[fright]
[/fright]Two years ago Jamison Hill was featured in a blog "Carrying that Weight: A Weightlifter's Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Story" on Health Rising. He was also featured in the film "The Forgotten Plague"
I loved that blog because it debunked any myths someone might have about this disease not happening to the fittest among us. Jamison was a bodybuilder and fitness coach. He regularly subjected his body to extreme stresses and grew stronger when he did so.
He was young and supremely healthy and it didn't make a bit of a difference when ME/CFS came calling.
When it went wrong for Jamison it all went wrong at once. No infection needed by the way; one day in 2010, something in him just broke. He described what happened:
[/fleft]In his blog Jamison described his frustration at not being able to do the things he used to do:
Jamison was frustrated but not embittered by his illness. He was actively seeking out ways to make his present life as fruitful as possible. He was not allowing himself to lapse into depression. He was focused on moving forward; that's was who he was. He always moved forward.
Five years ago Jamison slammed weights for hours. Today, he is in a state much like Whitney. He can hardly move his body. The slightest stimulus tears him apart. He is in a state of almost unfathomable distress and in a state of debilitation that few people, except at the very end of their life, experience. He's 27 years old. According to Jamison's family's GoFundMe page,
[fright]
[/fright]
Having a purpose Jamison said was always key for him. Jamison always had a purpose in his life. I say that he still has one and that he's fulfilling it. He's showing the world just how bad this disease can get. He's demonstrating how anyone can get this disease. He's showing how you can do everything right and have it still sweep everything away.
Jamison came to Health Rising two years because he wanted to tell his story. He's still telling his story. He's showing the world how serious ME/CFS can be.That's his gift to us.
So I say spread Jamison's story around. Help make the torture he's going through worth it. Support ME/CFS research, and advocate for Jamison and for all of us.
If you can help him out please consider that as well. His family is raising funds for his treatment. Visit their GoFundMe page to help them pay for medical care at the Open Medicine Institute in Mountain View, CA!
I loved that blog because it debunked any myths someone might have about this disease not happening to the fittest among us. Jamison was a bodybuilder and fitness coach. He regularly subjected his body to extreme stresses and grew stronger when he did so.
He was young and supremely healthy and it didn't make a bit of a difference when ME/CFS came calling.
When it went wrong for Jamison it all went wrong at once. No infection needed by the way; one day in 2010, something in him just broke. He described what happened:
[fleft]Then finally, the Sunday after Thanksgiving, I went for one of my marathon-like workouts and the walls started closing in. I was dizzy, with chills and intense heart palpitations. I thought I was dying, or at least having a stroke. It was a scary mess. I was eventually diagnosed with mononucleosis, and later, when I didn’t recover, ME/CFS.
I was shocked and frustrated with the thought that I might never be a fitness model, a competitive bodybuilder or even a personal trainer again. Not being able to squat twice my body weight, or flip that giant tracker tire in my backyard again seemed unimaginable. In the midst of overwhelming frustration I find myself using what little energy I have to let out my anger, or any other emotion I am dealing with at the time.
Jamison was frustrated but not embittered by his illness. He was actively seeking out ways to make his present life as fruitful as possible. He was not allowing himself to lapse into depression. He was focused on moving forward; that's was who he was. He always moved forward.
Jamison was also seeing good doctors and, yes, he was pacing and being careful. In short, he was doing all the right things and it was all for naught. Just as with Whitney Dafoe, no matter what he did, no matter which doctors he saw, his health kept slipping, slipping away. In January of last year his health declined dramatically."I’ve found that finding new dreams and aspirations are pivotal to healthy mental activity. In fact, I’ve found no aspiration is too small to have an influence on my happiness. Getting out of bed and stretching, or standing up while I do the dishes—even if only for a minute—is certainly better than nothing."
Five years ago Jamison slammed weights for hours. Today, he is in a state much like Whitney. He can hardly move his body. The slightest stimulus tears him apart. He is in a state of almost unfathomable distress and in a state of debilitation that few people, except at the very end of their life, experience. He's 27 years old. According to Jamison's family's GoFundMe page,
[fright]
Low levels of light and sound hurt. Laughing is exhausting, looking at a computer is unthinkable. Speaking hurts. The entire body hurts..."All day he lies in a darkened bedroom, unable to tolerate light or sound, able to make only the smallest movements of his body, unable to speak, eating only pureed foods through a straw, and fighting despair and loneliness."
Having a purpose Jamison said was always key for him. Jamison always had a purpose in his life. I say that he still has one and that he's fulfilling it. He's showing the world just how bad this disease can get. He's demonstrating how anyone can get this disease. He's showing how you can do everything right and have it still sweep everything away.
Jamison came to Health Rising two years because he wanted to tell his story. He's still telling his story. He's showing the world how serious ME/CFS can be.That's his gift to us.
So I say spread Jamison's story around. Help make the torture he's going through worth it. Support ME/CFS research, and advocate for Jamison and for all of us.
If you can help him out please consider that as well. His family is raising funds for his treatment. Visit their GoFundMe page to help them pay for medical care at the Open Medicine Institute in Mountain View, CA!
Last edited: