Hello! I hope you're all well. I hope everyone's doing as okay as they can be at the moment.
On today's show, we call it a show and I don't know why but here's what it is. So on today's
show there's a few bits and pieces I want to talk about. One of which is my most recent
visit to the physio. I'm going to discuss the most recent issues that I've been having,
certain pains and whatever else. They've not been very nice I'll be honest with you but
we'll discuss that shortly. And also there's something quite positive actually that I want
to discuss and that is as a family we're seriously contemplating a big move across country. Again,
I'll discuss that shortly but yeah it's definitely something I'm interested in doing that's for
sure. We'll talk about that soon. First things first, my physio appointment. It's been a
while since I've had physio I'll be honest with you. The gentleman that I was seeing
for my physio has been moved to doing walled rounds so he's not dealing with people going
in just requiring physio. So I had to meet a new person. She was absolutely brilliant
I'll be honest with you. Really really nice lady. She even noticed as soon as I got off
my mobility scooter because Lisa came with me I went on my mobility scooter. I couldn't
walk to the hospital that's a bit missed. But as soon as I got off Eleanor, my scooter,
if you know you know. But I sort of got off and as I'm walking into the gym she's noticed
my right foot quite severely dragging on the floor. It's something that happens every single
day it's been going on for many many months I'll be honest with you. As I walk my right
foot, if I get really tired my left does it sometimes but predominantly is my right which
is actually my stronger leg. Don't know why. But my right foot it points down as I'm walking
and my toes drag across the floor. Yep I'm aware that's called foot drop. Again I'm quite
new to some of this terminology and everything else but yeah I'm aware it's called foot
drop but it's something that actually hasn't gone away for me for a very long time. I've
dealt with it for quite a number of months. In fact I'm going to go as strong as at least
six months it's been every single day previously to that it was now and then but yeah it's
been getting steadily worse. But yeah I mean the physio actually mentioned and the word
actually stuck in my head I'll be honest with you and not many things do these days but
the word stuck in my head from my physio that she said it's actually dangerous. And I'm
thinking to myself I can understand it. It does make sense that it's dangerous because
it has caused me quite a significant amount of falls. And actually speaking of falls I
had one the other day. I came down the stairs and I knew I wasn't right so I got my stick
which was at the bottom of the stairs. It was sticky sticky stick stick this one. The
other stick was upstairs. That's just a bit of fun me naming my equipment. That will never
change in fact I'm looking for names for the two new sticks I've been given. So if anyone's
got any names feel free to ping them across to me because I need help. But yeah as I took
a step forward I kind of didn't take a step forward and I actually slammed straight into
our shoe rack shoulder first and it hurt. I took a spill while I was on the living room
floor and Lisa she had to call both my dad and my brother to come over and then between
them all sort of get me up. And yeah we were going to do an A&E run I'll be honest with
you Lisa did try and ring an ambulance but they were very busy so they couldn't get
in. But yeah long story cut short A&E was closed so it was a case of just sort of try
and fight through and hope everything was okay. A few days on yeah it's bruised I have
bruised but I'm okay so that's a bit of a result. But yeah going back to the physio
doing some of the exercises was very very difficult I'm going to be honest I didn't
find it easy at all. I've been given physio to do at home which is going to involve sitting
and standing exercises. So I have to sit on a chair with another chair in front of me
with a lower back and I just sort of stand using that other chair's back to help guide
me up safely. So that is something that going forward I'm going to be doing. It's supposed
to be quite helpful for legs and lower back which is kind of where my problem is at the
moment. You know I get a lot of grinding in my neck but the predominant pains lower back
and legs so hopefully that's going to be okay. It might never know it might give me a little
bit more strength I really hope so. But yeah I mean some of the things I was laying on
my back and having to try and raise my legs while I was laying flat it hurt that actually
hurt an awful lot and I have to be honest with you in terms of raising my legs on my
own I can't actually get them in that term when I'm laying flat more than a few centimetres
off the bed and it was very very painful. So yeah blessed her with physio she sort of
guided me the best she could she sort of did the exercises where she sort of bending my
knees putting my knees as far to the chest as possible but she understands I actually
I really can't do that one myself that's where I need assistance from someone. But
yeah I mean it was actually quite nice to get along to the physio and get that done.
