Frozen in Amber – Page 2 – My journey as a scientist, writer, and mother with ME/CFS
January 4, 2021 March 11, 2021 ~ Caroline Elizabeth	~ Leave a comment	
I had several questions about the new COVID-19 vaccines but found it surprisingly difficult to find the detailed information I was seeking in a consolidated place. This three-part blog synthesizes some of the information I found informative. I focus mostly on the biology of the new vaccine technologies, including mRNA, recombinant viral vector, and recombinant … Continue reading Understanding the new COVID-19 vaccine technologies
September 19, 2020 September 22, 2020 ~ Caroline Elizabeth	~ 2 Comments	
Finding acceptance while holding on to hope with a chronic illness is like walking a tightrope, especially as the years grind on. Hope is a vital life force that propels us, whereas acceptance allows us to discover new ways of living within the moment. Clearly hope and acceptance are not mutually exclusive, but over time … Continue reading Balancing hope and acceptance with a chronic illness
August 29, 2020 October 20, 2020 ~ Caroline Elizabeth	~ 2 Comments	
In a nutshell: Chronotropic incompetence (CI) - the inability of the heart to keep pace with increased activity - is common in myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS)CI is worse in women with ME/CFS but both men and women have a lower than expected heart rate at the anaerobic thresholdCI is worse in those who have a more … Continue reading Blunted heart rate and implications for pacing in ME/CFS
July 31, 2020 August 7, 2020 ~ Caroline Elizabeth	~ 2 Comments	
Note - this blog is geared toward an American audience as it only applies to federal disability in the United States. I am certainly no expert on disability and the thoughts below reflect my experience only, while acknowledging that there are many ways to approach disability benefits. I will admit to bumbling through my Social … Continue reading A long, technical support letter helped me to win my SSDI case for ME/CFS!
June 29, 2020 ~ Caroline Elizabeth	~ 15 Comments	
Click here for audio recording of this blog. Summary The aerobic energy system is "broken" in ME/CFS and cannot be fixed with exercise (i.e., graded exercise therapy, also known as GET).The anaerobic (glycolytic) system appears to be somewhat functional in ME/CFS (but see McGregor's work) and, in theory, can be trained to be more efficient … Continue reading Energy systems and pacing in ME/CFS
March 23, 2020 ~ Caroline Elizabeth	~ 6 Comments	
As with many people, I reached coronavirus saturation about a week ago. That said, I don't want to miss out on key research findings so I continue to scour Twitter for commentary from experts and for newly-published peer-reviewed papers on SARS-CoV-2 (the virus) and COVID-19 (the disease). But in the past few weeks, I have … Continue reading Be a voice of support during COVID-19