PLEASE, don't apologize (with due respect) to me, a person with Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome! Make your statement and leave me out of it.

I almost cannot believe the total ignorance and errogance you displayed in this editorial with regard to CFS which is actually CFIDS/ME. Many have died, we are suffering after working in a professional fields the same as those with Cancer! You need to further educate yourself before you get this and are forced to! I would not wish this on my worst enemy. It seriously makes me want to cry knowing so many just don't understand what we suffer because they are not taking it seriously until it hits them. May kill themselves as a end result and I would almost bet you would hope all of us would rather than you have to learn the truth about this disease!

God Bless...I forgive you because God forgave me first.

Ignorance is bliss!

Anyone who has this illness or knows someone who suffers from it knows all too well the devastation it causes. Please do a little reserch before you make such unimformed statements! Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia is very real to me! I've battled symptoms for thirty-nine years now. I've spent many hours reserching this illness and finding a cure for this illness will provide answers to many other illnesses. Who gave you the right to decide if my quality of life is not important? I am living proof that CFS/Fibromyalgia does kill....worse than that it robs you of any future you could have if you didn't have to fight to have the symptoms validated as part of a real illness or disease.

Regarding the editorial posted on 2/24/2007 challenging the importance of CFS I must say I am discussed. Your ignorance not only hurts all CFS sufferers it diminishes any treatment hope in the future. I would like to remind both you and your readers that cancer, MS, and countless other medical conditions were thought to be "non contagious or life-threatening, and many experts [questioned] its merits as a focus for public health". I have lived with CFS and countless other related conditions for 9 years, and I am only 19, and until you judgmental uninformed foolish people live one hour in our shoes you are ill-equipped to judge.

Dismissing cfids as a nonentity shows how little researching was done by the writer. As a publication, i feel that you have a responsibility to present an objective view to your readers. Anything less than that is dispicable. Unfortunately, this illness is more prevalent than is known because of the difficulty obtaining a diagnosis. I hope that you never have to endure this trial.

Your claims regarding the mission of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) are erroneous. CDC Mission - "To promote health and quality of life by preventing and controlling disease, injury, and disability". Source: CDC homepage

Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomylitis (CFS/ME) is a complex illness involving both an under-functioning and over-functioning immune system which leads to both a myriad of infections, "walking pnemonias" and encephalytis (brain imflammation) as well as auto-immune diseases such as systemic, painful arthritis.

One viral infection common to CFS/ME is HHV-6 which has been identified in AIDS patients as second only to HIV in its virulence.

The author's (who wrote this?) seemingly depraved attitude towards those who suffer from CFS/ME or any other illness or plight that doesn't find itself in the author's sphere of concern is disturbing indeed.

I would, however, be remiss regarding "Do unto others..." if I didn't offer my sympathy to your organization.

Get well soon!

Louis CT

The next time you get the flu, try to imagine what it would be like to feel that way *all the time*, every single day of your life, in varying degrees from day to day, while trying to go about some semblance of a normal, everyday life. Perhaps then you'll have empathy for those of us whose lives have been ruined from suffering from CFIDS & FMS. I suggest you educate yourself before writing such ill-informed, poorly (if at all) researched, op ed pieces that make a high school newspaper look like the New York Times.

I'll not comment to the editors (the whole group of them) because obviously their shortcomings preclude them from understanding my issue. I don't believe they have two years of college among them and nary a journalism course under any of their belts. Consequently, Mr. Steve Roszcyk, Publisher, I'll address you. First of all, it is my recommendation that you fire your editorial staff and start over. Secondly, although I've never read your publication, I imagine it to be "small-townish," heavy on high school sports, with the international news buried inside. I suggest your readership drop their subscriptions and try The Cleveland Plain Dealer, or even The Chronicle Telegram from my hometown, Elyria. The Chronical ran a terrific and accurate story about CFS. You should check it out.

If you find my comments presumptuous and baseless, with all due respect, Mr. Roszcyk, The News Herald "is just not that important."

First these 85+ responses are a super indication of how many people with this horrific illness continue to march forward even during extreme adversity. These people (we) are fighters, we are soldiers! To Micehle who wrote that she frequently reads the Herald comments section and can not understand how people with such fatigue can write such fluent, factual, and long responses. Well Michele this is why....our lives have been engulfed by this illness and our enitre being and purpose in life now is only to find answers and treatments, and God willing maybe someday a cure. I will bet just from my own responses, that most CIFDS people who put their daily energy and efforts into this, paid for it for the rest of the day and maybe week. You can knock us down as much as you want, you can question our motivies or severity of illness, but for one of the same reasons we became suceptable to this illlness to begin with ( our drive and motivation levels), are the same reasons we will win and survive this serious, debilitating, and lonely illness/disease. I have to ask you, Michele, why is it that you, being healthy, have nothing of greater purpose to do than read the Heralds postings!