1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:09,760 Hello and welcome to episode 22. I hope the new year started really well for everyone. 2 00:00:09,760 --> 00:00:18,440 I hope everything seems to be going okay for you and that just things are working out as 3 00:00:18,440 --> 00:00:26,560 much as they can. On the show today, three things mainly I'm going to talk about. The 4 00:00:26,560 --> 00:00:33,240 first of which as I always do I'm going to do a little update on myself in all fairness. 5 00:00:33,240 --> 00:00:41,000 Pretty much is how I start most shows. I'm then going to introduce you all to another 6 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:48,760 little project. I've created a website for everything I've got going on and I'll explain 7 00:00:48,760 --> 00:00:56,080 more later in the show. Also, I know in the last show I mentioned that I'm going to be 8 00:00:56,080 --> 00:01:04,080 going down to London later in the year to do the MS Society's 5K. I'm also I've signed 9 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:12,160 up to do the challenge 28 for the MS Society over February. So again, I will explain that 10 00:01:12,160 --> 00:01:20,160 over the next few minutes. All right, I'm going to start today updating you with myself. 11 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:29,440 A bit of a strange week. I've got to say that it has been really strange. I've had this 12 00:01:29,440 --> 00:01:35,840 kind of new feeling start and it doesn't matter where I am and I'll be honest with you, I've 13 00:01:35,840 --> 00:01:42,760 questioned myself a few times because it feels like I've got water dripping onto the top 14 00:01:42,760 --> 00:01:49,440 of my head. It's really disconcerting, I've got to tell you. I mean, I can just be sat 15 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:53,800 whether I'm in the office at work or whether I'm coming home on the scooter or going to 16 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:59,960 work on the scooter. That's where you'd expect to feel a bit of rain on your head. Yeah, 17 00:01:59,960 --> 00:02:05,040 this is indoors too. Yeah, I mean, I can be sat on the sofa or anything and it doesn't 18 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:14,880 last particularly long. It just sort of it starts and it's just tiny little droplets 19 00:02:14,880 --> 00:02:21,400 that sort of hit onto my head. I've got to say it's seeming currently to be the left 20 00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:28,280 side. I get it occasionally on the right, but mainly on the left side. I just find it 21 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:33,640 really disconcerting. I mean, it's not a pain or anything. It's literally, it genuinely 22 00:02:33,640 --> 00:02:40,000 feels like the odd little droplet of water. If you're laying in the bath and you've got 23 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:45,800 a shower above your head and a little bit of water comes out the shower, that's how it 24 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:54,600 feels. Yeah, I'd say it doesn't last particularly long, but it's quite new. And yes, it's disconcerting. 25 00:02:54,600 --> 00:03:00,960 A very, very strange feeling. It's one I don't quite understand yet. So I'll have to sort 26 00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:06,880 of try and figure out a way of getting used to it and kind of amalgamate it into all the 27 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:19,160 other bits and pieces that I have issues with. I've been getting quite a lot of pain in mainly 28 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:27,080 my left calf muscle. And I have to say when it happens, it's been a couple of instances 29 00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:35,200 where I've had this pain and it shoots into the left calf. And actually it's nearly knocked 30 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:45,480 me to the floor. It's been quite horrible when it hits, it hits and it hits hard. And 31 00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:51,360 I must admit I'm sort of finding a way to try and get used to it, to try and understand 32 00:03:51,360 --> 00:04:01,880 it. But yeah, it's not nice. It really isn't nice at all. And I've got to say it. I understand 33 00:04:01,880 --> 00:04:08,360 it's the sort of thing I've got to get used to going forward. And yeah, I'm going to. But 34 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:16,160 it's sort of, I'll say the word again, it's very disconcerting because I'm not understanding 35 00:04:16,160 --> 00:04:25,600 it. I'm struggling to understand why all these new pains and feelings and whatever else hit 36 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:32,960 and they sort of hit him in batches. And it's strange. It's strange. I'm carrying on, I'm 37 00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:42,680 fighting along as I always will. But yeah, all these new bits and pieces are different. 