The aftermath

Warning: this post contains experience of intense pain and some details of sensitive medical procedures. Sometimes I think of my MS as a monster. A monster who is always there tugging at my neck, poking me in the back, tripping me up or holding my ankles like a deadweight. As a child of the ‘70s,

Elf and wellbeing

In 2019, I fulfilled a lifelong travel dream when my wife surprised me by booking a few days in Iceland. I’m a geology graduate and although my degree was a long time ago it was still a big thrill to be standing on the mid-ocean ridge surrounded by a ‘young’ basalt landscape. In fact I

Sticking at it

I plucked up the courage to go down to my allotment the other day. The first proper visit of the year is always a bit daunting. I can see the allotment as it’s just behind where I live, so I know that my plot has spent a number of days recently under a foot or

Blitzkrieg

One of the things my brand new neurologist did for me when I met him earlier this year is confirm my diagnosis of restless legs syndrome (RLS). It’s something that I’ve been wondering about, on and off, pretty much since diagnosis, so it’s ‘nice’ to have it confirmed. It’s not a symptom of MS, but

Baclofen fun

Well it’s the new year (happy new year!) and after over-indulging over the festive period, my thoughts have naturally turned to new year’s resolutions. Normally it’s something to do with losing a bit of weight and becoming fitter, even if it’s just a little bit fitter and being able to take my belt in a

The Beta Interferon blues.

I’m about to go back on Rebif after a four week trial period of coming off it. It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve done this, I tend not to take it on holiday (just a hassle) or over Christmas (to give myself a break). So, have I noticed any changes? On the negative side,

Making lemonade #2

Way back when I started secondary school, a rumour went around that all the boys would need a medical during the first term. This would involve a procedure where a nurse would hold our testicles while we coughed. This never happened, of course, but a part of me believed it. It made the eleven year

Making lemonade

“To make lemonade out of the lemons life throws at you, you sometimes have to strangle kittens.” Somebody tweeted that recently. Oh wait!… It was me! I tweeted it! Why? Because to aid a restful night’s sleep and to stop myself getting urinary infections, I will now have to self-catheterise every day, at least once