some members of … Continue reading →

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Ring Theory

Posted on April 13, 2013 by Jennie Spotila

We’ve all had the experience of someone saying the wrong thing to us about our disease. “I hate that you always cancel at the last minute.” “You rest all day. Can’t you make dinner once in awhile?” “Work is killing … Continue reading →

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On the Shelf

Posted on February 7, 2013 by Jennie Spotila

I recently read Spillover by David Quammen, a book about human diseases that originate in animals. ME/CFS is not mentioned in the book, but a passage about the origin of HIV struck very close to home. Quammen describes how HIV … Continue reading →

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Best Laid Plans

Posted on January 15, 2013 by Jennie Spotila

This is not the day I planned to come back from my holiday hiatus, nor is this the post I planned for the beginning of a new year. But as they say: “The best laid plans of mice and men … Continue reading →

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Hiatus

Posted on December 18, 2012 by Jennie Spotila

Sing with it with me: It’s the most challenging time of the year! Some CFS patients I know feel like summer is the most challenging time, between the heat and kids being off school. For me, it’s the holidays. Every … Continue reading →

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Coffee

Posted on December 13, 2012 by Jennie Spotila

I graduated with honors from an Ivy League law school, and it was largely made possible by coffee. There was a Cinnabon right around the corner, so most mornings I picked up a ginormous vat large cup to get the … Continue reading →

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Insufficient Data

Posted on December 4, 2012 by Jennie Spotila

One of the most frustrating aspects of coping with CFS is the lack of definitive data. A PubMed search for “chronic fatigue syndrome” yields 4,877 results (as of today), but as a patient on the front lines I have to … Continue reading →

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Rest Medicine

Posted on November 28, 2012 by Jennie Spotila

I have been working really hard at resting. That probably doesn’t make sense, but I have been struggling to incorporate preemptive rest into my routine and it feels like a lot of work. The rationale for preemptive rest is that … Continue reading →

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Gratitude

Posted on November 20, 2012 by Jennie Spotila

We celebrate Thanksgiving in the United States on Thursday, and you may have seen the 30 days of gratitude meme on social media this month. I decided to share my gratitude in one post, and focus on aspects of my … Continue reading →

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In Concert

Posted on November 14, 2012 by Jennie Spotila

I went to a concert on Saturday night. I know, right? Given how sick I have been, and how much I have struggled after outings, a concert sounds pretty crazy. In fact, I haven’t been to a concert in many … Continue reading →

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