38 00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:48,040 Different is about the best I can say. It's just sort of trying to find a happy medium 39 00:04:48,040 --> 00:04:55,800 with them, which currently I am doing. But yeah, he's sort of changing my thought process 40 00:04:55,800 --> 00:05:03,480 on things a little bit. I've got to say that. But that's probably about enough of me complaining. 41 00:05:03,480 --> 00:05:07,520 There is the other bit that I want to talk about is something I actually, I'm really 42 00:05:07,520 --> 00:05:14,840 proud of. I'm incredibly proud of this podcast to say the least anyway. I absolutely love 43 00:05:14,840 --> 00:05:22,080 coming on here and talking to you all. I really do. And actually, it helps me an awful lot 44 00:05:22,080 --> 00:05:28,440 because in all truth, it helps me get things off my chest that sit there. And I know I've 45 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:33,160 said that before, but sometimes you've got thoughts in your head and you want to get 46 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:39,800 them out. But you don't know how to get them out. But sitting here in front of my mobile 47 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:45,040 phone, I'm saying I'm looking at my mobile phone screen, which is recording me. I've 48 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:53,120 got my new microphone in front of me. I've got me sound desk sat here. And it's just 49 00:05:53,120 --> 00:06:01,360 nice to sit kind of alone and get the thoughts out. And hopefully this can sort of help other 50 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:08,960 people to see that actually there are ways to get things out and about there's ways to 51 00:06:08,960 --> 00:06:15,960 stop things being stuck in your head. But yeah, as I was saying, I've created this website 52 00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:28,680 to go along with this podcast and my social media channels. The website is Mike's MSJourney.com. 53 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:34,840 I'm going to try and add new blogs to that website two to three times a week. Just to 54 00:06:34,840 --> 00:06:39,640 keep you all up to date with how things are going. Obviously, his podcast is a once a 55 00:06:39,640 --> 00:06:48,080 week job. So we'll try and blog along a couple of times a week, just to keep everything going 56 00:06:48,080 --> 00:06:51,760 so that you can all have a look and see where I am, see what I've got going on. Because 57 00:06:51,760 --> 00:06:57,600 it's not all, I'm going to say it, the blog, not all going to be MS based. If I've got 58 00:06:57,600 --> 00:07:03,520 other stuff going on, sort of happier stuff and whatever, I'm going to blog it because 59 00:07:03,520 --> 00:07:08,440 not everything needs to be negative. You know, I'm a positive person and I intend to continue 60 00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:15,280 being so. What I've also done alongside that website is I've actually got a dedicated email 61 00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:25,680 address that goes to the website. And that is Mike at Mike's MSJourney.com. Please contact 62 00:07:25,680 --> 00:07:32,400 me on there if you've got conversations you want to have. If you want to just ask me some 63 00:07:32,400 --> 00:07:40,080 questions, because I really do want to get some Q&A going on this podcast. So if you've 64 00:07:40,080 --> 00:07:47,920 got questions, please, please, Mike at Mike's MSJourney.com, ping them across. I will be 65 00:07:47,920 --> 00:07:53,800 straight if they're not a sensible question or you're being a bit over the top nasty, 66 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:57,400 you're going to get ignored. It really is that simple. I'm not that kind of person that's 67 00:07:57,400 --> 00:08:03,440 going to engage with that, that kind of thing. But if it's a sensible question, not even 68 00:08:03,440 --> 00:08:09,720 sensible if it's just a question that actually needs to be answered, I will do my best to 69 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:16,640 answer it. And by all means, if you leave your name and just the country you're from, 70 00:08:16,640 --> 00:08:22,040 I'll give you a shout out on this podcast. Because again, I want to start thanking people 71 00:08:22,040 --> 00:08:26,440 for listening, because I've said it before and I'll say it again and I'll say it until 72 00:08:26,440 --> 00:08:33,600 I'm blue in the face. I appreciate each and every one of you for taking the time to download 73 00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:39,640 and listen to what I've got to say, because genuinely each and every one of you is helping 74 00:08:39,640 --> 00:08:45,160 me in a way that you don't actually realize. And that is why I appreciate everything that 75 00:08:45,160 --> 00:08:52,120 you are doing by supporting me in listening to this podcast. If you're on my social media 76 00:08:52,120 --> 00:08:59,280 channels, again, just chucking a like on a post that I put up. Absolutely incredible. 