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9
Exploding the Misconceptions
The attitude of doctors towards ME has long been a cause of consternation and anger
among patients. Although matters have improved markedly in the past decade or so many
of the negative and misinformed notions towards this illness remain. Yet even today the
entirety of our government’s research funding (administered by NICE) goes to the
psychiatric camp.
In the past there have been many examples of the blinkered and narrow views of the
medical profession being suddenly exploded when surprising new research is published.
One recent example of such an abrupt rethinking of views is stomach ulcers. For years
patients suffered huge problems with these ulcers only to be told by their doctors that
it was their lifestyle, a bad diet or stress and to go home and stop worrying. Two
Australian researchers had a different view though. They said that peptic ulcers were
caused by bacteria – and they were roundly disbelieved and mocked by their colleagues.
One of the researchers believed so strongly that the bacterium Helicobacter pylori
caused these problems he drank a vial of the stuff, promptly developed a stomach ulcer
and then cured himself with a simple course of antibiotics! The 2005 Nobel Prize was
awarded to Robin Warren and Barry Marshall, “who with tenacity and a prepared mind
challenged prevailing dogmas”, for their discovery of "the bacterium Helicobacter pylori
and its role in gastritis and peptic ulcer disease".
So will something similar happen with our illness? I certainly hope so and I suspect it
may happen sooner rather than later. My hope lies in particular with Dr Gow in Glasgow
and Dr Jonathan Kerr in London who have discovered genetic abnormalities in people with
ME and are now developing a diagnostic blood test. Once disbelieving doctors and
psychiatrists see the proof in black and white that we really are genuinely ill they will
have to re-evaluate their stance. That day can’t come soon enough!
Craig Woods
SPECIAL FRIENDS
Two elderly ladies had been friends for many decades. Over the years they had shared
all kinds of activities and adventures. Lately, their activities had been limited to meeting
a few times a week to play cards.
One day they were playing cards when one looked at the other and said, "Now don't get
mad at me. I know we've been friends for a long time.....but I just can't think of your
name! I've thought and thought, but I can't remember it. Please tell me what your name
is."
Her friend glared at her. For at least three minutes she just stared and glared at her.
Finally she said, "How soon do you need to know?"
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