Tag Archives: pacing

Moving On Up

Posted on May 1, 2013 by Jennie Spotila

For years, the Pacific Fatigue Lab at the University of the Pacific has done the best research on exercise and ME/CFS. Staci Stevens, Dr. Chris Snell, and their collaborators perfected the use of two-day cardio-pulmonary exercise testing (CPET) in people … Continue reading →

Posted in Occupying, Research | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Comparing Exercise Advice

Posted on January 18, 2013 by Jennie Spotila

Exercise is an issue for every CFS patient, and there is no shortage of advice on whether and how to do it. On January 14th, the CDC hosted a conference call as part of its Patient Centered Outreach and Communication … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 44 Comments

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 →

Posted in Occupying | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

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 →

Posted in Occupying | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

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 →

Posted in Occupying | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

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 →

Posted in Occupying | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Hurricane Drunk

Posted on November 6, 2012 by Jennie Spotila

No walls can keep me protected No sleep, nothing in between me and the rain And you can’t save me now I’m in the grip of a hurricane I’m gonna blow myself away (Florence + the Machine)   Hurricane Sandy … Continue reading →

Posted in Occupying | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Puzzle Pieces

Posted on October 30, 2012 by Jennie Spotila

Let’s play a game. Imagine you have a large puzzle that makes an Impressionist picture of a colorful cottage-style garden. You can put it together as long as you have the picture on the box. First you assemble the lower … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

This. Is. Why.

Posted on October 17, 2012 by Jennie Spotila

I’m on the verge of tearing my hair out, and I suspect I’m not the only one. The American Academy of Family Physicians published a review article about CFS (paywall) on Monday, accompanied by a patient information sheet. From the … Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy, Commentary | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 30 Comments

Blaze of Glory

Posted on October 16, 2012 by Jennie Spotila

Pacing is . . . actually, my descriptions of pacing generally involve expletives that are not appropriate for this blog, so we’ll stick with “Pacing is challenging.” One positive side effect of my pacing efforts, though, is that I am … Continue reading →

Posted in Occupying | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments