Tony’s story – Conwy County, North Wales
North Wales resident Tony caught an unidentified virus in 2003 and seemed to recover within a month, enabling him to get back to work. A few years later he had a relapse and has not recovered since. “I underwent a never ending roundabout of blood tests, urine tests and consultant appointments, only for doctors to tell me that ME isn’t a real condition!”
With low energy and temperature fluctuations his body began to malfunction more and more and he has collected a variety of additional debilitating diagnoses.
“I can hardly walk and very rarely leave the house. This has put a great strain on my wife, who apart from being my carer, also has to manage her full time job and care for her elderly mother.”
Tony found little help from the NHS and spent years searching for treatments in vain. “I’m in my second decade of this now and despite trying every treatment available I seem to be continually sliding into a worse condition than the year before. But I live in hope of a brighter future while making the best of what I still have.
T