I was proud to be a civil servant who worked on the remediation of hazardous waste sites for the US EPA. I was 20 years in and figured I had 20 more to go. But at 42 years of age, ME had other plans. After a day of cross country skiing, ignoring what I now know were PEM red flags, I crashed for the last time. Already diagnosed with primary immune deficiency, I had no idea that the other symptoms my doctor was unable to explain for two decades was ME/CFS. I’m now 95% housebound and 30% bedbound. On my worst days, I’m unable to move, talk, or care for myself in basic ways. No more hiking, kayaking, weightlifting, or biking. I traded my road bike in for a wheelchair and my kettle bells for a walker. I deeply believe medical intervention, a simple recognition of what I had, could have prevented my disability. Thank goodness for the medical education outreach program at Bateman Horne!
Michelle, Illinois
These thoughts were submitted as part of the Reflections of ME/CFS and FM and Long COVID Awareness Day Virtual Event on May 9th, 2023.
#MillionsMissing #MillionsMore #Hope4MECFS #Hope4FM #Hope4LongCOVID
Lucinda Bateman, MD, is a renowned clinician, researcher, and educator. Her Johns Hopkins University Medical School training instilled an approach to care that she has employed throughout her career - the patient comes first and the unknown or unexplained does not equate to a lack of proper and compassionate care. Since starting her own practice in 2000, she has served on six boards or committees, been the principal investigator for 45 studies, authored/coauthored 40 journal articles, served as adjunct instructor and adjunct assistant professor in the University of Utah Departments of Preventative Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Anesthesiology, and lectured around the world.