*Foggy* 4 sleeps to go!
Foggy is so excited about Santa visiting Foggy HQ on Christmas Eve, he is doing his utmost to be on the good side of the naughty and nice list.
On the other hand, I am feeling a bit meh about Christmas this year. I have put up the usual tree, decorations and obligatory tacky glittery stuff in Foggy HQ (Got to keep Foggy happy!) but my heart is just not in it this year.
I simply do not feel ‘Christmassy’ (even though I have been watching Xmas movies since late November!)
I know I am not the only M.E./C.F.S. affected person who doesn’t feel engaged with the Christmas period. It’s not a good time of year for many of us. We feel socially challenged all-year-round but that feeling ramps up a gear at this time of year.
Way back in 2006, when I first got sick, I still tried my hardest to be social with friends and family. Back then I didn’t know any better. My M.E. was much milder than it is now and I was prepared to give myself awful payback for the sake of a night out. If you are prepared and braced for it, sometimes it’s worth it. There are many mild sufferers out there who can still keep fairly sociable. I am not one of them. Not anymore.
Since Foggy started in 2014, my severity has worsened slowly and noticeably. I’d say I am still ‘only’ in the 30% bracket, but I am edging towards the 40% (according to the ME Association chart https://www.meassociation.org.uk/2016/05/the-mea-disability-rating-scale-2016/ ). I’m sure a good period of rest would help to set me back on an even keel, I am taking 2 weeks off (from Foggy AND Stripy) with effect from 22nd December so that’ll be a good opportunity to rest and recharge slightly. I’m looking forward to taking time out with my Mum and Dad and having a quiet Christmas.
My social life now consists of occasional lunches with friends, cinema visits (armed with earplugs and a scarf for a blanket (why is it always soooo cold in cinemas?)) and coffee catch-ups. So different from my previous party girl lifestyle. I used to love the Christmas party season. I’ve never had lots of friends, I think quality rather than quantity, but there was always one event or another to go to.
There could be a number of reasons for this. I am now the only single person in my circle of friends and as is human nature, people’s priorities and habits change with age. I would say that my M.E./C.F.S. has had an impact though. Friends used to offer invitations and would be fantastically sympathetic when I had to cancel. However, having had M.E./C.F.S. for 12 years, the invitations have decreased significantly. I don’t think there are malicious reasons for this, I think they are simply aware that I wouldn’t be able to cope with that much activity so I get offered the less energy-sapping lunch/coffee catch-up/cinema visit instead. It would be nice to be asked though……..
Social media definitely doesn’t help and I am not surprised to see so many of the M.E./C.F.S. community saying that they are coming off social media until the new year. There are simply too many reminders of the lives we should/did have.
Whatever you manage to get up to over Christmas and New Year, enjoy time with those you love and who love you in return.
Team Foggy hope you have a Merry Christmas and a happy and healthier 2019.
Love
Sally (and Foggy OBVIOUSLY)
p.s We tried to create an official Christmas video but it didn’t quite pan out! https://youtu.be/ra7Kc4BG47M