77 00:08:59,280 --> 00:09:04,600 Massively appreciate it. Follow me along on those social media channels, because again, 78 00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:11,800 I want to get my story out there to try and help others with their stories, if that makes 79 00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:18,160 sense. I want to try and build some confidence for people to be able to talk about what they've 80 00:09:18,160 --> 00:09:31,840 got coming on. So yeah, by all means, contact me. I will say it again. The website is micsmsjourney.com 81 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:40,240 and the email address is mic at micsmsjourney.com. Hopefully that's nice and easy to remember. 82 00:09:40,240 --> 00:09:46,120 Again, pop along. Come and come and talk to me. Come and ask questions. Whatever. Don't 83 00:09:46,120 --> 00:09:56,640 mind. Let's get conversations had. And finally, on today's show, again, some are massively 84 00:09:56,640 --> 00:10:05,840 proud of. And I've got to say this, the MS Society, absolutely superb. As a charity for 85 00:10:05,840 --> 00:10:14,320 everything they do, they are incredible. And genuinely, I am incredibly proud to stand 86 00:10:14,320 --> 00:10:19,200 as tall as I can and just try and raise a bit of money for them. Because actually, I'm 87 00:10:19,200 --> 00:10:27,320 raising money for each and every one of us with MS for just any kind of support that 88 00:10:27,320 --> 00:10:33,480 can be given, whether that is just raising enough for a couple of blood tests to be done 89 00:10:33,480 --> 00:10:39,960 or raising enough for an MRI scanner to be run, whatever. I don't care, just raising 90 00:10:39,960 --> 00:10:48,160 a bit of money. And that is why I've signed up to the MS Society's Challenge 28 for February. 91 00:10:48,160 --> 00:11:00,720 Now what that entails is every day in February being active for 28 minutes. Now, I'm going 92 00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:05,040 to be honest, it's not going to be easy. It really isn't going to be easy because at the 93 00:11:05,040 --> 00:11:13,440 moment I am finding long stretches on my feet or whatever else, quite difficult. But I'm 94 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:19,640 getting through them. As I've said many, many times and I will continue to say, I will never 95 00:11:19,640 --> 00:11:26,360 back down from this challenge. You know, I've heard it said and I've said it myself, I've 96 00:11:26,360 --> 00:11:38,040 got MS, MS does not have me. It's picked somebody with fight, it's picked somebody with determination. 97 00:11:38,040 --> 00:11:44,880 And I totally understand I'm never going to beat it. But I'm going to fight it. And it's 98 00:11:44,880 --> 00:11:52,080 going to know it's been in a fight. And if that means doing whatever I can to try and 99 00:11:52,080 --> 00:11:58,640 raise little bits of money to try and go towards help and support, I'm going to do it. And 100 00:11:58,640 --> 00:12:04,360 I'm going to do it with a smile on my face. And if at the end of doing that, I've got 101 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:11,400 pains in places, those pains are worth it. Because this is a fight I'm not backing down 102 00:12:11,400 --> 00:12:21,560 from. This is a fight I am proud to stand up tall and have. I'm going to do this. We're 103 00:12:21,560 --> 00:12:30,760 going to do this. As an MS community, we've got this. We can do it. Not easy. No chance 104 00:12:30,760 --> 00:12:36,880 it's going to be easy, but we can do it. So I'm going to do it. The one thing to be fair, 105 00:12:36,880 --> 00:12:47,760 I was kind of always trying to shy away from. But I am on just giving for raising this money 106 00:12:47,760 --> 00:12:55,680 for the MS Society for the challenge 28. My handle on just giving is Mike's underscore 107 00:12:55,680 --> 00:13:06,160 MS underscore journey. If you are in any position at all to come along and sponsor me, I would 108 00:13:06,160 --> 00:13:13,080 massively appreciate it. But please only do that if you are in a position to do so. I'm 109 00:13:13,080 --> 00:13:18,680 not being funny. We all know how the world is these days. Having spare money is something 110 00:13:18,680 --> 00:13:26,600 not many people have. So do not under any circumstance, sponsor me if it is going to 111 00:13:26,600 --> 00:13:34,840 leave you remotely short. Please don't do that. Only sponsor me if you are able. And 112 00:13:34,840 --> 00:13:40,480 if you are able when you do manage to sponsor me, I'm incredibly grateful. I'll be honest 113 00:13:40,480 --> 00:13:44,800 with you. I will be getting through this challenge. I will fight my way through it and I will 114 00:13:44,800 --> 00:13:50,200 fight my way through it with a smile on my face every single day. Because again, I'm 115 00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:58,360 going to say it MS Society is an incredible charity. And just doing my little bit makes 116 00:13:58,360 --> 00:14:07,240 me incredibly proud. Well, I think that's probably about enough for today. Again, I'm 117 00:14:07,240 --> 00:14:13,560 going to say the same thing I say on every episode and I always will. Thank you for listening. 118 00:14:13,560 --> 00:14:18,240 I've said it earlier on. Thank you for listening. It is incredibly appreciated. Each and every 119 00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:25,520 one of you is incredibly appreciated. And I hope you have a good week. And I look forward 120 00:14:25,520 --> 00:14:38,840 to talking to you soon. Bye bye.