by Angela Falasca

Don't you just hate talking about yourself? I do, anyhow. So if you want to know more about me that I don't get to in this bit, just ask.

I have been sick most of my life. I was diagnosed with asthma when I was 3 years old and it was usually triggered by actions and food. It was aggravating wanting to run and play with my friends only to have my lungs scream 'NO'. Eventually it got to the point where it was more weather related (I love autumn, it did not love me). By the time I was 14, I was doing okay with the asthma, still had issues but I managed it easier. Then I got sick with Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), more commonly known as mono. To this day I'm not sure where I got it from. At any rate, instead of getting better, I stayed the same or got worse. I'll be honest, my memories of that time are pretty blank. I remember darkness and sleeping and pain. I remember being forced to go to school because the doctors tried to convince my parents that I was just a hormonal, lazy teenager who didn't want to go to school (and/or possibly pregnant, despite being a virgin, because the docs had me take pregnancy tests). Fortunately, even though Western Medicine was an epic failure at diagnosing me, my mom eventually dragged me to Dr. Shearer who finally diagnosed me with the relatively unknown Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). Thus began my fight for the energy to live. I have spent years figuring out what works for me and often have to change it up as my body continues to change. Then in 2020 I got diagnosed with Hashimoto's hypothyroid. Talk about not wanting to fight anymore. Hashi's symptoms overlap ME/CFS, so now I often feel as though I'm back to my 14-year-old self having to start over. Some days I don't want to fight anymore. It seems too great an effort. But then sparked an idea - Chronic Fitness, which led to Chronic Consciousness. So the fight continues.