Bridget O'Shea (@Bridget_OShea) header
Bridget O'Shea (@Bridget_OShea) profile picture

Certified medical #writer, enthusiastic #journalist, cat mom, @UChicagoProEd, ME/CFS patient. Freelance journalist. Available for medical writing and editing.

Joined September 2021
Photo by Bridget O'Shea (@Bridget_OShea)Photo by Bridget O'Shea (@Bridget_OShea)Photo by Bridget O'Shea (@Bridget_OShea)Photo by Bridget O'Shea (@Bridget_OShea)Photo by Bridget O'Shea (@Bridget_OShea)Photo by Bridget O'Shea (@Bridget_OShea)Photo by Bridget O'Shea (@Bridget_OShea)Photo by Bridget O'Shea (@Bridget_OShea)Photo by Bridget O'Shea (@Bridget_OShea)Photo by Bridget O'Shea (@Bridget_OShea)
I hate every minute of my life. This is torture. #MECFS
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Sarah ist gestorben. An #MECFS. An einer Krankheit, die tötet, weil sie ignoriert wird. Und während manche jetzt ein paar Tage betroffen sind, geht es für uns weiter. Nicht, weil wir können – sondern weil wir müssen. Ich bin krank. Chronisch. Schwer. Und trotzdem versuche ich, sichtbar zu bleiben. Nicht für Aufmerksamkeit, sondern weil Schweigen gefährlich ist. Weil Menschen mit dieser Krankheit in Psychiatrien landen, in Isolation, im Bett, ohne Hilfe. Weil Ärzt*innen wegsehen, Behörden abwinken, und Teile der Gesellschaft uns für faul, empfindlich oder psychisch labil halten. Und dann machen wir kleine Aktionen. Plakate. Posts. Interviews. Demos. Und ja – auch Taschen. 🔜 👜 Nicht weil das reicht. Sondern weil es sonst niemand tut. Ich bekomme für so etwas auch Hass. Aber das ist mir egal. Denn ich habe gelernt: Die größte Gefahr ist nicht der Hass. Es ist das Schweigen. ME/CFS zerstört Leben. Still. Langsam. Brutal. Und es kann jede*n treffen – auch dich, dein Kind, deine Schwester, deinen Partner. Sarah war eine von uns. Und jetzt ist sie weg. Wenn ihr das nicht sehen wollt, dann schaut weg. Aber dann tragt auch die Verantwortung. Denn wer schweigt, schützt das System. Ein System, das seit Jahrzehnten Menschen im Stich lässt. Seit über fu**ing 50 Jahren… Ich mache weiter. Trotz Krankheit. Trotz Angst. Trotz Überreizung. Weil wir nicht noch mehr Menschen verlieren dürfen. Weil wir Respekt verdienen. Und Schutz. Und Forschung. Und einfach: ein Leben. Für Sarah. Für mich. Für alle, die gerade zu krank sind, um diesen Text zu lesen. #WirSindSarah #MillionsMissing
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Waking up and not being able to just get up and do things is something I'll never accept or get used to. #MECFS #LongCovid
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Replying to @Bridget_OShea
God damn I'm sorry. I hope you have some meds to help you get through the move in one piece.. & lots of help 🙏🏻🫂
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Symptoms are getting worse. I'm in agony today. I have to move house in 3 weeks. How???? #MECFS
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I no longer feel any jealousy or envy when I see or hear about others living life to the fullest, as I don't remember what joy & happiness feels like. I'm jealous of ppl w terminal illnesses, in hospice - those who are close to the end.. that's where I wish I was 😔
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I've done everything in my power to appease my body, to stop its anger towards me. Each time I think I'm improving, it kicks me back down with its relentless wrath. There's only so long I can stay inside this thing. I'd rather have lost both my legs than gotten #MECFS #LongCovid.
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Bridget O'Shea retweeted
I’m sorry but this is more than absurd and unethical. CHARGING PATIENTS 60K for being their doctor for conditions with no cure. Because you’re a specialist? Not for a surgery or anything FOR YOUR CONSULTATIONS? in what reality are we living in? #mecfs #pwme #severeme
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Bridget O'Shea retweeted
In tiefster Trauer und Betroffenheit teile ich, Kai (@kai_hrmth), diese Nachricht
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A medical system that gaslights and neglects complex illness patients into severe suffering and early death, and then pathologizes our pain, fear, and grief as mental illness is far sicker than we are. #Care4Complex #MedicalGaslightingKills #MedicalPTSD
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Bridget O'Shea retweeted
People still do not know this disease. They do not fear this disease. They don't know what this disease can do. How it takes life away. How living becomes surviving or existing. How unbearable the symptoms are, & how much worse the lack of understanding & acknowledgement make it.
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Today was so bad it was scary. The level of debilitation is unbelievable. The lack of recognition for such outrageous pain and suffering is beyond demoralizing. I wish this thing would kill me already. #MECFS #LongCovid
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I honestly don’t think I could come up with a more horrifying disease if I tried. It’s a cage that shrinks the more you squirm. Pure existential terror.
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Years on, people still think #LongCovid translates to "Lung Covid." And I can only wish I were lucky and clueless enough to ask that question.
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That's my first thought. Like if only I were so far out of touch to ask such a question!!!! Envy is a very light word to describe this feeling!!
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She talks about the phase after cancer treatment when you can’t function normally at home and you need, and more importantly, get help. PwME live in that phase where you need help for years and decades. There is no help with #ME bbc.com/news/articles/c6257z…
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Every time I read that treatments for #MECFS are right around the corner I feel infuriated bc they've been saying that for years and the pandemic didn't bring the shift we were hoping for. #LongCovid
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