Basic Stuff
- Name: Jo-Anne
- Country: England, United Kingdom
- County: Kent
- City: Maidstone
- Gender: Female
- Age: 53
- Education: High School
- Primary Illness: Chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS)
- Diagnosis:
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)
- Fibromyalgia (FM)
- Postural Orthostatic Tachcycardia Syndrome (POTS)
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS)
- Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS)
- Year Illness Began: 1995
Functioning Interrupted
Former Level of Functionality: 100
(No symptoms at rest; no symptoms with exercise; normal overall activity level; able to work full-time without difficulty.)
Current Level of Functionality: 40
(Moderate symptoms at rest. Moderate to severe symptoms with exercise or activity; overall activity level reduced to 50%-70% of expected. Not confined to house. Unable to perform strenuous duties; able to perform light duty or desk work 3-4 hours a day, but requires rest periods.)
Work Interrupted
- Former Occupation: Registered General Nurse
- Job Responsibilities at Former Occupation:
Staff nurse in charge of 32 bed medical wards, as well as intensive care patients.
- Years of Work Lost: 25
- Current Work Status: Not working now (not on disability)
Income Interrupted
- Yearly Income Before Becoming Ill:
£5,000
-
Minimum Current Annual Income Loss:
£11,808
- Total Projected Economic Losses For Years Not Worked:
£199,564
Other Interruptions
Certified Disabled: Yes
Finances:
- My parents or other family members have provided financial support
- This illness has severely impacted my ability to financially prepare for retirement
Work:
- I reduced my work hours
- I left my job or retired early
- I took on jobs with less responsibilities than I otherwise would have
Most Impactful Loss
At the age of 25, I had everything to live for. I also had two young children to care for. I lost not only my quality of life and my dreams, but my children's lives were greatly impacted by my illness. So was my marriage. The career I had trained so long and so hard for was immediately over.
