I was very lucky today as I had a visit from my beautiful mother and sister Suzie, it was fantastic to see them again, we chatted for a couple of hours which got me thinking about how other people think about me. It doesn’t bother me or affect me in any way whatsoever but it did make me think about it.
Most of my Facebook friends know I have MS but I seriously doubt they know what it’s like, so I thought I’d try to put into words what it’s like to have this.
Firstly what I’ve been told by the medical professional’s is not what I think when trying to survive each day.
OK MS is Multiple Sclerosis and is considered a life threatening incurable disease. What “they” say is that my immune system is confused and it’s trying to defend itself from an invader in my head. So it attack’s itself (hence autoimmune disease)or at least attack’s the nerves surrounding the brain. By doing this it breaks down the myelin sheath around the nerves, the sheath is essentially like insulating tape around an extremely complex wiring system.
Every time I subconsciously want to move, the unsheathed nerves are in contact with other unsheathed nerves and they sort of fuse out resulting in limbs not working. Over the past 17 years this has caused lots of problems from mishaps with my bladder to falling quite heavily.
I am now very lucky and am so grateful to be living in a small flat (apartment for my US friends), so getting around here is a lot easier than when I lived in Colorado.
Daily life…
Getting up and ready for my day is quite challenging, after about an hour of standing at the sink and preparing my breakfast in the kitchen completely wears me out. My legs are like jelly and my coordination cutting up fruit etc leaves me so tired I feel as I used to after a 25 mile mountain bike ride in The Lakes.
Every time I stand it feels as if I’ve a 20 stone (280lb) man on my back so just going to the loo (toilet) is difficult. And this is made worse because I have to do this at least 20 times a day.
I’m in constant pain throughout my body, my legs ache permanently and the arthritis in my knees doesn’t help, but I’m alive which I didn’t want to be 15 months ago.
Food..
I’m gluten intolerant, lactose intolerant and I’m hypoglycemic. this isn’t something I tell myself I am, it’s what my body tells me. It does this with symptoms. I eat something with gluten in and within an hour I can’t stand let alone walk with the 20 stone guy on my back.
I’ve mentioned several times in my blog that the worst natural food you can put in your body is sugar. Sugar for me is a killer, I look at ingredient labels before I buy or eat food, but occasionally I make the mistake of thinking a small bite will be ok. Big mistake because any more the 10 grams in a day puts me on my back. and when my bladder that gives me a one minute warning, its one minute irrespective of where I am.
I have to drink about 3 litres of water each day adding to the problem of getting up and going to the loo with the big guy on my back and my arthritic knees.
Just writing this article has made my hands seize up and i’ve had to go three times so far.
So please don’t judge me until you’ve walked a mile in my shoes.
My book “Dentistry and how it’s damaging your health” is available here for only $2.99
