1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:09,320
Hello and welcome to episode 23. On the show today there's a few bits and pieces I want

2
00:00:09,320 --> 00:00:15,920
to discuss. Towards the back end of the show, on the last thing, there's a bit of a personal

3
00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:22,720
thing that I really want to put out. So bear with me on that one. It's going to be somewhat

4
00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:29,680
a bit different, but something I need to get said. What I would like to do is once again

5
00:00:29,680 --> 00:00:35,760
say a massive thank you to you all joining me, whether you're new listeners or whether

6
00:00:35,760 --> 00:00:41,320
you've been with me for a while. I'll say it again, I appreciate each and every one

7
00:00:41,320 --> 00:00:47,920
of you, thank you. So yeah, on the show today I'm going to give an update on myself, like

8
00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:55,160
I always do. There's a little bit to update, I'll be honest with you. I want to talk a

9
00:00:55,160 --> 00:01:04,000
little bit about the sort of things I'm currently doing to try and keep myself going. So yeah,

10
00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:08,240
we'll get to that very, very shortly. And as I say, the last thing today for me to discuss

11
00:01:08,240 --> 00:01:14,080
is a bit of a personal thing. So yeah, please just bear with me on that one. There is a

12
00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:22,880
reason for it. Okay, all right. Well, I hope you've all had a good week up to this point.

13
00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:30,880
For me, it's actually been a bit of a rough week, I have to say it. I know I mentioned

14
00:01:30,880 --> 00:01:35,480
it on the last podcast that I was getting the sort of water drop feelings on the top

15
00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:44,840
of my head, which was quite odd. I did email that across to the MS nurse. What I've also

16
00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:56,920
had in this last few days, Wednesday evening, I sat at the table having dinner, I had this

17
00:01:56,920 --> 00:02:05,440
almighty electric shock type feeling in my right shin. Now, I've had electric shock type

18
00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:09,280
feelings previously. This one was actually, it felt a bit different. I've got to say it

19
00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:16,640
really did feel incredibly different. So the point a little bit after that, probably just

20
00:02:16,640 --> 00:02:27,680
a couple of minutes tops, all over my body. I was getting electric shock type feelings.

21
00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:35,200
And I've got to say it, they were absolute agony. I mean, you know, I've had these sort

22
00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:43,000
of pains on and off and everything like that for quite some time. But actually, this felt

23
00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:50,880
a bit different. I've got to say that it just was unbelievable. And it wasn't a case of

24
00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:59,040
they was just like a solid pain. In my left thigh and left calf. Yeah, it was the same

25
00:02:59,040 --> 00:03:06,000
sort of pain I've got there all the time. But popping up all over my body was these

26
00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:12,360
little sort of stabby electric shock type pains. And I couldn't quite work them out.

27
00:03:12,360 --> 00:03:19,480
I couldn't work out what actually was going on. And the worst of all of the pains actually

28
00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:29,400
came in the left side of my ribs. It was sort of quite widely round to the left. And it

29
00:03:29,400 --> 00:03:37,080
genuinely felt like somebody was coming running up to me with a red hot knife and just sticking

30
00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:43,480
the knife in, taking it out and running off. And then a few seconds, few minutes, there

31
00:03:43,480 --> 00:03:49,960
was quite a few occasions it was happening. It just kept going on and on and on like that.

32
00:03:49,960 --> 00:03:57,960
It was not a solid pain. And I'll be honest with you, it went on for probably 48 hours

33
00:03:57,960 --> 00:04:08,080
all in. I did get in touch with the MS nurse again, in terms of those pains, because again,

34
00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:16,080
it was all kind of new. I didn't really understand what was going on as such. My MS nurse, I

35
00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:19,920
did manage to get her on the phone and she advised me to actually get in touch with my

36
00:04:19,920 --> 00:04:28,920
GP, which I did. And I actually managed to get a face to face with my GP, which is quite

37
00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:36,780
rare. I've got to say it's quite rare. And he said to me that he's very confident the

38
00:04:36,780 --> 00:04:48,720
pains I'm feeling were MS based. As he said, it's nerve pain. So what he's actually done

39
00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:56,120
is he's upped my painkillers. So I'm now, I was on 600 milligrams a day, I'm now on

40
00:04:56,120 --> 00:05:06,000
900 milligrams a day, which I started taking yesterday. Again, I mean, still very, very

41
00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:11,640
new to it. So in all fairness, it's probably one of those where over the next few days,

42
00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:18,680
I need to sort of see how it goes. But it seemed to make a little bit of a difference

43
00:05:18,680 --> 00:05:25,680
yesterday. I will say I slept fantastically well for the first time in a bit. My sleeping

44
00:05:25,680 --> 00:05:32,920
isn't fantastic at all. But actually I did sleep last night. But yeah, I mean, it's very,

45
00:05:32,920 --> 00:05:42,960
very strange. And so that pain in my rib cage area was actually quite scary. I'm going to

46
00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:48,160
be honest with you, I've got to say that it wasn't very nice at all. And yeah, because

