Life: Two Years On

Ok this is a day late, but yesterday was the 14^th January, marking my MS birthday – basically it was two years ago on the 14^th January 2014 that I got my diagnosis of MS.  Did I celebrate? No of course not, not something to be celebrated. Did I reflect on how the last two years have been? Yes I did. And I think I have been a huge improvement from how I was in January 2014, and even how I was January 2015.

Last year on the one year anniversary I wrote that I felt I had reached complete acceptance of my illness, well thinking back I think that was not 100% true. However, I can now say that yes two years on I have now reached complete acceptance of my illness, have a peace about it and am content in my situation. Ok, that doesn’t mean that every day is rosy, no there are hard days, easy days, bad days and good days – is that not the same for everyone?

There are days I wish I was cured, days I wished I could wake up not feeling tired, days I wish I had no pain, days I wish that I did not have to take so much medication and days that I wish  MS didn’t stand for Multiple Sclerosis but instead stood for Mystery Solved meaning no more MS.  However most days I just get up and plod on with life.

What other differences from last year? Well last year I was working part time but now I am working full time, well nearly full time, I work 30 hours a week which is 10 hours up from January 2014’s working hours.

In August 2015 I left my part time job and moved to a full time job. I worked five days a week from August 24^th to November 30^th, but my body was not able to cope with this and either was my concentration etc. so I asked to go down to 30 hours a week and now have Wednesday’s off. So work two days, off one day, work two days and off two days for weekend. It is helping me. I am able to give my all at work and not come home completely sore and exhausted.

In 2015 I decided that I would get on with life, though I wasn’t really sitting on my bum for the previous year.  But I wanted to do fun things, and I did. So what did I do that was fun? Well the three highlights are:

1) I did a zip line over the Lagan River in Belfast.  It was so exhilarating. The hardest thing was stepping off the platform into thin air. My brain was telling me to stop being stupid as there was nothing there, but I did it. I stepped off the platform and went zipping across the river. So why did I do it? To raise money for MS and I raised nearly £700. Which was great, and am so thankful to all those who supported me

2)   I paddle boarded – you can read more about it in a previous blog which can be found here

3)  I went to Spain in August 2015. And despite it being stupidly hot, I had a great time and enjoyed seeing Spain (it was my first time), practising my Spanish and enjoying the culture as well.

2015 was a better year than 2014 but it has had its downs but am so grateful to God for always having me in his sight, never letting me go and containing to see me though the journey of MS as well as the full journey of life. He has opened my eyes and put some amazing people in my life so help me through. He is the one constant and I know he always will be. Despite what happens, God is always going to be there for me.

Now am looking forward to seeing what 2016 has to offer and the third year of MS. Maybe this will be the year of a cure!!