Before becoming ill, Rachel was living a full and active life. She had just graduated from university, started her first job, loved reading and theatre, and was passionate about exercise.
Then everything changed.
What began as a viral chest infection seemed like something she could simply push through. But after continuing to exercise, traveling while unwell, and then developing appendicitis, her health gradually declined. Like many people living with chronic illness, Rachel never imagined that one illness would lead to months or years of ongoing symptoms.
If Rachel’s story feels familiar, you’re not alone.
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Full Transcript
Early Life and First Job 0:03
Hi, my name is Rachel. Before I started Hi, my name is Rachel. Before I started feeling unwell, I was in my early twenties. I had feeling unwell, I was in my early twenties. I had feeling unwell, I was in my early twenties. I had gone to university. She had gone to university. She had gone to university. She had studied English Philology. I have always studied English Philology. I have always studied English Philology. I have always loved reading and theater. loved reading and theater.
loved reading and theater. I had my first job in I had my first job in I had my first job in local government and I exercised a lot back then local government and I exercised a lot back then local government and I exercised a lot back then , which I believe was , which I believe was , which I believe was a determining factor in my a determining factor in my a determining factor in my starting to feel unwell. starting to feel unwell.
Illness Begins After Infection 0:23
starting to feel unwell. Yes, yes, I led a Yes, yes, I led a Yes, yes, I led a pretty busy life, but I also had a pretty busy life, but I also had a pretty busy life, but I also had a lot of fun and enjoyed my lot of fun and enjoyed my lot of fun and enjoyed my work and my things. So I caught work and my things. So I caught work and my things. So I caught a virus, a respiratory infection. I a virus, a respiratory infection. I a virus, a respiratory infection. I really didn't stop. I was on a really didn't stop. I was on a really didn't stop. I was on a weekend getaway to Italy at the weekend getaway to Italy at the weekend getaway to Italy at the time. So I went ahead with that. And it time. So I went ahead with that. And it time. So I went ahead with that. And it took me a while to get over it, which took me a while to get over it, which took me a while to get over it, which was unusual, and I realized that was unusual, and I realized that was unusual, and I realized that when I was in classes at the gym, it had when I was in classes at the gym, it had when I was in classes at the gym, it had affected me and I had dedicated myself a affected me and I had dedicated myself a affected me and I had dedicated myself a lot to exercise. So I noticed the lot to exercise. So I noticed the lot to exercise. So I noticed the difference in my physical condition. Then difference in my physical condition. Then difference in my physical condition. Then I had appendicitis. Well, yes, it came out
Appendicitis and Ongoing Fatigue 0:51
I had appendicitis. Well, yes, it came out I had appendicitis. Well, yes, it came out of nowhere and I think it may be of nowhere and I think it may be of nowhere and I think it may be related to respiratory viruses and related to respiratory viruses and related to respiratory viruses and things like that. And then, yes, things like that. And then, yes, things like that. And then, yes, from that moment on I was never able to return to from that moment on I was never able to return to from that moment on I was never able to return to normal. I just felt bad in normal. I just felt bad in normal. I just felt bad in general. Headaches and things like that general. Headaches and things like that . Some pain in arms and legs.
. Some pain in arms and legs. . Some pain in arms and legs. But yes, fatigue, that fatigue, was the But yes, fatigue, that fatigue, was the predominant symptom that consumed me predominant symptom that consumed me completely in every aspect. I completely in every aspect. I completely in every aspect. I was having problems at work was having problems at work . And I was working more and more from home . And I was working more and more from home . And I was working more and more from home and we had a flexible schedule. So I was and we had a flexible schedule. So I was and we had a flexible schedule. So I was working fewer hours, but I had working fewer hours, but I had working fewer hours, but I had a large deficit of hours that I owed to a large deficit of hours that I owed to a large deficit of hours that I owed to my job, which was quite my job, which was quite my job, which was quite stressful. So it really
Work, Social Life, and Physical Limits 1:26
stressful. So it really stressful. So it really affected me at work. I missed out on many affected me at work. I missed out on many affected me at work. I missed out on many social activities with friends. I had to social activities with friends. I had to social activities with friends. I had to cancel many plans. I had to cancel many plans. I had to cancel many plans. I had to cancel my vacation because of the time I cancel my vacation because of the time I cancel my vacation because of the time I spent with my family and friends in spent with my family and friends in spent with my family and friends in meetings, and maybe I only had an meetings, and maybe I only had an meetings, and maybe I only had an hour and then I had to go and rest.
