Akers World Soccer

[Guest guest]

Sydney wrote in part:

>I have nothing but the utmost respect and admiration for Akers.

Being a fan of women's soccer I have followed her career as a soccer player

before she became ill with CFS. And she was in fact very ill with CFS and

bedridden for quite a period of time some years ago. She also has NMH. The

disease chose her. She did not choose the disease.

Hi Everyone,

And thanks, Sydney, for your well-articulated statement about

Akers. It's probably not helpful to be negative about her just

because she's been able to adapt after getting some early intervention,

I believe, from Dr. Cheney. I don't think she's " selling " anything

except for Dr. Cheney's regimen on her WebSite. And I think her

spiritual growth in her relationship with God & other people can be

one of the good things to come out of this disease experience. This disease

certainly disabuses us of our ability to totally control the situation.

I admit I was one who wasn't looking forward to the Women's

World Cup Soccer competition, mainly because I was concerned that

*all*groups of CFIDS patients wouldn't be covered properly & we would

have to hear " why can't you push through like that? " And I did hear the

TV commentator say that she's " pushing through it in her battle with CFS. "

But he also said that she's " day to day in her ability to compete. "

I enjoyed the soccer match very much, but I cringed a bit when CFS

was mentioned. One other PWC I know told me that we don't need

spokespersons so much as we need advocates among our friends & family

who are healthy enough to take on the battle which we may not have

strength to fight. Many of us cannot even make it to local support groups.

My desire is that what I see as the three major groups of CFIDS

patients could be represented (although I know temporary remission may

occur): 1. Those to seem to recover 70-90 percent of their functionality;

2. Those who stay a little above or below 50 percent functionality;

3. Those who have a disabling course & operate at below 30 percent

functionality.

Does anybody know how many may be in each of these groups? Dr. Cheney

said he mostly deals with the sickest patients.

Steve in Northern California <><