Well May's coming round again pretty quickly- hiiiii!

We're Louise and George and we're doing (and hoping you'll maybe join us for) Walk for ME 2014.

Before I start, here's the Walk for ME website and here's the Facebook event for ours.

We are two friends who share a love of tea, chocolate biccies... and trips to Ikea! We are also both sufferers of ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis- try saying that after a few!!) For both of us, ME has drastically affected our lives and has reduced us both to being very severely ill at some time, and although we have both improved a lot from our absolute worst points, we still suffer and are unable to do a lot of things that other people our age would take for granted.

Lots of people automatically assume that having ME is where you are just tired. Unfortunately, ME has got what must be the WORST reputation and so many people don't believe you or think it's all in your head (anyone who thinks that is just making it obvious that they're lucky enough to never have had it). People don't understand how vile and how painful it can be. We aren't just tired- we get horrendous migraines on a regular basis, have a lot of cognitive difficulties, sickness, can't control our body temperatures very well, our immune systems are rubbish so something like a cold can easily turn nasty, we are both intolerant to gluten (no yummy donuts sob sob- although gluten-free alternatives can be pretty lush) and have horrendous pain (we both also have Fibromyalgia which can be absolute agony). And that's just a few of the symptoms which we suffer from! 

The thing with ME is that when you see us, usually we look completely well and healthy. But we have to be soooooo careful with what we do- we have to live very carefully planned lives because we lose energy very quickly and after doing something, when we get home, we look like death warmed up. And feel like it too! In all seriousness, when we're away from everyone else we both can, and do, suffer immensely. But usually people don't get to see that side- but that's the true side of ME. It's like we have got a battery that has gone wrong and has a very short life- and whereas when that power has gone most people can carry on regardless, we just can't. We're likely to collapse and embarass ourselves. And then be extremely ill afterwards! 

As we are both limited in how far we can walk/ how much we can do, we'd love to be running a marathon (ish- actually that's a huge lie on Louise's part) but it's just not going to happen. So instead we're going to be making our way round Brixworth Country Park, Northampton on Monday 5th May in our PJ's to raise awareness of ME and money for the charity Invest in ME. They work really hard to raise awareness of ME and also lots of money for biomedical research into the condition, so that one day we might be lucky enough to have a chance of a treatment or even a cure.

We're also inviting you to join us- in your PJ's too! It'll be a lot of fun and we're planning on doing a BBQ after, and Brixworth is absolutely lovely. It's going to be nice and chilled and very friendly, all whilst raising money for a good cause. If you want more info get in touch!

At the end of the day, whatever some people might think we don't enjoy being ill and we aren't putting it on- we'd both had ME for a number of years before we met so didn't 'copy the other person'- and aren't lazy. We try and look for the positive things (we wouldn't have met if we both didn't have ME) and just want to make the most of the cards we've been dealt.

We'd be soooooo grateful if you could take the time to sponsor us and if you want to join us on the day we would love to have you! :-)

Thank you for your support!

Love from George and Louise xxxxx