Emily-Rose had just turned 36 and was in her first semester at university when her world began to crumble. This could not have come at a worse time as she has always looked forward to doing a Health Studies degree. Her friends and family were alarmed at the sudden moodiness, insomnia, fatigue, headaches, confusion, joint and muscle pain, nausea & #8230;and above all, the enduring feeling of tiredness she complained of.
Emily-Rose has suddenly changed from a happy woman to someone who battled daily episodes of what she calls extreme tiredness and anxiety. In the first three weeks of starting university, her husband Harry and sons, Brian and Bob have put this down to overwork at university and firmly told her to "slacken up a bit." Although she tried a new relaxation regime suggested by her friend Anita, she still complained of daily episodes of overwhelming tiredness and general malaise. Her weekly part-time care work had all but thinned out due to this overwhelming tiredness; this is in spite of following Anita's suggested relaxation technique. She began to miss classes regularly but confided in Brian and Bob, she will only go to the doctors if things persist into the next three weeks.
Emily-Rose is of mixed English-African parentage. Her paternal grandmother Iyabo is African. On Emily-Rose's...
She prescribed ginger, a cocktail of horny goat weed and other herbs which she says will restore Emily-Rose's health. Grandma told her "although you live in a sophisticated society now, we have a different and better way of dealing with these things in my younger days." Emily-Rose eventually went to the doctors in the fourth week as her symptoms persisted. Doctor Bilal suspected depression and put her on anti-depressants.
Six months went by and Emily-Rose's condition did not improve. She failed a number of core modules at university. What started as a good dream had turned sour; university was no longer enjoyable. She switched jobs constantly because she got fired a number of times for missing too many days and not having a proper reason; she was at the end of her tether. She was so miserable and confused that Doctor Bilal's medication was not working for her. Argument began at home with Harry and sons Brian and Bob who at first were sympathetic but could not understand her illness as they saw no physical sign of "this illness."
On Harry's recommendation, she got herself referred to see a specialist at the local…
