TeasetMonster
The house fairy of a forgotten cottage in the woods invites guests to visit for tea and drawing...
Or a human lady, a queer artist disabled by ME/CFS, reaches out to the world via the internet...
I'm participating in ArtFight this year! I probably won't get a lot done, but I couldn't resist the siren call to finally participate for the first time.
TeasetMonster
ME/CFS is an immune disease (not an autoimmune disease!) that presents with symptoms in the central nervous system, autonomic nervous system, immune system, cardiovascular system, endocrine system, digestive system, and musculoskeletal system.
Wait...isn't that kind of everything?
Yeah! It super sucks! My personal experience is that I've had a singular migraine for over a decade, experience constant pain through out my entire body and have been constantly physically and mentally exhausted for a decade. (as of 2026) Also, if I try to push through the physical and cognitive exhaustion and do too much, I'll take days or even weeks to recover and also risk being permanently sicker in the long term.
Is there a treatment for it?
There is currently (2026) no FDA approved treatment for ME/CFS. But there has been very promising study of low dose Abilify/Aripiprazole on ME/CFS, which is how I found that treatment! Combined with iron infusions, this has enabled my previously progressively worsening exhaustion level and cognitive function to improve every year since 2021. I still have yet to find something that works well for my pain, despite seeing many doctors and trying many treatments.
What does ME/CFS stand for?
ME stands for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, which literally means muscle pain and inflammation of the brain and spinal cord and it was the name the disease was first recognized under by the World Health Organization in 1969.CFS stands for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, which is misleading because Chronic Fatigue is a symptom of many illnesses and the exhaustion of it is distinctly different from what is experienced with ME/CFS. The movement to rename ME to CFS is generally recognized by the community as harmful.In the USA, it has become common to refer to the illness as ME/CFS, though some other english speaking countries write CFS/ME instead.
I have a thing you should try! It helped someone I know!
Respectfully, don't do this. You're not my doctor, you don't know the ins and outs of my condition, I shouldn't have to list a life's worth of medications I've tried to every well-meaning stranger and acquaintance, and I firmly refuse any treatment that isn't based in actual science.
If you'd like to learn more or find ways to help ME/CFS patients fight for better conditions, see the links below!