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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Health Rising’s Quickie Summer Donation Drive is On!

Keeping up with the latest research in ME/CFS, long COVID, fibromyalgia, and allied diseases. Exploring new treatment possibilities. Learning how others have recovered. All in as thoroughly and comprehensively as we can.

Please support Health Rising during our quickie summer donation drive. Our goal is to raise $15,000.

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Homebound – See ABC 's story here

My Journey and ME – See Don's story here

Entire Adulthood taken from me – See Megan's story here

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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All Stories

I’m still standing! (ack to Elton John)

Name: Drdragonmama	Years Ill: 13
Location: Almena, United States
Former Occupation: Psychologist/Executive
Current Occupation: psychologist/author
Former Activity Level (0-100): 90	Current Activity Level (0-100): 50
Total Projected Economic Losses For Years Not Worked: $650,549

See Drdragonmama‘s story and her most impactful loss

Still Fighting…

Name: Steph	Years Ill:
Location: Indianapolis, United States
Former Occupation: Respiratory Therapist
Current Occupation: Respiratory Therapist
Former Activity Level (0-100): 100	Current Activity Level (0-100): 50

Story: I had my daughter in 2010. My life changed immensely. I had this beautiful human to be responsibl…

See Steph‘s story and her most impactful loss

Post Covid evolved into Post Viral Syndrome and Fibromyalgia

Name: Henchman D	Years Ill: 3
Location: Luton, England, UK
Former Occupation: National Operations Manager
Former Activity Level (0-100): 100	Current Activity Level (0-100): 20
Total Projected Economic Losses For Years Not Worked: £162,479

See Henchman D‘s story and his most impactful loss

Bowed but not broken

Name: Ann	Years Ill: 6
Location: St. Louis, United States
Former Occupation: Chemo and Infusion Nurse
Former Activity Level (0-100): 100	Current Activity Level (0-100): 40
Total Projected Economic Losses For Years Not Worked: $216,464
Story: I became sick with ME 4 months prior to a 5-day backcountry hike of the Chilkoot Trail in Alaska.…

See Ann‘s story and her most impactful loss

Wobbly legs and ME

Name: Anna Marie	Years Ill: 21
Location: Huddersfield, England, UK
Former Occupation: Architectural technician
Current Occupation: Ventilation design engineer
Former Activity Level (0-100): 100	Current Activity Level (0-100): 70
Total Projected Economic Losses For Years Not Worked: £340,896
Story: About 25 years ago (in my mid 20s), I started getting unexplained fatigue and then age 30 I got "…

See Anna Marie‘s story and her most impactful loss

Not the life I expected

Name: Stéphanie	Years Ill: 8
Location: Saskatoon, Canada
Former Occupation: Assistant professor of physiotherapy
Former Activity Level (0-100): 100	Current Activity Level (0-100): 40
Total Projected Economic Losses For Years Not Worked: CA $465,720
Story: My story is simple. My CFS/ME started after my best friend was murdered by her ex-boyfriend and I…

See Stéphanie‘s story and her most impactful loss

Nobody is Listening

Name: Dea	Years Ill: 28
Location: Charlotte, United States
Former Occupation: healthcare professional
Former Activity Level (0-100): 100	Current Activity Level (0-100): 20
Total Projected Economic Losses For Years Not Worked: $526,253
Story: Approaching 40 years of age I was 114 lb endurance athlete in perfect shape and health. Super fl…

See Dea‘s story and her most impactful loss

Some recovery and a lot of determination

Name: Ishtar	Years Ill: 12
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
Former Occupation: Psychologist & Dance artist
Current Occupation: Psychologist in private practice, dance artist
Former Activity Level (0-100): 100	Current Activity Level (0-100): 70

Story: Prior to becoming ill, I had a rich and full life. I was part of a pain management team, I ran m…