hour and then I had to go and rest. hour and then I had to go and rest. Obviously, I didn't stop going to the gym Obviously, I didn't stop going to the gym Obviously, I didn't stop going to the gym completely. I stopped exercising completely. I stopped exercising completely. I stopped exercising because it made me much worse. But because it made me much worse. But because it made me much worse. But even when walking, if we were going somewhere even when walking, if we were going somewhere even when walking, if we were going somewhere , I had to time how long I , I had to time how long I , I had to time how long I was standing and walking. So it was standing and walking. So it was standing and walking. So it was very restrictive. Fly was someone was very restrictive. Fly was someone was very restrictive. Fly was someone who dedicated himself to finding anything that who dedicated himself to finding anything that who dedicated himself to finding anything that could be helpful, taking all could be helpful, taking all could be helpful, taking all kinds of supplements and trying kinds of supplements and trying kinds of supplements and trying different things to see if they would different things to see if they would different things to see if they would work for him. Well, the first
Searching for Solutions 1:59
work for him. Well, the first work for him. Well, the first videos you can get for free, I videos you can get for free, I videos you can get for free, I saw them a couple of years before I made saw them a couple of years before I made saw them a couple of years before I made the program properly. And by the program properly. And by the program properly. And by then, since I had probably been then, since I had probably been then, since I had probably been feeling unwell for three or three years, I was feeling unwell for three or three years, I was feeling unwell for three or three years, I was initially much more initially much more initially much more open-minded. You were thinking: well, how is open-minded. You were thinking: well, how is open-minded. You were thinking: well, how is this going to help me? And I incorporated the this going to help me? And I incorporated the this going to help me? And I incorporated the recommendation of meditation simply recommendation of meditation simply recommendation of meditation simply because I had seen it, and that helped because I had seen it, and that helped because I had seen it, and that helped my health to some extent on its own.
my health to some extent on its own. my health to some extent on its own. But then, when things like
Meditation and Early Coping 2:29
But then, when things like But then, when things like a cold or something like that came up, it wasn't a cold or something like that came up, it wasn't a cold or something like that came up, it wasn't enough. It helped me, but it didn't really enough. It helped me, but it didn't really enough. It helped me, but it didn't really prevent me from continuing to have prevent me from continuing to have prevent me from continuing to have setbacks and other things like that. So setbacks and other things like that. So setbacks and other things like that. So I had various ups and downs, but it seems to me I had various ups and downs, but it seems to me I had various ups and downs, but it seems to me that during the pandemic everything was, that during the pandemic everything was, that during the pandemic everything was, naturally, a naturally, a naturally, a very stressful situation. It was very stressful situation. It was very stressful situation. It was very stressful for me to think that I was at very stressful for me to think that I was at very stressful for me to think that I was at greater risk. And I remember telling greater risk. And I remember telling greater risk. And I remember telling people that if I got blood clots, it people that if I got blood clots, it people that if I got blood clots, it could set me back a year, two years, could set me back a year, two years, could set me back a year, two years, for life. That's how I saw it at the for life. That's how I saw it at the for life. That's how I saw it at the time. I was very worried. It was right time. I was very worried. It was right time. I was very worried. It was right at that moment that I felt I should at that moment that I felt I should at that moment that I felt I should try to do something different and more try to do something different and more try to do something different and more structured, and somehow structured, and somehow structured, and somehow put my trust in it. I
Pandemic Stress and Choosing a Program 3:02
