A joyful black Labrador excitedly unwrapping a Christmas present in a cosy, festive living room. A beautifully decorated Christmas tree glows in the background, with twinkling fairy lights and stockings by the fireplace. The dog’s tail is wagging as it discovers its special holiday gift."

February Already? Where Did the Time Go?

I can’t quite believe it’s February already—more specifically, the 25th of February! Somehow, this is my first post of the year, and honestly, I don’t know where the time has gone.

Welcome!

If this is your first time here, hi and welcome to my little corner of the internet. My life is far from ordinary—I live with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), Endometriosis, and De Quervain’s Syndrome in both hands. These conditions leave me completely bedridden, and on my best days, I can just about manage the eight steps to my bathroom with support. It’s tough, isolating, and challenging in ways most people can’t imagine.

But here’s the thing—I share my life, the good and the bad, in the hope of raising awareness and making a real difference for others going through similar struggles. If that sounds like something you’d like to be part of, then welcome. I’m so happy you’re here!

You can read more about my journey with ME on my website: alishawhittam.com
Or join me over on Facebook: facebook.com/alishajwhittam

Happy New Year (Better Late Than Never!)

The end of 2022 and all of 2023 were tough. I had so many plans for Christmas, but life had other ideas. Instead of pushing myself beyond my limits, I had to accept that those plans would have to wait for Christmas 2024 instead. That’s part of my growth—I’m learning to let go and listen to my body, and thankfully, I have a family that understands and supports me.

Even though Christmas was quiet, one thing remained the same—our family Christmas is the best place to be (at least, according to my daughter!). Christmas morning always starts early in our house, and I could hardly wait to see her face when she unwrapped her gifts. Knowing I managed to find almost everything on her list made it all the more special.

Alfie: The Christmas Star

If you’ve followed me for any length of time, you’ll know one thing for sure—I adore my dog, Alfie. Not just a little bit. He is my best friend, my constant companion through good days and bad, and I truly believe he was sent to me as a gift.

So, of course, Alfie gets his own Christmas presents! Watching his tail wag with pure excitement as I run around the house shouting “Santa Paws has been!” is honestly the highlight of my day. He knows exactly what’s happening.

When Alfie was a puppy, we included him in Christmas celebrations, and by his second Christmas, he had already figured out which gifts were his. Every year since, it’s just gotten funnier. Christmas morning with Alfie is like watching the happiest toddler on earth, full of energy and unconditional love—except this one is covered in fur and would still adore me even if I wrapped up an apple for him.

In our house, stockings come first. But as soon as they’re done, I have to physically hold him back so we can give our daughter a gift before it’s his turn again. Somehow, he just knows which ones are his, and when it’s finally time, he runs straight to the tree, grabs a present, and starts unwrapping it himself. If he struggles, he’ll bring it to me or my husband for help before proudly running off with his new toy.

And the cutest part? Once he’s figured out what the toy does—whether it squeaks or smells delicious—he brings it straight to me, wagging his tail as if to say, “Look, Mum! Look what I got!” Then, of course, he showers me with kisses.

But Christmas doesn’t end with gifts for Alfie—he also gets a full Christmas dinner with his family. Because, well, he is family. As I was reading this in 2025, I just had to take the opportunity to share a video of Christmas of Alfie and our new addition, Archie. They loved Christmas this year, and while it was a little more than chaotic, it made my heart happy. A Chaotic Christmas

Keeping Up With Us

I could talk about Alfie all day (and honestly, I often do!), but I’ll wrap things up here. If you’d like to keep up with our little family, here are the best places to find us:

🌐 Website: alishawhittam.com
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/alishajwhittam

Until next time, sending love and light your way!

My website – https://alishawhittam.com/

Follow my socials at :

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/alishajwhittam

Instagram – https://instagram.com/alishawhittam

Twitter – https://twitter.com/alishawhittam

Tik Tok – https://www.tiktok.com/@alishawhittam

Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.co.uk/alishawhittam

Business enquiries to – ask@alishawhittam.com

Love always

Alisha 🫶

Picture of Alisha

Alisha

Proud Wife, Mother and Nanna . We married 19 years ago in Rome, Italy surrounded by our friends and family. We have the most beautiful, caring, considerate daughter, she makes us proud every single day. I am nan to Alfie, our Black Labrador and he is my best friend in all the world, I love how he understands that just laying next to me is all I need on a bad day and on a good day well it is cuddles and kisses galore. Liverpool born & bred, I never had enough guts to ever move away. Maybe it’s on my cards in the future. I have an illness that has destroyed my life, that illness has led me to blog my life with no filter. I put everything into raising awareness of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and I would do anything to make sure no one else has to feel the way that I do. We have fun in our little home and I do anything to make my family happy. Love meeting new people over the web and hearing their stories. I Love making new friends and just trying to make a difference in this world.
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A Disney-style cartoon illustration of a dark-haired woman with blue eyes sitting on a bed, writing in a notebook. She is surrounded by a laptop, scattered notes, and a microphone. Two black Labradors, one with a red collar, sit beside her, while a camera records the scene
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Calling All ME/CFS Sufferers in Liverpool & Surrounding Areas: Your Voice Is Needed!

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Understanding Myalgic Encephalomyelitis: A Deep Dive Into Life With a Complex Chronic Illness

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS) is a life-changing chronic illness that affects millions worldwide. In this post, I share my own experience of living with severe ME, explain the symptoms and challenges, and offer support to anyone facing this condition. You are not alone.
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What is Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

According to the NHS Website, Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a long-term illness with a wide range of symptoms. The most common symptom is extreme tiredness

For more information please visit https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/chronic-fatigue-syndrome-cfs/

People with ME/CFS have fatigue that is very different from just being tired. The fatigue of ME/CFS:

  • Can be severe.
  • Is not a result of unusually difficult activity.
  • Is not relieved by sleep or rest.
  • Was not a problem before becoming ill (not life-long)

Worsening of ME/CFS symptoms after physical or mental activity that would not have caused a problem before illness. This is known as post-exertional malaise (PEM).

Sleep problems.

Many but not all people with ME/CFS have other symptoms.

Pain is very common in people with ME/CFS. The type of pain, where it occurs, and how bad it is varies a lot. The pain people with ME/CFS feel is not caused by an injury. The most common types of pain in ME/CFS are:

  • Muscle pain and aches
  • Joint pain without swelling or redness
  • Headaches, either new or worsening

Some people with ME/CFS may also have:

  • Tender lymph nodes in the neck or armpits
  • A sore throat that happens often
  • Digestive issues, like irritable bowel syndrome
  • Chills and night sweats
  • Allergies and sensitivities to foods, odors, chemicals, light, or noise
  • Muscle weakness
  • Shortness of breath
  • Irregular heartbeat
Information is taken from The CDC Website https://www.cdc.gov/me-cfs/symptoms-diagnosis/symptoms

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis does not have a cure.

Find a Dr or Consultant who listens to you is the first step

It is a manageable condition and depending on the severity of your symptoms the more difficult this can become.

I advise learning to listen to your body and what it is telling you. If you feel tired rest and if you feel pain find a solution to reduce that pain, this could be through pain medication prescribed by your Dr.

I am not saying that finding a Dr who listens or listening to your body is going to be easy as this illness is incredibly complex for some and manageable for others.

Having a Dr who listens to you or reads about the latest drug that sufferers are recommending can take a lot of unnecessary stress and anxiety from the sufferer.

It would be best for me to point you to the above question What is Myalgic Encephalomyelitis? 

Most pages list the illness as ME/CFS or Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or sometimes even Systemic exertion intolerance disease (SEID).

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