I'm here thanks to God - ME sufferer
FOR Cheltenham woman Gabrielle Thomas, being alive to enjoy this Easter is a miracle in itself.
The 37-year-old came close to death after battling against chronic fatigue syndrome ME for more than a decade.
Formerly a lively and energetic young woman, she was reduced to a skeleton of her former self – her weight dropping to just five-and-a-half stone - when the illness reached a critical stage.
But now 11 years on, after undergoing an unorthodox psychological treatment, she has made a full return to health and is training to become ordained as a priest.
Gabrielle, who was just 23 when the illness first struck, has spoken of the pain she went through during the ordeal.
"I felt alone, lost and let down," she said. "I was totally bedridden and had given up the idea of walking again, let alone my dream of someday becoming ordained. I just wanted to die. I had headaches and was in constant pain.
"At one point the doctor looked at me and said I was going to die if they didn't do something soon. I was only about five and half stone by that stage and was admitted to an ME recovery unit in London."
Gabrielle spent nine months in a critical unit before being sent to a catholic nursing home for terminally ill young people, since no other respite care was available.
The turning point came in March 2008 when she tried a type of non-medical healing which involves 'splitting' into two, with the patient taught to become their own life coach.
"A friend suggested that I tried this method, even though it is not in line with what I believe as a Christian," Gabrielle added.
"The principal is that we are in control of everything that happens and you have to retrain your brain.
"I decided that I would follow the process, but made Jesus my 'coach'. Through that decision, God healed me."
Within three days, Gabrielle's health was normal again to the amazement of doctors.
Now married, she has rediscovered her vigour for life and is following her dream of working in the church by volunteering to work with poor people at Gloucester City Mission.
"I had missed 11 years of life through my illness and when I was better, I had to readjust to the world. Everything felt faster than it had when I was in my twenties," she said.
"The doctor couldn't believe I was really well again.
"God has used my illness to show me that he loves me for who I am, not what I achieve. I am very competitive, but I have now learned that my identity doesn't depend on my achievements."
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by BunnyMatthews
Friday, March 30 2012, 9:20PM
“If anyone is interested there is a CFS/ME petition, if you want to sign it then here is is.
Transfer Govt funding of CBT/GET for ME to transferred to Bio-medical methods.
http://tinyurl.com/bsafhst”
by Snatchyboy, Cheltenham
Monday, April 25 2011, 10:07PM
“Can anyone enlighten us as to the actual treatment that was recieved. My wife has suffered with M.E now for 5 years and to be healed within three days sounds fantastic. I find it hard to believe , but would love to be proved wrong. Any details as to where we can find out about this treatment?”
by Dan, Cleeve
Friday, April 22 2011, 9:45AM
“That a Christian adopted a method of treatment that is 'not inline with what I believe as a Christian', presumably because it states: 'that we are in control of everything' (an obvious theological problem for a humble Christain), and then amends this pagan method to allow Jesus into the equation is outrageous a statement enough.
But to claim that by modifying this practice away from it's original meaning, basically altering it's simple requirements to suit a self-held fantasy, enabled healing is ludicrous.
The question remains: If the 'Devil' had been her life-coach-would she: i, be so healthy? and ii, Would it have made the Echo?
I see the headline 'I'm here thanks to the Devil-ME sufferer'....
Oh please!...”
by Lover, Cheltenham
Friday, April 22 2011, 7:52AM
“It was more than god than helped you.
You are an inspiration!”
by Andrew Oakley, Tewkesbury
Thursday, April 21 2011, 10:45PM
“After an elderly vicar retired, a gardener was sent round to tidy the vicarage up before the new vicar arrived. Finding the garden thick with brambles, weeds and stinging nettles, the gardener toiled hard for 18 hours a day, 7 days a week to meet the deadline.
When the new vicar arrived, he was stunned by the beautiful garden; neat, tidy, mown, blossoming with flowers and not a weed in sight.
"What a beautiful garden you and God have created," said the vicar to the gardener.
"You should have seen it when it was just God on His own," replied the gardener.”
by AdiStu, Chelt
Thursday, April 21 2011, 10:05PM
“Ok believers that god cures. When you or your family become sick, use prayer only. See what happens. Western medicine is the only provable cure for illnesses. Many studies have been done on this. Chritians, Muslims etc live no longer than atheists and prayer makes no difference.”
by Cheltenman, Cheltenham
Thursday, April 21 2011, 9:08PM
“It would have been helpful to know the name of the specific treatment so that people could investigate it further.”
by Tim, Cheltenham
Thursday, April 21 2011, 4:28PM
“Queen of Sheba - God does not require us to 'split ourselves in two' - he asks us to submit ourselves completely to him. He is not 'someone to look up to' - he is the creator and sustainer of the universe (at least to those who beleive).
God is only present in those who let him, although he wants to be present in everyone's life. It is God who heals - he doesn't let us heal ourselves! It's like saying that a designer can enable a broken toy to mend itself!”
by Quuen of Sheba, Gloucester
Thursday, April 21 2011, 2:52PM
“Richard ¿ why not?
Tim I agree that what this lady believes is very relevant to her - what I meant to say was that in general terms what people believe is irrelevant to anyone except to them.
Using this method this lady ¿split¿ herself in two choosing to believe that the life coach half was Jesus (and I am in no way being sarcastic here) other people who use this method may choose to believe that the life coach half is someone they admire or who helped them greatly at another point in their lives.
As far as God healing supernaturally is concerned I¿m not sure but I don¿t dismiss those who do believe ¿ I have known people who have, like this lady, been extremely ill sometimes not expected to survive, but have. Some of these people had a faith and ¿Thanked God¿ (again no sarcasm intended) but others had no discernable faith except in the fact that they were determined to get well.
Now maybe God is not an external ¿being¿ somewhere ¿out there¿ but maybe he is present in all of us and people get well because he gives us that power to heal ourselves as opposed to him actually healing us. Whatever the reason not all people with faith are healed nor do all people without faith die.”
by Richard Dawkins, Planet Earth
Thursday, April 21 2011, 2:32PM
“Tim, what is M.E.?”