11 August 2023 , 08:57
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EastEnders' Martine McCutcheon revealed she was rushed to the hospital on her husband Jack McManus' birthday last year after having a flare-up of chronic fatigue syndrome – which left her feeling so dizzy that she couldn't stand up.
The long-term condition, which she has been struggling with for the last decade, leaves people feeling extremely tired and includes symptoms like having problems sleeping and thinking, taking a long time to recover from physical activities, headaches, joint pains and flu-like symptoms. She took to Instagram to share snaps of her and her husband during his birthday celebrations at a restaurant in Richmond as she discussed why last year's celebrations were cancelled due to the hospital trip.
Martine was rushed to the hospital on his birthday last year (@martinemccutcheon/Instagram)"I wanted to share these as my husbands birthday was kind of an extra big deal for me this year - Last year was terrible," she captioned the post. "I was so dizzy I could barely stand, I had been in hospital with my CFS and to say Jack held the fort is an understatement.
"His birthday was pretty rubbish, so I’m SO grateful and glad we got to enjoy this one… And that we got to see some friends! I’ve missed them so much! I don’t know about you but I have to plan things pretty last minute as I don’t know how my symptoms will be and I hate letting people down - We all live all over the uk too…"
Martine continued: "So now, I only surround myself with people who understand that if I need to cancel something (& that can happen often) it’s not a choice I want to make and that they go ahead and book something and if they see me rocking up, it’s a bonus! I also ask my friends to google CFS /fibro symptoms.
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She was feeling so dizzy that she couldn't stand up (Instagram)"If they love you, it’s the least they can do! Understanding helps with support. So thank you to our friends who came with a few hours notice! I forgot my sensory ear plugs Dammit! They are amazing if you are dealing with sensory overload or feel or feel like everyone is shouting (which is often the case with CFS and fibro etc…) But I just keep grinning that we did it."
She concluded the post: "Don’t get me wrong I slept like a log after but it was SO worth it! I wanted to share this, as people only see snippets on insta and life isn’t all fun and games… But I’m not going to wait till things are perfect to live and love my life. Grab what you can! Glad this birthday was better baby @jackmcmanus1 love you."
Martine was first diagnosed with ME, also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, in 2011. The Love Actually star spoke about how the illness affects her in 2021, telling HELLO! Magazine: "I look at it that when I get symptoms or when my body starts clanging, it's a sign for me to pace myself, rest. So, yeah, I've definitely learned to look at it as a good messenger rather than something that simply gets in the way."