Hay Hay,

Following on from my last post, and adding a little insight, knowledge and understanding into why I am doing what I am doing. For any new readers I am registered to take part in a 2016 10k run in London, fundraising pack is here :-) cake baking and raffle organising (prizes welcome) underway.

I have shared in a previous post and video blog, one of my closest friends (Becki) has MS. I am not going to write loads in this post, mainly because what could I personally say that would encourage support and donations towards the MS Trust.

I have many ladies in my life that I look up to and who have helped guide and build me into the woman I am now and the woman I hope to continue on being *A pushy pain in the arse* who keeps on talking until people get so feed up of hearing from me that they donate to keep me quiet for while (probably only a short while).

I don’t think we can truly begin to understand the challenges that people with multiple sclerosis go through day to day, I do think we should try.

I have asked Becki to type up a brief bio from diagnosis to now with the knowledge that whoever can take the time to read my blog in the first place will hopefully share and support this little insight into MS and the MS Trust, …………..

My life & my MS

2008

I was an active, happy go lucky kind of girl with 2 years of my Nursing degree completed and being dedicated to my TA Medic career alongside. But then, I started feeling a little ‘odd’! I approached my GP numerous times to report ‘numb’ feet, double vision, vertigo, random unexplained limb pain and eventually increasingly debilitating muscle spasms down the entire right of my body. Understandably he had no idea what to do other than to refer my on to a Podiatrist, Eye Specialist etc. resulting in an answer of ‘well there’s nothing physically wrong with your feet and eyes’ but things were soon to become clearer. I was reaching the point where I couldn’t manage and went back to the GP who was off sick and so I saw a locum who through sheer luck had witnessed very similar symptoms previously and referred me urgently to a Neurologist and booked me in from an MRI scan after suggesting something was going on in my brain that needed investigation. Fortunately for me I was scanned within 2 weeks and with my Mum holding my hand I walked in to the Consultants office to break me the news that would change my life. ‘I can confirm your diagnosis today for you Miss Baker. With 17 lesions on your brain and 6 on your spine as confirmed on your MRI, I am very sorry to tell you, you have Relapsing and Remitting Multiple Sclerosis’. My Mum just stared at me, as did he as I smiled and let out a huge sigh of relief…it’s not a brain tumour, I’m not going to die! Now I know many people take the news in a very different light but I was so convinced my life was due to end soon that anything else was better. And I still feel like that today.

2015
A lot has changed! I ended my Nursing studies as I was simply too unwell to manage. Before my treatment I couldn’t feed myself, drive, and shower alone, write, read a book. All things we take for granted. I had to leave the TA which was the biggest blow. But at 23 years old I was still full of life, ambition and new my future would still hold many exciting things. Don’t get me wrong, it’s been tough. With numerous relapses with similar, progressive and new symptoms including deafness, fatigue, numbness in both hands, difficulties with speech and swallowing, muscle tremors and neuralgia At times it’s been difficult to bring myself out of a sudden spiral of negativity and potential depression. I have been in and out of hospital more times than I can remember, I know staff by their first names and have spent years injecting myself with medications to slow down the progression of the disease and it’s symptoms with no guarantees it will but a whole host of unpleasant side effects almost worse than the MS itself.

           

However, out of a potentially life destroying diagnosis and situation I have found myself happier and stronger than I ever was. I met my husband just as I got diagnosed and despite my offers to get out while he had the chance he has stood by me despite telos and challenges. He’s made me laugh as I sit with my Steroid drip in my arm whilst twitching and slurring, he’s supported me through all my decisions and made me smile throughout even when we’ve both wanted to cry. We have brought too amazing, beautiful little girls into the world. Despite 2 years of no medication to have them and 3 relapses I wouldn’t change it for the word. At 23 I was pitied and people said I wouldn’t have kids, but now look at me! I run my own business and am still building my portfolio of Holistic and Complimentary therapies. Something I love and truly believe has helped me through my symptoms. I have other family members with MS and we have been involved in fundraising and building awareness to help others be happier and more positive with their diagnosis.

MS is debilitating, stressful, depressing and soul destroying at times.
MS is just one part of me, the rest of me loves life and embraces how MS has brought me to where I am now.

I can believe you have read Becki’s very brief bio and if you are anything like me, you will probably read it again and still be speechless.

I have known Becki through many of my ups and many of my downs, but even when Becki has been going through a relapse I have asked “how are you Becki?” knowing it’s a stupid question but hoping I can maybe do something to help like she has done so many times for me (I now owe Becki at least 30 amazing cakes with the hopes cake is classed as help:-)). Each time I ask Becki how she is, each time she says “I`m fine Amy, we need to arrange a catch up soon”………………………..

If I have half the strength in my whole body that you have in one of you numb hands Becki, I have no doubt that I can raise a good amount money for the MS Trust.

I know I am always asking for something and good news I am not changing now, I am training for this 10k run, planning a cake sale and a raffle (both of which I can always use assistance, my cakes are good but they are not amazing and prizes for the raffle).

Apparently organising a cake sale for charity is not as easy as it should be, but worst comes to worst I could always throw a cake sale outside my front door. I can hear it now, the remake of: My Milkshake Brings All the Boys to the Yard………the new improved version: My cupcakes bring all my neighbours to my yard:-).

I am rambling again…………..have a look at my personal fundraising page A little is A lot on face book.

Thank you for reading.

Amyxx