47
00:05:48,160 --> 00:05:56,640
again, being on the left hand side, and I'm a qualified first aid, I'm thinking to myself,

48
00:05:56,640 --> 00:06:02,760
I just need to be a little bit careful and a little bit mindful here just in case. But

49
00:06:02,760 --> 00:06:10,680
yeah, no, thankfully, the GP has put it all down to MS based, which is good. If you can

50
00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:18,160
class it as good, probably not the right way of thinking about it. But that's where we're

51
00:06:18,160 --> 00:06:22,400
at where I currently am at the minute. I just sort of try to work out exactly what's what

52
00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:31,320
and why things are happening. But yeah, I mean, it's getting steadily worse. I'm going

53
00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:37,840
to be honest, I'm at a point I really, really am struggling. I do feel like I'm getting

54
00:06:37,840 --> 00:06:43,960
steadily worse with a lot of different things. There's pains that honestly, I can't work

55
00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:53,000
them out. I don't understand it. But again, it's one of them where, you know, I don't

56
00:06:53,000 --> 00:07:00,120
understand. I just need to start accepting it and find ways to get through it. Which

57
00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:05,960
is something I'm going to do one way or another, I'm going to find ways to get through. In

58
00:07:05,960 --> 00:07:10,440
terms of the update on me, I think that's pretty much where we need to go for the time

59
00:07:10,440 --> 00:07:18,600
being. What I will say is, I want to talk about some of the things I'm doing to try

60
00:07:18,600 --> 00:07:26,280
and keep going to try and keep fighting and keep being me. And there is a few things that

61
00:07:26,280 --> 00:07:30,320
I'm doing. I'm not going to list them all because I don't want to take up too much

62
00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:36,920
of your time. But obviously, this time of year, there's not a great deal for me to

63
00:07:36,920 --> 00:07:45,800
do in terms of the garden. A lot of the plants out in the garden now need to just relax and

64
00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:50,760
get themselves all ready for the new year and the new growing seasons and what have

65
00:07:50,760 --> 00:08:00,360
you. So I'm kind of taking a bit of my time to kind of get back into the guitar. As I

66
00:08:00,360 --> 00:08:06,880
said previously on a different podcast, I was going to purchase and I did purchase a

67
00:08:06,880 --> 00:08:14,800
guitar and I've been kind of sat at times just trying to slam out a few riffs and just

68
00:08:14,800 --> 00:08:21,360
enjoy playing again. And actually, I'm loving it. I've got to say that. I really am enjoying

69
00:08:21,360 --> 00:08:27,360
it. Again, I did not spend a massive amount of money on guitar or amp. I spent just a

70
00:08:27,360 --> 00:08:34,520
little bit. But I'm enjoying it. I really am. It's good fun. I do feel for Lisa and

71
00:08:34,520 --> 00:08:41,440
the kids because at times I am turning up probably a little bit too loud. I can't

72
00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:47,240
help it. It's got to be done. If a riff sounds good, just let it go. Let your hands

73
00:08:47,240 --> 00:08:54,700
go and enjoy it. And that is what I'm doing. Really, I'm actually thoroughly, thoroughly

74
00:08:54,700 --> 00:08:59,880
enjoying being back on the guitar. Don't worry, I'm not going to subject you all to

75
00:08:59,880 --> 00:09:15,040
that. I'm not that mean, honestly. Maybe one day. Just not yet. Anyway, on top of that,

76
00:09:15,040 --> 00:09:20,720
I'm really keeping going with the website, which is something actually is keeping my

77
00:09:20,720 --> 00:09:27,840
brain ticking over quite nicely. I go on there a fair bit. I'm going to keep trying

78
00:09:27,840 --> 00:09:33,880
to blog along and keep things going because what I am noticing actually, there's a real

79
00:09:33,880 --> 00:09:41,440
link between where this podcast is being listened to and where the website is being looked at.

80
00:09:41,440 --> 00:09:48,400
So to any of you that are listening and then actually going across to the website, thank

81
00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:59,960
you. Absolutely massive thank you. Because again, that just, it just shows me that there's

82
00:09:59,960 --> 00:10:09,200
yourselves, you're sitting there and I'm talking to you all. And from my point of view,

83
00:10:09,200 --> 00:10:14,080
I sit here and I'm sat in this room, I'm looking at my phone, I've got walls around me, I've

84
00:10:14,080 --> 00:10:18,440
got my certificates around me, I've got the shirt for the MS Society there, I've got my

85
00:10:18,440 --> 00:10:25,920
certificate from the walk. But actually knowing and understanding that there is people that

86
00:10:25,920 --> 00:10:33,880
are enjoying listening to this is incredible. It is genuinely incredible and each and every

87
00:10:33,880 --> 00:10:45,120
one of you, thank you. Honestly, thank you. And I do appreciate it in a really big way.