put my trust in it. I put my trust in it. I had already researched the different had already researched the different had already researched the different programs available, but GU's programs available, but GU's programs available, but GU's particularly appealed to me. So yes, particularly appealed to me. So yes, particularly appealed to me. So yes, I decided to try it. So I realized right away that I decided to try it. So I realized right away that I decided to try it. So I realized right away that , at the beginning, it , at the beginning, it , at the beginning, it calmed me down. So I felt a calmed me down. So I felt a calmed me down. So I felt a little calmer and more comforted little calmer and more comforted little calmer and more comforted watching the videos and stuff, and feeling watching the videos and stuff, and feeling watching the videos and stuff, and feeling that there were other people doing the that there were other people doing the that there were other people doing the same thing. Yes, it was a great support, same thing. Yes, it was a great support, same thing. Yes, it was a great support, obviously, because of the way it was obviously, because of the way it was obviously, because of the way it was presented. But then, with the presented. But then, with the presented. But then, with the Seventh Step process, as soon as it was introduced,
Seventh Step Brings Relief 3:31
Seventh Step process, as soon as it was introduced, Seventh Step process, as soon as it was introduced, I discovered that I actually began to I discovered that I actually began to I discovered that I actually began to alleviate some of my symptoms alleviate some of my symptoms alleviate some of my symptoms quite quickly. So, even within quite quickly. So, even within quite quickly. So, even within a couple of weeks, I felt like I had a couple of weeks, I felt like I had a couple of weeks, I felt like I had largely overcome the slump I had been in largely overcome the slump I had been in largely overcome the slump I had been in , which was , which was , which was amazing, and obviously, having that amazing, and obviously, having that amazing, and obviously, having that response gave me a lot of faith in response gave me a lot of faith in response gave me a lot of faith in it. So, yes, I did notice less fatigue it. So, yes, I did notice less fatigue it. So, yes, I did notice less fatigue very quickly, but I was in a very quickly, but I was in a very quickly, but I was in a particularly bad place, and I think particularly bad place, and I think particularly bad place, and I think I did feel, yes, a greater sense of I did feel, yes, a greater sense of I did feel, yes, a greater sense of calm, more relaxed about calm, more relaxed about calm, more relaxed about things, and I was able to take a different mental approach things, and I was able to take a different mental approach things, and I was able to take a different mental approach to being unwell and to being unwell and to being unwell and see myself as someone who see myself as someone who see myself as someone who was recovering rather than someone was recovering rather than someone was recovering rather than someone who was sick. And I think that who was sick. And I think that who was sick. And I think that made a big difference. It took me made a big difference. It took me made a big difference. It took me about a year or almost 9 months to about a year or almost 9 months to about a year or almost 9 months to reach that 80% mark and shortly reach that 80% mark and shortly reach that 80% mark and shortly after we went on vacation and I
Recovery, Return to Work, and Exercise 4:15
after we went on vacation and I after we went on vacation and I felt great and able to walk and felt great and able to walk and felt great and able to walk and hike without worrying about hike without worrying about hike without worrying about it. I think it has been very it. I think it has been very it. I think it has been very liberating for me to be able to go liberating for me to be able to go liberating for me to be able to go hiking or do some hiking or do some hiking or do some similar activity and not have to think that similar activity and not have to think that similar activity and not have to think that I can only walk for 20 minutes and I can only walk for 20 minutes and I can only walk for 20 minutes and then have to stop and that's the then have to stop and that's the then have to stop and that's the end of it, with no other option than that.
end of it, with no other option than that. end of it, with no other option than that. Yes, it's been great. And more Yes, it's been great. And more Yes, it's been great. And more recently, I've returned to recently, I've returned to recently, I've returned to full-time work. Obviously, that has full-time work. Obviously, that has full-time work. Obviously, that has been a milestone. For years, the only been a milestone. For years, the only been a milestone. For years, the only exercise that has concerned me has been exercise that has concerned me has been exercise that has concerned me has been walking and working on it, because it is walking and working on it, because it is walking and working on it, because it is an extremely practical activity and an extremely practical activity and an extremely practical activity and is very useful for is very useful for is very useful for everyday life. But, more recently, I've been everyday life. But, more recently, I've been everyday life. But, more recently, I've been able to exercise more simply for the able to exercise more simply for the able to exercise more simply for the sake of it. So I've sake of it. So I've sake of it. So I've started playing badminton. So that started playing badminton. So that started playing badminton. So that 's pretty big.
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