THERE is no denying it; the cure can be worse than the affliction. The treatment recommended, whether by professionals or fringe-dwelling lifestyle “experts”, can sometimes create more agony than the existing condition. So says one who is enjoying their first pain-free day for some while; one who has at last emerged from the inhibiting effects of months of continual fatigue. And numerous depressing side-effects. Mental and physical energy have returned to almost normal levels. Sitting slumped in an armchair, staring unseeing at the crossword, has been replaced by a brisk three-mile walk. And by general activity that has recently been… Continue reading

RARELY do I find a book having such a deep and personal impact as this moving and tender story. Its effect lingered long after the final word had been read; reviving cherished memories, plucking at the heartstrings. Poignant moments from earlier days were relived, reflected upon with a mixture of sadness and joy. The details are mostly well distanced from my own experiences, yet the timeline and locations mirror my own to an unsettling extent. They converge and mingle before going on their separate ways, like tramlines at a junction,  As do the over-arching themes of separation and unbridgeable distance. Continue reading