I Remember Me

At the dawn of the '90s, one of the most far-reaching events in my personal and professional life occurred: I contracted Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and--much like Kim Snyder, the writer/director/narrator of this harrowing personal reminiscence--I would spend months making the rounds of doctors and researching medical books and databases before finally figuring out what was wrong. While I have mostly recovered from this mysterious illness that is believed to afflict over 500,000 people in the United States alone--a disease that (17 years after the much publicized 1985 "yuppie flu" outbreak in Incline Village, Nevada) still has no universally agreed upon diagnostic marker--many others continue to struggle with the double whammy of living with a debilitating condition while enduring widespread skepticism. Filmed over the course of four years, Snyder's award-winning documentary interweaves the personal story of her own CFS odyssey with on-the-road interviews with other CFS sufferers (including director Blake Edwards, soccer star Michelle Akers, and Stephen Paganetti, whose triumphant appearance for his graduation ceremony--despite being laid on a gurney and watched over by EMS personnel-- is incredibly stirring), noted clinicians (including Daniel Peterson, David Bell and Nancy Klimas), and William Reeves of the Center for Disease Control (who admits that the CDC's role in researching CFS was criminally negligent, as it diverted CFS-earmarked funds towards other research). Often stuck in a wheelchair, and routinely poked, prodded, and scanned, Snyder nevertheless proves to be an absolutely dogged investigator, traveling cross-country to follow sometimes surprising leads (one of the most interesting developments involves interviews with a group of Florida women who in 1956 contracted what the papers called "the thing" and doctors suggested was mass hysteria--today, it's clear that the women suffered from an earlier form of CFS). One of the very few programs available on the subject (see also Susan Abod's Funny You Don't Look Sick [VL-1/96]), I Remember Me, which offers an incisive look at the misleadingly named Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is definitely recommended. Aud: C, P. (R. Pitman)