LYDIA ROLLEY

by Lydia Rolley

Lydia is a recently retired occupational therapist and systemic psychotherapist / family therapist. She has her own lived experience of CFS/ME and when diagnosed many years ago, she was given no support or guidance. She rarely talks about her experience, but it has fuelled her desire, over the years, to work collaboratively and enable people in their recovery journey.

Sheffield has been her home for many years. She loves spending time with family and friends and exploring all that Sheffield and the surrounding beautiful countryside has to offer.

Lydia is married to Mick and lives in Shirecliffe. She can be contacted at thefatiguebook@gmail.com

You know how the Lord sows a seed of an idea in your heart and mind? Perhaps through Scripture, a prophetic word, or a growing desire. You then have a choice: to either water that seed and cooperate with Him to bring that idea to fruition, or not. Sometimes the seed can lie dormant for a while, being watered by faith and patience until the right season.

That was my experience writing The Fatigue Book I am not a writer, but still the Lord helped me to use my skills and experiences to share my faith throughout the writing, editing and publishing process. Here’s what happened.

About five years ago, I sensed the Lord wanted me to write a book. It seemed an impossible task as I have always struggled with spelling and grammar, but ideas kept coming at random times, for example in the shower or in my dreams.

A few years later, in 2020, I retired from the NHS as an occupational therapist and family therapist/systemic psychotherapist, having spent the previous fifteen years working in fatigue management. With the added restrictions of the pandemic, I had space in my diary to water that seed of an idea.

Initially, it was a battle. I couldn’t seem to put my ideas onto paper. I longed to see the end product without all the blood, sweat and tears. I wonder how many other seeds I have let wither in my life when the going got tough.

To make it through, I enlisted prayer support and accountability, as well as a proofreader. I started working with my daughter, Rachel, who is a talented illustrator. Little by little, sentence by sentence, chapter by chapter, the book developed.

I completed the initial draft and invited various professionals and people affected by long COVID or CFS/ME to review and comment. A dear friend and colleague read the manuscript and offered to write the foreword for the book. Her words move me to tears every time I read them. This is what she says:

Lydia’s faith is an incredibly important part of who she is as a person, and what guides