When I started The Disabled Ginger I sent it to my friends and family … as most of us do.
I was proud that I was finally standing up for disability rights. That I was taking my pain and putting it on the page in an effort to help others. That I had found something that lit a spark inside me.
Unfortunately, many of my friends didn’t feel the same way.
My disabilities are invisible, and I had become very good at hiding them. Apparently that’s what people expected of me, as they didn’t like this “new” version of Kelly.
Almost none of my friends subscribed. What’s worse, many stopped talking to me. Or would only reply in brief texts.
It’s almost been a year since I launched, and my circle is noticeably smaller. Many people I thought I was close with haven’t reached out for nearly 6 months.
When you find your purpose and your passion, it’s an incredible feeling. Hopefully people support you.
Not everyone will. And that’s ok.
It’s painful seeing so many relationships fade away. It hurts knowing they don’t see the value in me now that I’m “officially” disabled.
As painful as it is, it’s also a perfect example of why I became an advocate. Ableism is a huge problem. Being disabled can be incredibly lonely. I wanted to give a voice to those who haven’t yet found theirs.
In the process I’ve met incredible people from all over the world who inspire me to keep going. Who give me a reason to write every day. Who remind me of the compassion, love and goodness that’s still out there.
Thank you to each and every one of you. I couldn’t do this alone.
My latest looks at the reasons we hide, and what would happen if we all decided to stop hiding and show the world the realities of chronic illness:
https://www.disabledginger.com/p/why-are-chronically-ill-people-forced
![Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
Exercise therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome
Lillebeth Larun, Kjetil G Brurberg, Jan Odgaard-Jensen, Jonathan R Price | 19 December 2024
Back to article
Outdated and misleading content; review unsuitable for clinical decisions
Published : 24 March 2025
Hilda Bastian 0000-0001-8544-7386
This review states that treatment guidelines recommend exercise therapy for people with CFS. This is reflected in a statement in the Plain Language Summary that implicitly encourages use of the intervention: “Exercise therapy is recommended by treatment guidelines and often used as treatment for people with chronic fatigue syndrome.”
This is outdated and misleading.
In support of these statements, the authors cite a NICE guideline for people with ME/CFS that was published in 2007. [1] The NICE guideline was updated in 2021. [2] It no longer recommends exercise as a therapy, and stresses the possibility of harm. Recommendations in other major treatment guidelines are consistent with this, including national guidelines for the US and Germany. [3,4] A systematic review with a search date in October 2022 concluded that data collected in trials “are insufficiently informative to exclude relevant harm due to serious side effects.” [5]](https://assets.disabled.social/media_attachments/files/114/231/313/468/431/586/original/e2f8955f150e3b0f.png "Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
Exercise therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome
Lillebeth Larun, Kjetil G Brurberg, Jan Odgaard-Jensen, Jonathan R Price | 19 December 2024
Back to article
Outdated and misleading content; review unsuitable for clinical decisions
Published : 24 March 2025
Hilda Bastian 0000-0001-8544-7386
This review states that treatment guidelines recommend exercise therapy for people with CFS. This is reflected in a statement in the Plain Language Summary that implicitly encourages use of the intervention: “Exercise therapy is recommended by treatment guidelines and often used as treatment for people with chronic fatigue syndrome.”
This is outdated and misleading.
In support of these statements, the authors cite a NICE guideline for people with ME/CFS that was published in 2007. [1] The NICE guideline was updated in 2021. [2] It no longer recommends exercise as a therapy, and stresses the possibility of harm. Recommendations in other major treatment guidelines are consistent with this, including national guidelines for the US and Germany. [3,4] A systematic review with a search date in October 2022 concluded that data collected in trials “are insufficiently informative to exclude relevant harm due to serious side effects.” [5]")
