'Girlfriend' magazine article and raising awareness!

Hey!

From those of you in Australia and NZ (I think) you'd be able to buy Girlfriend. I read it usually when I'm in hospital, or am too sick to process a book. Anyway, I got an article published! They sent my mum a list of questions, and she wrote down my answers, then put them on the pc and emailed them. (I was too sick to use a computer at that stage last year.) True to their word, they've published my interview/story in this month's edition of the magazine.
The title is:
"I'm bullied because I'm sick:
Alex, 13, wants people to understand her illness and not attack her for it."

Yeah, they fudged my age - maybe 'cause it looks bad if I've been sick since age 8, and am 18. It says I'm 13, and the cut out everything related to Year 12, 'cause not many 13 year olds are in Year 12! Still, it's much better than the newspaper article; twisting my words, misinterpreting, and generally seeking a sob story. (No, I do NOT like tabloid journalism, but it's only because of that article that I got extra writing time for my German exams last year.) If you're interested, buy a copy... They don't have it online. It really shows how severe ME/CFS can be, although not like my Twitter friend, @Stroopwaffle. She's got amazing strength.

My mum is thinking of writing a book about me, how it's affected me, and my family, and how misunderstood and maligned ME/CFS sufferers are. I think it's great, and there is a market out there. People who are incredibly disabled do not want to hear how an AFL footballer tried ice baths to "cure" him. Because then every man and his dog will tell every ME/CFS sufferer and ice bath will "cure" them. Never mind that it didn't work for the footballer!!

My sleep is screwed again. I waited for my brother to go to sleep 'til quarter to one in the morning, then tried to sleep until 2am. It's nearly 4am and I finished watching 'The Two Towers', started 'The Return Of The King' and have tweeted, gone on Facebook, read a blog, and am writing this before I attempt sleep sometime after 4am.

Our neighbours are having renovations. They start at 7.45am with LOUD, NOISY hammering and sawing, and then stop for the day at 1pm or 2pm. So, I can either eradicate any chance of sleep at night, and sleep from 2pm - 8pm, or, suffer with a headache, nausea, dizziness and exhaustion from being woken too early, sleep deprived, and exhausted. I don't know how much longer I can cope. I am just happy they don't DISTURB THE WHOLE NEIGHBOURHOOD on weekends. My parents may go over and see them, to ask if they could start at 8:30am/9am, or ask how much longer they'll torture me. Although it probs won't be phrased like that.

I'm pleased with myself. I've got myself published online, (the newspaper article was published & circulated online) in a national paper, and in a national/international magazine. I just want people to accept ME/CFS and I have to raise awareness. Somehow.

Goodnight, and I hope for the sake of my sanity, I sleep and am not woken by obnoxiously loud building works!