Maria B.: I submitted my Social Security Disability application 21 months ago. I was denied at the early steps and then at my hearing before a judge. He shuffled papers, looking bored and annoyed and tried to hurry my lawyer's presentation in order to conclude the hearing as fast as possible. He never looked at me as I spoke.

John: My best friend has had CFIDS and FMS for the past 5 years. I have only had the pleasure of knowing her for less than 2 years so I never knew the person she used to be. A young, smart, energetic girl who was very active in many different areas.

My life has changed positively because of her. I am a much better person. I have learned to appreciate the smaller things in life. I take one day at a time. I am not always thinking about my next promotion or paycheck. I can stop to smell the flowers. I have become an advocate as well as a healthy volunteer for research studies. I know have a hero to look to when I need guidance because she displays courage on a daily basis. And through all this, she has never complained or said "why me. " She accepts it whole-heartedly and does her best to deal with it. She is my best friend and the girl of my dreams.

Jodi: CFS has ended a teaching career that I started in 1970. As is typical of the disease, but yet unexplained, is that most people begin staying up later and sleeping later. It doesn't matter how hard you try to keep your normal schedule, it just won't work. When I got up early enough to teach, I felt too sick to do anything. Soon I was missing two or three days a week. I gave up and put in for a leave of absence, and was planning on staying until they found a replacement teacher.

CFS has become a dictator that has taken over my life. If I follow its commands to the letter, I have a few good hours most days. But if I disregard these rules, I will be sick for several days. My mind will become confused and I will have trouble with word retrieval, making a simple conversation a challenge. And my short-term memory problems have become a no term memory. People constantly tell me that I have already told them such and so.

I used to be a writer on the side, and while all this time would be the perfect opportunity, the strength is not there, and my thoughts are too incongruent. Is it quite frustrating.

Flo S.: I couldn't help take care of my mother when she had brain cancer and my father who then suffered alzheimer's illness so the siblings got angry and at their funerals treated me like I had 2 heads, ostracized me and completely and finally a bad verbal attack. They have been given information and one brother at least tried to learn a bit about it. The sister never writes or calls only sends a small package at Christmas, so in essence, I have no family. However I have a wonderful husband who supports me totally and takes me everyplace.

It is difficult living with fibromyalgia, 

yep you can take the pain, 

you can take the stress, 

and you can even take all that goes with it.

The hardest I find is the people around you think you are nuts.

My answer to this is 

I may walk a foot, 

I may walk a yard, 

and may look like the healthiest person in the world.

My smiles may have wrinkles, 

and the spark may be gone,

Just walk in my footsteps, 

and then I'll drag you along.