88
00:10:45,120 --> 00:10:51,120
But yeah, I mean, on top of the website things, I'm trying to prep myself ready for the challenge

89
00:10:51,120 --> 00:10:57,160
28, the MS Society challenge 28, which I'm doing in February. I mentioned that in the

90
00:10:57,160 --> 00:11:05,000
last podcast. So again, that's the sort of thing that is keeping me ticking over, because

91
00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:09,520
I'm really looking forward to actually doing that challenge. It's not going to be easy,

92
00:11:09,520 --> 00:11:17,240
I'm going to enjoy it. Because I do and I've said it a million times, I am proud to raise

93
00:11:17,240 --> 00:11:24,800
money for the MS Society. If anyone from the MS Society is listening, thank you. Thank

94
00:11:24,800 --> 00:11:33,600
you for everything that you do to help people. Again, you probably don't get the thanks that

95
00:11:33,600 --> 00:11:43,040
you deserve and you deserve massive thanks and massive gratitude. So thank you. Finally

96
00:11:43,040 --> 00:11:54,560
today, what I'd like to do is something I know I've done a little bit from time to time.

97
00:11:54,560 --> 00:12:02,440
But actually, there's things I'd like to say to certain people. Because there's certain

98
00:12:02,440 --> 00:12:12,320
people in my life that are doing things for me that genuinely is unbelievable. The support

99
00:12:12,320 --> 00:12:18,280
that I'm receiving is just a whole different level. It really is. It's a whole different

100
00:12:18,280 --> 00:12:30,320
level. So forgive me if I've missed anyone out from this list. But I would like to say

101
00:12:30,320 --> 00:12:44,320
a massive and I do mean massive thank you to my girls. Girls, all of you. You are like

102
00:12:44,320 --> 00:12:52,280
my biggest cheerleaders, genuinely. I know I use the word appreciate a lot, but I really

103
00:12:52,280 --> 00:13:01,780
do appreciate all of the help, the support, all of the just being there and just making

104
00:13:01,780 --> 00:13:09,120
me laugh and telling me how good I'm doing with stuff. Girls, thank you. Absolute massive,

105
00:13:09,120 --> 00:13:19,720
massive thank you. My boys, you're my brains. You come up with stuff and you advise me with

106
00:13:19,720 --> 00:13:28,440
things. You're young lads, but your brains and your support is just unbelievable. It

107
00:13:28,440 --> 00:13:35,200
really is. And again, same as the girls, I am massively grateful to all of you. And I'm

108
00:13:35,200 --> 00:13:47,440
very proud to be dad to you girls and to you boys. Thank you. Really, really big thank

109
00:13:47,440 --> 00:14:03,640
you. My dad and my brother, honestly, guys, what more can I say? You just, your support

110
00:14:03,640 --> 00:14:13,920
is different class. It really is. It's appreciated in more ways than you realize. It's incredible.

111
00:14:13,920 --> 00:14:24,640
Thank you. Yeah, just different class altogether, the pair here. Massive, massive thank you.

112
00:14:24,640 --> 00:14:35,320
I want to say a big thank you to my mum, Matt and me not so little brother. Again, different

113
00:14:35,320 --> 00:14:47,160
class, always there when needed. Thank you. Massive thank you. Nan and granddad. It's

114
00:14:47,160 --> 00:14:58,680
just awesome. Absolutely awesome. Even Sheba. Sheba bless all of you. Absolutely fantastic.

115
00:14:58,680 --> 00:15:08,680
And again, you're all massively, massively appreciated. Thank you. To my friends. Now

116
00:15:08,680 --> 00:15:18,040
I don't say this very often to you lot. Appreciate you. Genuinely, really appreciate you. Thank

117
00:15:18,040 --> 00:15:25,960
you. I don't know what else to say to you lot to be honest with you. Good on you. Thank

118
00:15:25,960 --> 00:15:37,380
you. To all of you listening. And I do mean each and every one of you that sits weekly

119
00:15:37,380 --> 00:15:44,520
listening to me chatting away, rabbiting on about my issues, my problems, all that sort

120
00:15:44,520 --> 00:15:58,800
of stuff. It's just incredible. Each and every one of you is incredible. Thank you, everyone.

121
00:15:58,800 --> 00:16:06,800
Genuinely, I can't explain to you just how much you are appreciated, but you really are.

122
00:16:06,800 --> 00:16:22,320
Thank you. Oh look, there's one person I forgot. I'll never forget you. Lisa, my absolute

123
00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:30,600
gorgeous wife. Do you know what? There's not a lot more I can say to you. I love you,

124
00:16:30,600 --> 00:16:48,280
I pick it up. I really do. Thank you. Just thank you. All I can say left to that is together

125
00:16:48,280 --> 00:16:51,860
as one big team, all of us, we've got this.

126
00:16:53,580 --> 00:16:56,960
We absolutely have got this.

127
00:17:00,100 --> 00:17:01,700
Hope you all have a great week.

128
00:17:01,700 --> 00:17:04,780
I really look forward to speaking to you all soon.

129
00:17:04,780 --> 00:17:18,780
Bye bye.