A New Lesson in Loneliness For a ME/CFS Sufferer

My partner, Daniele, flew back to Italy yesterday to spend Christmas with his parents as he usually does, but for some reason this year it has left me feeling extremely lonely.  I love him and miss him as always, but this Christmas it is so much more than that.  My health has not been the best this year, with many relapses hampering my efforts to get my energy levels up and to keep my symptoms at bay, and more than just missing my boyfriend, I'm sure it is the isolation of ME/CFS that is causing me to feel so down.

I initially became ill in 2001, and by 2003 I was so ill I had to leave work.  For the next 7yrs I was mostly housebound and even bedbound at times.  But after working on getting a set routine, balancing effort with rest, finding some meds that helped with symptoms and a diet that also helped, I started to get better.  I met my lovely Italian, moved in with him, got a job, but over did it and relapsed in a bad way.