If you have been diagnosed with CFS/FM, chances are fairly good that I’ve been where you may be at. Forty-three years ago, I developed Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; sixteen years ago, I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. After that second diagnosis, I took to my couch for a decade, losing bits and pieces of myself and my life to what I not-so-affectionately called ‘The Bottomless Black Pit of Fibro’. There was no energy to expend on anything except perhaps throwing away thousands of dollars on ‘sure fire’ cures that did not work.
There are a lot of resources out there - books, blogs, support groups, health centres, therapists - all dedicated to helping people deal with the challenges of life with fibro or CFS, but I’ve not seen one address the problem of pain and predators. It is an unfortunate reality that the vultures circle around those in pain and desperation.
Raz, my friend’s cat, is having some painful dental problems. The first indication that all was not well with her was that she went into hiding. Most animals are smart enough to go to ground when injured or ill in order to protect themselves from those who prey upon the weak. Humans? Not so much!
There seems to be the idea that, if we only take out our martyr’s kit, plaster the back of our hands against our forehead while wailing “woe is me”, as often and insistently as possible, someone will come along with THE KEY to healing (or at least give us lots of sympathy for our terrible lot in life). The reality is that, along with making ourselves even more miserable - not to mention really tedious to be around - we attract the predators who are just waiting for the opportunity to lighten our bank accounts.
I learned my lesson the hard (and very, very expensive way), and I would like to share this lesson with you here and now, with the hope that you can keep more of your money in your bank account. If someone comes up to you and says, “I have a client who used to have Fibro, but after working with me for several months, she is now pain free and living the life she used to have. I can heal you from Fibro and you can have an absolutely fabulous life” - RUN! FAST! You are being conned by a master manipulator, not being invited to good health.
It is tempting to fall for these cons, because we so desperately want our lives back the way they were B.F. (before fibro), and it is so very difficult to turn our backs on hope. But we must be aware that the holistic health industry is almost completely unregulated and thus attracts those sociopathic-type individuals who would feed off our desperation. The allopathic medical field is not any better, even though it has the appearance of being better regulated.
Bottom line: NO-ONE can heal you of CFS/Fibro. The cause is, as yet, unknown. There is, as yet, no cure. There ARE good, decent people out there in both allopathic and holistic medicine who can act as change agents, who can coach, guide, mentor, offer various treatment modalities or even just lend a sympathetic ear - but we must do our due diligence, beginning with being aware that some of the most charming and plausible people out there are complete frauds.
