"I know if I need help they are there for me at any time"

I was diagnosed with long covid, chronic fatigue syndrome and also problems with my voice box and had been out of work for over a year. As a result I was referred to several clinics and therapists. Cognitive behaviour therapy, chronic fatigue syndrome clinic, speech and language therapist and condition management programme. I had both individual and group sessions.

It was hard to imagine anyone else having the same problems that I had. But I am the lucky one. Some people say the clinics are a waste of time but for me they were a big life line in helping me understand what was wrong with me. And especially realising I wasn't alone. I found them all extremely beneficial and I came away from each clinic with something new and tips to manage my illness. Unfortunately I found that the clinics didn't run long enough.

After a year and a half I decided to return to work. Unfortunately my job role has changed and it had became more physically and emotionally demanding and extremely challenging. As a result, it started to take its toll both mentally and physically on me. My chronic fatigue flared up, my anxiety levels began to rise, and my sleep was non existent. It was suggested that I think about redeployment. This scared the life out of me to be honest, I thought it was a way to get rid of me. I had heard quite a few people in the clinics say they were retired through ill health and my anxiety began to get worse.

I was referred to  the Condition Management Programme and  I had several sessions. I spoke with a lovely woman.  She listened to  all my concerns with understanding and compassion as with all the other clinics. She talked through each concern and gave me some coping strategies and little tips to help me manage things not just at work but at home too. She was  a great help.

During  my sessions  I was offered a job. She helped me to talk it all through.  How to keep my anxiety down so my mind wasn't racing off and out of control. As a result of these sessions  I decided to take the  redeployment option. It's a completely new role .... And I'm loving it. I have so much to learn but I have also so much support it's unbelievable.

So I just want to say thank you to the CMP  team and to  all the other people who worked with me in the other clinics to get me to where I am today. It's a long ongoing process and  I still have  blips and feeling anxious but I use techniques from the clinics that I learned. I know if I need help  they are there for me at any time 😀. So thank you to you all, you have helped me so much.