My name is Jacki Ingalls. I'm 28 years old, married, and I have two little boys. Joshua is five and Isaac is two. I've had CFIDS for 12 years. I first became ill with it in high school. It totally and completely shut my life down. I had it severely for two years and then seemed to recover. After that I was pretty much a "normal person." I worked in accounting. I also taught and was an assistant director of a Christian preschool. Then when I became pregnant I got worse. I was still able to work part time and care for my family somewhat. After a year of working part time my relapse began. In the middle of that I became pregnant again. Both pregnancies were unplanned but they became my greatest blessings. During my 2nd pregnancy I became more ill than I ever could have imagined. I really didn't think I would make it. I didn't even want to. I had to stay with my mom during the day so she could take care of me and Joshua. Then my husband would pick me up in the evenings and care for us through the nights. After that I had a few months here and there where I felt "normal." Unfortunately my "sick periods" grew in frequency, severity, and length of duration. About a year ago I began having migraines again, pretty much daily, along with a myriad of different symptoms. We had to move in above my parents because I couldn't take care of my children. I'm blessed with an extremely supportive family and church. This fall was the hardest time because I had to send my last child, still so very young, to preschool. I can't care for him during the days by myself. Now, I'm home alone each day. They attend preschool and love it. My family helps during the afternoons and evenings that I'm unable to function. My husband carries the dual role required by spouses of PWCs. I miss my life. I miss my children. I miss being able to be young with my husband and children. It's amazing to me how old you can feel when in reality you're very young. I pray that one day soon help will be found for all of us.