Ok this isn’t a geography topic but it concerns this geographer’s son. I have written an essay about the absolutely frustrating, paralysing, and paradoxical challenges of caring for someone suffering from very severe ME/CFS (myalgic encephalomyelitis / chronic fatigue syndrome), someone who is stuck in bed all day, sensitive to lights and sounds, with symptoms potentially worsening after any mental or physical exertion (including a doctor’s visit). My essay also touches on the challenges of doing research for cures and treatments – well illustrated just the other day when a study of a new drug for Long-Covid was abandoned at the University of Basel because not enough patients had the energy to come to the hospital five times for the necessary tests and follow-up (1, 2). To summarize: severe ME/CFS and Long Covid patients are too sick to be helped, and help makes things worse. Help! But don’t! What a paradox. I use the metaphor of Schrödinger’s cat to frame the essay, which was just published here on the HealthRising website, as part of Cort Johnson’s article on severe ME/CFS. I reproduce my essay below.
Read the rest of this entry »The dilemma of caring for and doing research for severe sufferers of ME/CFS
October 7, 2024
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ME/CFS | Tagged: chronic disease, chronic-illness, health, healthcare, long-covid, ME/CFS | 
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Posted by christiankull
Christian Kull 