Feels like spring....

Just thought I'd write a little update. I think (and hope) that perhaps this second crash of the winter is abating. Fingers crossed.

It's interesting to me how sick I've been this winter. It's so hard from year to year to have a good perspective on whether I've improved overall with this illness. While the first two years I had my lowest lows health wise, I also think I had my highest highs (or weller periods). But when I'm laying in bed feeling as weak and fluy as I have most this winter, it's really hard to remember and compare.

I've heard people talk about M.E as a progressive disease, as a fluctuating disease, and as an illness that improves over time. My guess, or instinct, is that it's all three. Perhaps some people improve or get better. I know a couple of these people. My specialist seems to think that most (not all) of her patients improve over time, but that no one is ever really "home free". That is, even the recovered need to be careful not to push too hard.

It seems like I have a fluctuating form of the illness - I've never been well since day one, but I've had some periods where I can function to some degree, and periods where I'm pretty disabled. I've never had really long period of either (long being more than a few months).

This time of year, the place where I live is pretty ugly. The snow starts to melt and everything is brown. The garbage and trash under the snow reveals itself. It's wet and muddy with brown piles of slushy snow everywhere.

Since I've spent most the winter home-bound, I haven't been taking photos. My roommates did take me on two drives (separate occasions) in Feb so here's a few photos (along with one of Teagan sitting on the front porch). I live on a huge beautiful lake (largest fresh water lake in the world). I think the boats frozen in the ice and the grain elevators capture a "snapshot" of this industrial city surrounded by natural beauty.