Musicbizadvice.com Founder Preseveres Despite CFIDS Battle

Musicbizadvice.com founder/Editor-in-Chief Randi Reed is going public about her 6-year battle with Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS). Musicbizadvice.com was conceived as a way for Reed to keep her music rolodex active while ill, and the site was recently featured on the News page of Bon Jovi's official website, bonjovi.com. Musicbizadvice.com is read in 44 countries and recently hit over 6000 hits per day.

Los Angeles, CA--Musicbizadvice.com founder/Editor-in-Chief Randi Reed is going public about her 6-year battle with Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS).

"I've been thinking about it for a while," says Reed. "When the Seabiscuit movie came out, I was really inspired by (Seabiscuit author) Laura Hillenbrand's openness about having CFIDS. It's not an easy thing, and I really admire her honesty. The only way to bring awareness to something is to talk about it. I'd feel like a fraud if, having watched her interviews, I just sat back and said nothing."

CFIDS (also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, CFS, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, ME, and in Japan, LINKS) is characterized by incapacitating fatigue, flu-like symptoms, joint or muscular pain, visual disturbances (blurred vision, slow focus), sore throat, headache, and unrefreshing sleep. Symptoms vary from person to person and range in severity. Many people with CFIDS, including Reed, also experience additional symptoms such as difficulty with reading comprehension, problems with short-term memory, low grade fever, night sweats or chills, dizziness, balance problems, weight fluctuation, and sensitivity to sound, chemicals,and certain foods. Still others experience fainting, irregular heartbeat, and even seizures.

Given the symptoms, how does Reed edit and manage musicbizadvice.com? "My symptoms come and go at different times, and in different combinations. So I kind of structure my life according to what I'm dealing with on that particular day. Flexibility is very important. Also, the people close to me know what works for me and what I need help with--and they're very good about asking when they're not sure. But we never use the word can't."

Reed also says, "Having a sick sense of humor doesn't hurt, no pun intended. For a while my screenname was FoldedAndSpindled because that's how I felt. But now it would be something much more positive."

Asked what a fitting imaginary screenname might be now, Reed answers without skipping a beat. "PassionForLife."

Musicbizadvice.com was recently featured on the News page of Bon Jovi's official website, bonjovi.com, and is currently read in 44 countries. In November musicbizadvice.com hit over 6000 hits per day.

To learn more about CFIDS, go to www.cfids.org.

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