Million Missing

ME Awareness Day #millionsmissing

Million Missing

We say “hello” you smile and say “it’s nice to see you looking well “,
But by just looking at my face it’s difficult to tell.
You would have to look much deeper and spend a little time,
Then you may begin to understand, be surprised by what you’d find.

I live my life exhausted, fighting every day
Against a leaden body that lets me down in every way.
A time of brief enjoyment leaves me struggling to regain
A meagre amount of energy: to clear the fog that clouds my brain.

I suffer from ME, “oh yes” I hear you say,
“There is a relative of mine who suffers in the same way.
She is always very tired and sometimes can’t go out”.
And that’s when your face begins to show a flickering of doubt.

“Well I must get on, nice to see you again,
I hope you feel better soon, life can be a strain.
I often get pretty exhausted with all there is to do,
You just have to get on with it, can’t let it get on top of you”.

You smile again and walk away without a backward glance.
If I can’t make you understand, why then I have no chance.
You were once a friend, I thought, that I could rely upon,
But since this illness took my life, your friendship too has gone.

I’m one of the millions missing, but we’re not difficult to find;
One of the many who were forced to leave their lives behind.
Some of us can’t leave our beds, many are housebound.
So why are we ignored when we can easily be found?

We receive no help from doctors, who don’t know what to do.
We are left to help ourselves, hard to believe but it’s true.
There is no medication, no treatment nor a cure.
Yet we’re still here, we have a voice, with love we can endure.

Written by: Kathy Thomas