She's going to see me again in four weeks and see if we can sort of pass along some
exercises for me to do to just build up that little bit of strength because let's be fair
if we can it would be good it really would be good bear with me a second I'm just going
to have a quick sip of my cup of tea I'm sat here with a nice strong cup oh that's nice
it does get a little bit chilly out here in my new studio as we're gonna call it so nice
hot strong cup of tea thanks very much don't mind if I do but yeah I mean that's pretty
much it for the physio side of things. So it was it was a very very good appointment
my physio she was lovely she really was and Lisa's help coming along was brilliant it
really was. So four weeks time back to physio let's see how that one goes. I'm gonna have
another little sip of my tea I'm not gonna lie to you yep I've actually made that really
nice I do like a nice strong cup of tea I'll be honest with you I'm still going off script
a little bit here but it's beautiful strong tea and as I say these days I don't know
what it is I used to hate coffee I really like a nice strong coffee as well now yeah
I don't know why I don't know why at all but I can't complain I do enjoy but yeah back
on topic talking about the pains I've been getting and I'll be honest with you at night
especially these pains have been absolutely awful the last few days to the point actually
I've not really had a lot of sleep my lower back and my legs at times the pain is absolutely
excruciating as I'm laying there and I sort of try and move around try and get myself
comfortable all sorts it's just not working it's just not working at all and yeah I'm
not enjoying it I'll be honest with you I'm not enjoying it and I'll be honest with you
I can't quite work it out because it's okay it's been there for a very long time but actually
it's getting steadily worse and I'm not quite sure actually how to deal with it so I told
you previously that I'd upped my painkillers especially of an evening so I take three of
these neuropathic painkillers and even they're not really touching it overnight now and I
can't work out exactly what the story is predominantly the pains are my calf muscles and my thigh
muscles and it sort of interlinks to my knees my lower back but it's not the kind of pain
that makes you want to sort of scream out it's just the kind of pain that's there and
you can't do anything about it and it's very very uncomfortable and I know people are out
there they've got worse pains and whatever else I fully respect that but actually this
is very new for me so I mean pain is something I can normally cope with without too much
of a problem but this is something else it's genuinely something else and yeah it's hard
work and it's actually causing me to lose quite a bit of sleep I'll be honest with you
there but there you go I'm carrying on keep fighting because at the end of the day let's
be fair I've got to get used to this and it's uncomfortable it's not nice and it hurts but
we're all in the same boat I'm no worse than anyone else so anyone else going through those
sort of pains or worse believe me when I say to you my heart goes out to you it really
really does but we've got this as a community we've got this and again I'll be honest with
you the people that I've spoken to that also are going through all this sort of stuff incredible
people really incredible people so if you're able to if you're able to get onto an avenue
I've mentioned it before and I will mention it again if you're able to get onto some sort
of support group please do so you know talk to people and so just try and get things out
in the open for yourself because it's horrible we know that and if we don't have to go through
it on our own let's not let's come together let's come together as a community and try
and help each other as much as we can and I will be honest with you the MS community
it's a fantastic place I'm gonna say it's a fantastic place because yeah people are
going through some really horrible times but there's always somebody there there's always
somebody that is prepared to talk and try their best to help so if you need that please
do so and again the MS society give them a call Google the number I haven't got the number
sat here in front of me give them a call because there's people there that will talk and will
help and will give you advice but sort of coming across from the pain aspect as I said
to at the start as a family we're really quite seriously talking about uprooting and moving
across country at the moment we're in the East Midlands I won't give my location my
exact location out but we're in the East Midlands and what we're seriously contemplating is
a move down to the South Coast you know I'm from the South myself London Essex that area
and but actually we'd like to go down to the South Coast we've started the ball rolling
excuse me I'll have another sip of my tea but yeah we've sort of started the ball rolling
we've had the house valued and it's quite a reasonable value I'll be honest with you
and we've we've looked into it we've had a look at some houses down on the South Coast
online so we've not been down yet but actually it's a real possibility that we could do this
and I think for the sake of the family for the kids a nice a nice change to a new area
and the possibility of waking up every day to a bit of sea air and lots of things to
do you know relatively close to to cities and whatever else genuinely I think it's
a great idea say myself Lisa we've spoke about it my dad my brother Richard we've all sat
down and we've discussed and yes something that's a real possibility we are looking into
it and I have to admit I'm actually really excited about the prospect I've had the conversation
with my work about a potential transfer so there is a possibility of that so yeah in
all truth a fresh start sometimes in life that's what's needed a fresh start and actually
quite looking forward to it if it happens but yeah I mean that's pretty much it for
today I don't want to keep you too long the same as always thank you all for listening
genuinely it's massively appreciated and I'm incredibly grateful and there's some
some words I actually put down that I want to say just very briefly and it is very much
a case of just reminding people that no matter what you're going through no matter how dark
the time is that you're going through if you're able to talk or just ask for help from someone
the dark time that you're going through actually there's always that possibility that there's
a real bright light at the end of it please try and remember that no matter how dark things
are there's always always a way to to get out of that dark and into the light thank
you all for listening have a great day and I will look forward to speaking to you again
soon bye bye