Tag Archives: suffering

23 and ME

Posted on October 6, 2017 by Jennie Spotila

May the depths you have reached hold you still – John O’Donohue Twenty-three years ago today, I woke up with a sore throat. I went to work, and within a few hours I had a high fever and could barely … Continue reading →

Posted in Occupying | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 43 Comments

Bottom of the Ramp

Posted on October 3, 2017 by Jennie Spotila

In aggregate, 2017 turned out to be the biggest year of ME/CFS funding at NIH ever. But when I scratched the surface, I found bad news buried within the superficially good news. We are still at the bottom of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy, Commentary, Research | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 22 Comments

Unrest: Movie Review

Posted on September 12, 2017 by Jennie Spotila

Spoiler alert: This review discusses some specific scenes from Unrest. Edited to add: No, really! There are SPOILERS here! If you want to see and experience the film with a blank slate, then go see the film and come back … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Occupying | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

My “Summer Vacation”

Posted on August 22, 2017 by Jennie Spotila

What I’ve done on my “summer vacation” has not been fun. I’ve had a rough couple of months. Non-ME health issues have gobbled up most of my capacity, and I’m still feeling the repercussions. I’m not ready to talk about … Continue reading →

Posted in Occupying | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 42 Comments

Funding Unrest

Posted on August 12, 2017 by Jennie Spotila

Four years ago, I wrote that Jen Brea’s film, then titled Canary In A Coal Mine, could be a defining moment in ME advocacy. Today, we stand on the threshold of a watershed moment for our disease, and Jen is … Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy, Occupying | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Guest Post: Sickaversary

Posted on June 1, 2017 by Jennie Spotila

My friend, Jenny R, wrote these profound words about her sickaversary. 10 years and 4 days ago today I got sick and never got better. I wrote this to commemorate it: I want to write something incredibly profound and moving … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Through the Shadowlands

Posted on May 23, 2017 by Jennie Spotila

Julie Rehmeyer is a science writer and person with ME who has written extensively about research and controversies like the PACE trial. But today, she publishes Through the Shadowlands, a book about her personal journey through ME and back to … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Missing, Not Marching

Posted on April 22, 2017 by Jennie Spotila

I should be marching right now. I mean, I had my plans all worked out. #MillionsMissing tshirt? Check. Wheelchair wheels freshly pumped up? Check. Water and food? Check. Ride to March? Check. Kick ass awesome sign made by my husband? … Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy, Occupying | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 31 Comments

The Cut

Posted on March 17, 2017 by Jennie Spotila

Trump’s proposed budget is out. Among all the cuts – because you have to cut in order to increase defense spending while simultaneously giving the rich a tax cut – among all these cuts is one that people with ME … Continue reading →

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

Resist. Persist.

Posted on February 21, 2017 by Jennie Spotila

Am I the only person who feels like she is in a leaky boat, surrounded by sharks? Pretty much every time I look at Facebook, Twitter or the news, I find another leak in the boat. And when I look … Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy, Occupying | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments