Charles has dark circles under his eyes. He looks and feels exhausted.
School personnel think he's a "problem" child and they don't believe he is ill.
Both his parents know that Charles is really sick, but they can't prove it. Interestingly
enough, Charles' mother is a scientist studying the mitochondria that exist within each
cell. She is working to prove that tiny life giving farandolae exist within the
mitochondria even though they can’t be seen.
Charles sees Proginoskes first and never questions that the beautiful
creature is real. He understands that his parents, being scientists, do not believe in
dragons and yet Charles sees them striving to find the truth about what is real in their
own work.
The point of the book is to say that truth is not one thing, but layers
of imagination and reality. To adapt is to know that "things" are not often what
they seem and that "intellect is an extraordinarily inaccurate instrument." New
and different things that can't be seen, touched, measured, and labeled are often
disregarded until someone provides "proof."
At what point then does something become real? Is it real when the idea
takes shape in the imagination? Is it real when the imagination leads to the experience?
Is it real when the intellect interpretes the experience?
To believe in Proginoskes is to know that what is real becomes so as
soon as one believes it, not as soon as someone else says, "Aha! This is true!"
Chronic fatigue syndrome in children is real. Kids who don’t know one another and
know nothing about CFS describe the same experiences using the same words. After a few
hours at a group meeting, they have the same candle wax pallor.
As an advocate and former educator, I am one voice, and when I say I believe, it
contradicts the actions, opinions, and inferences of adult communties who, by their
disbelief, create a web, trapping the kids into doubting what they feel, think, and know.
This is far more dangerous for the growing child than a misdiagnosis.
This page is dedicated to the Wisconsin 56, the first kids on my list. Long ago they
anguished over the disbelief, impatience and impertinence of a school and medical
community who ultimately did grevious damage to their self esteem.
In 1999, the situation is better. Let me know what you think of Proginoskes Web site.
Please register to be counted.
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