The last three weeks have been the happiest I have had in the past four months. When I wrote the post "I'm sick, no really", I was suffering with a really bad cold. It turned into a chest infection. Within three days of finishing my anti- biotics, I got a viral infection which resulted in a bad cough and groggy head :( So four days ago, that cleared up, and two days ago I managed to pull a muscle in my lower back. I feel so unlucky! Despite all of these things attacking my body, the MS has been barely present. My L' Hermittes signs have quadrupled since hurting my back but it's one of the symptoms I don't mind (for more info on L' Hermittes, click here http://www.mult-sclerosis.org/LHermittessign.html).
In between all the mini- sicknesses I've had over the past month, I cannot help but be excited that the MS seems to be regulating itself in my body. I feel almost myself again. I am really looking forward to being an active participant in my life again. I can't wait to get dressed up and go on a girl's night out that consists of dancing and too much vodka and I am really excited about going back to work and becoming a contributing member of society again.
Although the idea of returning to how my life was before is so exciting to me, I am also really nervous. Prior to October 2010, my life was a certain way. I worked long hours and nightshifts, had a really bad sleep pattern, stressed out a lot, exercised very little and spent so much time wanting to be everything to everyone, without "minding myself". Since my diagnosis in October, all my life has been about is MS. I think about it hundreds of times a day. I am aware of my limitations at this current time, and I am learning about what my future limitations may be. The new challenge I am/ will encounter in the next while is how I can marry my "old" life to my "new" one. I have been made very aware by all the MS support workers I have spoken to that my life will no longer be like what it was before. I definitly have to change certain aspects of it, and have been incorporating these changes gradually, (yoga, meditation, relaxation, asking for help/ support, etc.).
MS is now a part of my life, as opposed to being my life, which, through no fault of my own, has been the case since my diagnosis. I have been consumed by the MS now for four months... This is the exciting/ nerve wracking time where I have to incorporate the two.
Wish me luck!!!
Oh, the stress of it all!!!
I have grey hairs. I have at least 25 grey hairs. AND I'M ONLY 28!!!
My mother thinks this is perfectly acceptable, but to be honest, I think she is looking for a grey haired companion in me. She was in her early 50's when she got her first grey hairs, and even now, in her mid 50's, just has a slight "salt and pepper" look.
Although I had some grey hairs before my diagnosis in October, I'm blaming MS on the increase of them. During my lumbar puncture in hospital, my boyfriend held me tight to comfort me. Later that night on the phone, he told me that he spent the whole time looking at my grey hairs! The cheek of him!!!
I used to blame my stressful job on the 3 or 4 grey hairs I had, but since my diagnosis, they have multiplied. Granted, I am getting older, but to gain 20+ grey hairs in four months is unacceptable! I blame the stress that Multiple Sclerosis brought to my life.
I have always wanted the stone white hair that my grandmother had. I really loved Tyne Daly's hair when she kept it in a long plait as her character, Maxine in Judging Amy (I loved that show!). I would have preferred to wait a while though. At this rate, I'll be totally grey by the time I hit 50!
I have dreadlocks now, and would love (in time) to have hair like this lady.
Someday....
My mother thinks this is perfectly acceptable, but to be honest, I think she is looking for a grey haired companion in me. She was in her early 50's when she got her first grey hairs, and even now, in her mid 50's, just has a slight "salt and pepper" look.
Although I had some grey hairs before my diagnosis in October, I'm blaming MS on the increase of them. During my lumbar puncture in hospital, my boyfriend held me tight to comfort me. Later that night on the phone, he told me that he spent the whole time looking at my grey hairs! The cheek of him!!!
I used to blame my stressful job on the 3 or 4 grey hairs I had, but since my diagnosis, they have multiplied. Granted, I am getting older, but to gain 20+ grey hairs in four months is unacceptable! I blame the stress that Multiple Sclerosis brought to my life.
I have always wanted the stone white hair that my grandmother had. I really loved Tyne Daly's hair when she kept it in a long plait as her character, Maxine in Judging Amy (I loved that show!). I would have preferred to wait a while though. At this rate, I'll be totally grey by the time I hit 50!
I have dreadlocks now, and would love (in time) to have hair like this lady.
Someday....
Cooking and Baking
It's Pancake Day!! I'm a lemon and sugar sort of girl, but I might branch out today and have something different on mine :)
Cooking and baking has been the only outlet for my creativity over the last few months, due to my limited mobility and energy levels. It started at Christmas when I realised I would have no presents to give my (almost!) in- laws. I couldn't go shopping for gifts, so I ordered my groceries online and searched for recipes that would make nice gifts. I made chocolate fudge, paté, mince pies, chilli jam and lemon curd. The chilli jam seems to be the favourite. I have since been commissioned to make it on a very regular basis, and have made (and given away) over twenty jars at this stage. The chilli jam is VERY tasty, and very addictive. It goes with most meals, and is now a permenant fixture in the fridges of my family and friends. My boyfriend worries that he may have to send me to rehab... some days I have it with lunch AND dinner :)
The thing about cooking is that it relaxes me. I can take breaks and don't have to work to anyone else's deadline. I also really love creating something from nothing. It pleases me to make people happy through feeding them nice things, a quality that I learned from my gorgeous mother.
I have been off work since my MS burst on the scene in October, and really missed the sense of purpose my job gave me. Cooking for people gave me my sense of purpose and achievement back. Cooking allows me to multi- task, use my organisational skills, manage my time effectively, be creative and use my own initiative in amending recipes to individual tastes.
Suffering with the symptoms that MS brought has definitly given me the time to explore other hobbies that I can take part in, despite mobility/ dexterity issues.
Cooking is my new favourite!
Cooking and baking has been the only outlet for my creativity over the last few months, due to my limited mobility and energy levels. It started at Christmas when I realised I would have no presents to give my (almost!) in- laws. I couldn't go shopping for gifts, so I ordered my groceries online and searched for recipes that would make nice gifts. I made chocolate fudge, paté, mince pies, chilli jam and lemon curd. The chilli jam seems to be the favourite. I have since been commissioned to make it on a very regular basis, and have made (and given away) over twenty jars at this stage. The chilli jam is VERY tasty, and very addictive. It goes with most meals, and is now a permenant fixture in the fridges of my family and friends. My boyfriend worries that he may have to send me to rehab... some days I have it with lunch AND dinner :)
The thing about cooking is that it relaxes me. I can take breaks and don't have to work to anyone else's deadline. I also really love creating something from nothing. It pleases me to make people happy through feeding them nice things, a quality that I learned from my gorgeous mother.
I have been off work since my MS burst on the scene in October, and really missed the sense of purpose my job gave me. Cooking for people gave me my sense of purpose and achievement back. Cooking allows me to multi- task, use my organisational skills, manage my time effectively, be creative and use my own initiative in amending recipes to individual tastes.
Suffering with the symptoms that MS brought has definitly given me the time to explore other hobbies that I can take part in, despite mobility/ dexterity issues.
Cooking is my new favourite!
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