When you’re searching for answers to an unexplained medical condition, life can feel bleak and overwhelming. You’re constantly coping with symptoms, flare-ups and at a loss for answers and wondering who to turn to next.
I’ve been there – researching at 3am, desperate for answers. Skimming through medical research I didn’t really understand.
I was a carer for my 20-year-old daughter, Mia, who could only move as far as the sofa from her bed.
She struggled to speak, was sensitive to light, touch and sound, and her heart was racing as though she’d climbed a mountain. It was devastating to see her this way, especially when all she could do to “celebrate” her 21st birthday was lie in the garden.
Medication offered some relief but didn’t improve her overall health. She had chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS).
We eventually found a video on the internet from someone who had recovered. He explained how the nervous system is connected to every organ in the body, which is why there are so many symptoms and why symptoms vary so widely from person to person.
I had learned about the nervous system in school, but found myself asking how it could cause something so debilitating. And yet, for the first time, I heard something that made sense. And it wasn’t from a doctor or anyone in the medical field – it was from a random person on the internet.
If you are dealing with a condition that affects your whole body, with flare-ups and a constant struggle to manage symptoms like pain, fatigue, lack of energy, digestive issues, or allergies—keep reading.
As we delved deeper into this particular condition and how our bodies work, my daughter and I realised the need to empower ourselves. We hadn’t met Dr. Rav at that time, nor doctors who offer similar “deep dive” services. And the unfortunate truth is that the traditional medical establishment literally doesn’t have TIME for these kinds of conditions: Like I said, they’re complex and different for each individual.
By the way, that 20-year-old who could barely leave the sofa? She’s now a 23-year-old living independently in London. She learned the art of living again.
Not everything you read on the internet is going to be useful – but between Mia and I we have landed on some pretty amazing stuff. We have learnt so much about how to recover and stay physically and mentally healthy, and – knowing how many others struggle, we weren’t about to keep it to ourselves. Over the next couple of weeks I’ll share some of what we’ve learnt, providing useful links, resources and options too. Stay tuned!
Alison Ward is a Martha Beck Master coach specialising in nervous system regulation. She collaborates with Functional Medicine specialist Dr. Rav James to help individuals understand and recover from anxiety, stress, chronic fatigue and related health challenges. Alison works online from her home in Cape Town. To learn more, visit www.alisonwardcoaching.com or email her at alisonward1@mac.com.
