Hi, I’m Alisha Whittam, and I live with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, a chronic illness that has profoundly shaped my journey. Here, I want to share a little more about who I am beyond the challenges I face every day.
I’m a proud mum to Becks and a devoted “Nanna” to my two beautiful Black Labradors, Alfie and Archie, who never fail to brighten my days. I’ve been married to my soulmate for 18 years, and our love story took us to the enchanting city of Rome, where we exchanged our vows after falling in love with its history and charm.
I’m a passionate Liverpool FC supporter, and I also cheer for Roma—two teams that hold a special place in my heart. I dream of moving to a quiet Italian town someday, a place where I can truly rest and find peace surrounded by the gentle sounds of nature.
Despite the limitations of my illness, I remain curious and eager to learn. I have a deep love for history and am constantly seeking new knowledge, especially about my faith, as I strive to become a better version of myself.
And like any dreamer, I have one big wish: to one day own a Porsche 911 GT3—my ultimate dream car.
This is just a glimpse into my life, my dreams, and the passions that keep me going. Thank you for taking the time to get to know me.
Sharing or Over Sharing
I share all about my life with Severe Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in the hope that sharing my story helps someone else. Severe Myalgic Encephalomyelitis has left me completely bedridden since 2012. I rely on my husband to care for me and I spend every day with my Black Labradors Alfie and Archie who make a huge difference to my mental health.
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). Some call this illness Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, some shorten it to ME or CFS, and some refer to it as ME/CFS.
When I was first diagnosed with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) I went through a dark time. Having to come to terms with a life-altering illness hit me hard. I was left to grieve for my old life while learning how to accept the limitations of my new life.
It’s not just been hard for me it’s been extremely tough for my Husband and Daughter to experience daily life with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
My Husband is always by my side, even on the nights when I am crying out in severe pain. On the nights when the pain is too severe for me to manage, he will call an ambulance and sit in a seat beside my bed. On many a time, this means getting home and having to go straight to work without any sleep.
Family Life with ME/CFS
Family Life with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome – Our Daughter has been remarkable from the very start. She was only 5 or 6 when I first got sick. When the illness took over my body she was in senior school, and the less I was able to do she started doing or learning how to do.
Even through her university life, she sacrificed a lot and came home once or twice each month to help with my care as well as give some much-needed relief to my Husband
I know how lucky I am to have them as unfortunately, not all families with such a drastic shift can save what they had.
While friends and family tried to be supportive they had to go on living their own lives and while I miss them all dearly I understand. Unfortunately, that has left me with very few people in my life from the days before my diagnosis of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).
The worse the Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) got I started looking online for others with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS), I needed answers and unfortunately, the more people I talked to the more apparent it was that every single one of us no matter the location in the world had been let down by our public health systems.
We all had in common, feelings of loneliness, confusion and an absence of hope. Life with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis changed every aspect of our lives.
My Life with ME
This journey taught me the power of resilience and I hope that by sharing my experiences good and bad I can raise awareness and offer support to those facing similar challenges.
In my studio ( my bed ); I’ve discovered new ways to express myself creatively and I am so proud of the new skills that I have been able to learn along the way including, website design, graphic design, crafting, videography and photography.
To make a difference, I am educating myself to utilise social media and digital platforms as a way to empower my voice for education, raising awareness and building a community of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis sufferers locally as well as around the world.
Severe Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
This journey taught me the power of resilience and I hope that by sharing my experiences good and bad I can raise awareness and offer support to those facing similar challenges.
In my studio ( my bed ); I’ve discovered new ways to express myself creatively and I am so proud of the new skills that I have been able to learn along the way including, website design, graphic design, crafting, videography and photography.
To make a difference, I am educating myself to utilise social media and digital platforms as a way to empower my voice for education, raising awareness and building a community of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis sufferers locally as well as around the world.
MY LIFE WITH ME
This journey taught me the power of resilience and I hope that by sharing my experiences good and bad I can raise awareness and offer support to those facing similar challenges.
In my studio ( my bed ); I’ve discovered new ways to express myself creatively and I am so proud of the new skills that I have been able to learn along the way including, website design, graphic design, crafting, videography and photography.
To make a difference, I am educating myself to utilise social media and digital platforms as a way to empower my voice for education, raising awareness and building a community of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis sufferers locally as well as around the world.
MY story
Life with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis is hard, before I was diagnosed with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis symptoms I worked full time as well as also being a Wife & Mother.
My life is really tough but that is why I have to share my story with the world. Living every day with this debilitating illness makes me even more determined to raise awareness of how life-changing life with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis symptoms is. People and medical professionals need to see the real side of life with a chronic illness so that we can begin to change whatever prehistoric preconceived ideas that exist in today’s society.
My Story is not unique
Life with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis is hard, before I was diagnosed with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis symptoms I worked full time as well as also being a Wife & Mother.
My life is really tough but that is why I have to share my story with the world. Living every day with this debilitating illness makes me even more determined to raise awareness of how life-changing life with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis symptoms is. People and medical professionals need to see the real side of life with a chronic illness so that we can begin to change whatever prehistoric preconceived ideas that exist in today’s society.
making a difference
The ME Pyjama Party
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Carer Community
