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I have had M. E. for around 20 years and have been recovering from this invisible but debilitating illness for around 12 years. My worse days were lying in bed trapped, in pain and feeling lonely. I became imprisoned in my own room and could not sleep for weeks. My mum had to feed me with food that I was not allergic to as my immune system wasn't working properly and  I was too weak to feed myself.

Eventually after many years of mental and physical agony and lot of judgement from others who did not understand the illness,  I became well enough to sit up in a wheel chair where I really appreciated seeing the outside world again.  I then spent months in hospital where the nurses helped me to walk again.  

When I came home my pet dog Meme kept me active when I had to take  her out on small walks and I slowly became more confident when walking her.  This made me feel better,  the pain in my limbs and spine started to clear and I felt like I wanted to begin some voluntary work caring for the physically disabled one evening a week.

After a couple of years not being able to communicate or concentrate fully, the biggest step I took next was to start driving again. This was only possible when I felt happy that I could fully focus behind the steering wheel.  This was the beginning of setting myself goals and gradually started to see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Around three to five years later I felt well enough to set another goal to move out and live on my own to gain more independence.

  This really helped my self-esteem and I took a part-time job locally in marketing a professional cycle team which I really enjoyed.  I felt more well and happy in my life and It was then when I met my husband to be. 

I hoped that  I would be fully recovered by now, but I appreciate my life how it is now because it had been so much worse.  I am now happily married, however  I still have to pace my energy levels and my immune system is still not as good as it could be.  I still need to work part-time and have to lay in until 12pm on most days.

I feel the need to reach out to others to say, please hold on to hope I am not saying you can recover from M.E but with patience and determination you might eventually have a better quality of life.

A few years ago I was able to start hiking with my husband which we both love doing together.  We began our new interest walking five to eight miles every Sunday and thought we would attempt to climb Snowdon.  With the support of my husband I achieved this big goal and it was awesome and also very emotional for me, because I could see how far I had come from being spoon fed to eventually climbing a mountain!

This was the start of an exciting new journey together we next climbed Scafell Pike the following year, and then Skiddaw the next year after that.  Now I want to desperately raise money, awareness and hopefully inspire others to try something new.  This year I will be attempting to climb Ben Nevis with my lovely supportive husband. Thanks for taking the time to read my story.  Wish me luck!!

This charity challenge wouldn't be possible without the generous support of Steve Griffiths at South Mimms Travel, Herts who has kindly paid for our flights to Inverness. Thank you we are very grateful!!

Thanks for all my support from my loving mum, her partner, nan and my loving husband.  I wouldn't be where I am now if it wasn't for their wonderful support xx 

Rest in peace nan & Meme - thanks for helping me to get better xx

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