Lives Interrupted: the Hidden Costs of Having a Neglected Illness

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Lives Interrupted seeks to illuminate the economic and other costs of having diseases like chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), post-treatment Lyme disease, and long COVID. These diseases affect millions, typically receive little research funding, and, as a consequence have few good treatments available. Find out more about Lives Interrupted here.

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My Labyrinthine Journey with a Covid Coda – See Rondo 's story here

Knocked Out Of The Job Of a Lifetime – See Bob Graybosch's story here

Structural Failure – See Allyn Archer's story here

Full recovery in 2020 – See Ani W's story here

My non-miraculous, extremely slow, non-recovered, successful life, so far – See JudyH's story here

My cost of living crisis – See Georgie Coghlan's story here

Beyond the Birdcage: Inconvenient Truths About Myalgic Encephalomyelitis – See Jennifer McBryde's story here

How Swine Flu Changed My Life Forever – See Corey's story here

A career just starting cut short. – See Ani's story here

Adverse Reaction to a Flu Vaccination – See Azalea's story here

Post vaccination – See Kitty's story here

Nursing Myself – See Alison Wiltbank's story here

Lost in Time – See Bryan's story here

Searching for answers/Learning acceptance – See Leslie Fellows's story here

M.E STOPPED MY LIFE – See Mary's story here

Everything is Gone – See Lavenderblue 's story here

A Broken Journey – See T-Rev 's story here

Debilitated – See MD's story here

30 of 33 years gone – See Duckcove's story here

Patte’s Lyme Journey – See Patte Wood's story here

Living life on a 2 inch bungee cord – See Diane's story here

I’m still standing! (ack to Elton John) – See Drdragonmama's story here

Still Fighting… – See Steph's story here

Post Covid evolved into Post Viral Syndrome and Fibromyalgia – See Henchman D's story here

Bowed but not broken – See Ann's story here

Wobbly legs and ME – See Anna Marie's story here

Not the life I expected – See Stéphanie's story here

Nobody is Listening – See Dea's story here

Some recovery and a lot of determination – See Ishtar's story here

This disease has taken 32 yrs. of my life – See Brie's story here

Never Better – See LauraB's story here

My adult life should have been just beginning. Instead it was forever stolen from me. – See Jo-Anne's story here

Career, family, fortune, friendships, reputation wrecked at 34y – See Remembrance's story here

Fibromyalgia For 2/3 of My Life – See Emily's story here

Losing a life of science. – See Christyne Bliton's story here

A full and promising life redefined by chronic illness – See Drew's story here

CFIDS & My Disability – See Dave's story here

Physical therapist assistant with Non-rehabable illness – See Anna's story here

Loooong Covid – See Elizabeth's story here

From caregiver to patient – See Lynn R's story here

Once on track to becoming CEO – See Amy S.'s story here

Cancer and ME – See Suzie B's story here

Lyme+ to ME – See Mima 's story here

A long slog – See Cparks's story here

Long ago in a distant place… – See Cort's story here

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My Labyrinthine Journey with a Covid Coda

Name: Rondo	Years Ill: 3
Location: Soledad, United States
Former Occupation: Veterinarian (I have a BS and a DVM, not a PhD degree)
Former Activity Level (0-100): 100	Current Activity Level (0-100): 30

Story: From childhood I had always wanted to be a country veterinarian. I graduated from veterinary scho…

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Knocked Out Of The Job Of a Lifetime

Name: Bob Graybosch	Years Ill: 12
Location: Lahaina, United States
Former Occupation: Resort General Manager
Former Activity Level (0-100): 100	Current Activity Level (0-100): 30
Total Projected Economic Losses For Years Not Worked: $1,261,443
Story: From about the age of 8 I worked my butt off to get ahead. My family was relatively poor and I kn…

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Structural Failure

Name: Allyn Archer	Years Ill: 20
Location: Atlanta, United States
Former Occupation: Architect, Professor of Architecture
Former Activity Level (0-100): 100	Current Activity Level (0-100): 10
Total Projected Economic Losses For Years Not Worked: $2,768,291
Story: In some ways, my life has resembled a work of fiction. Descended from seven generations of East …

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Full recovery in 2020

Name: Ani W	Years Ill: 5
Location: Hobart, Australia
Former Occupation: Parenting
Current Occupation: Advisor
Former Activity Level (0-100): 50	Current Activity Level (0-100): 100
Story: I don't think my answers to some of the questions will quite make sense or fit the format since I…

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My non-miraculous, extremely slow, non-recovered, successful life, so far

Name: JudyH	Years Ill:
Location: Atascadero, United States
Former Occupation: Student
Former Activity Level (0-100): 100	Current Activity Level (0-100): 50

Story: My non-miraculous, extremely slow, non-recovered, successful life, so far I first got CFS …

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My cost of living crisis

Name: Georgie Coghlan	Years Ill: 22
Location: Byron Bay, Australia
Former Occupation: Interior Designer
Former Activity Level (0-100): 100	Current Activity Level (0-100): 60
Total Projected Economic Losses For Years Not Worked: A$2,210,234
Story: I remember being in my late teens and always having a sore back, shoulders, neck and legs. I tho…

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Beyond the Birdcage: Inconvenient Truths About Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

Name: Jennifer McBryde	Years Ill: 53
Location: Brisbane, Australia
Former Occupation: Airline Flight Attendant
Former Activity Level (0-100): 70	Current Activity Level (0-100): 80
Story: My story came to life in an unusual way when I began research into the mystery that lingered in t…

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How Swine Flu Changed My Life Forever

Name: Corey	Years Ill: 13
Location: West Bend, United States
Former Occupation: Electrical Engineer - Wireless Design
Former Activity Level (0-100): 90	Current Activity Level (0-100): 50
Total Projected Economic Losses For Years Not Worked: $893,187
Story: I came down with the Swine Flu and never recovered. It set off an inflammatory cascade in my bod…