10 Lessons I’ve Learned in 2014
"Don’t change because others tell you to, just be that limited edition that you know you truly are. Don’t be afraid to break the mould."
Dream, Think, Believe, Dare, Do!
"I admire Montel Williams for all the passion he puts into advocating MS in the US, and I could have picked his much-used his phrase “I may have MS but MS does not have me.” For a good while it was a crutch to lean on every day, but I am now at a stage where it has worn out to the very one thread it was built upon. I'd rather opt for a different benchmark so, and therefore chose to underwrite an adapted Walt Disney quote instead."
MS News: December 2014
Well, it was a busy December, in more ways than one. I hope you all had a great Christmas and wish you the best for 2015. From the amount of research and clinical news we keep hearing about month after month, I can only be optimistic for the future. A cure will not happen tomorrow, next year or even in five years, but we’re edging closer to more relief. My wish is that all those people with primary and secondary MS will receive better treatment options than they now have.
#FestifyMS Christmas appeal
"If you’re in Ireland, text Festify to 50300 to donate €4 for Christmas. If you want to give a larger amount if you are living abroad, you can go to http://ms-society.ie/pages/donate to donate any amount you wish to the society. A lifetime membership costs €50 ($67 or £40), and ensures much-needed services to people with MS can be retained or improved."
Managing fatigue
Dr Anita Rose is a Consultant Neuropsychologist who works across the globe. She created a list on how to manage MS fatigue and this is something to live by. Dr Rose is well-known for her clinical work, research and consultancy to different MS groups. She travels the world speaking of patient, as well as health professional empowerment. Fatigue is not only a debilitating symptom of MS; it also is the most common symptom. Those living with it speak of it in various strength and terms, and only have one hope: to one day be relieved of a symptom that upsets daily routines and causes people to retire from work. Managing fatigue top tips, by doctor and author Anita Rose Always remember you should never accept fatigue as an inevitable consequence…
25% OCD
When I was growing up, I used to hear stories about my grandfather’s need of having things sorted in an often peculiar way. He would line up items on the fireplace mantel with the edge of the mantel and if items were placed too far back, he would raise his eyebrows in jest at my grandmother. Other examples exist, and if the term ‘OCD’ existed in his time, he might have been a possible candidate to earn that title. My granddad’s legacy? I inherited some of his peculiar ways. He was the king of his fireplace mantel. I am the queen of my kitchen cupboards. When I see that things have moved in my absence, I go on the lookout for explanations.
Lifetime membership
"Looking back at my physical self between the end of November 2009 and today, my MS took a fairly big step backwards twice. With hindsight being 20/20, retiring was the right thing to do. I cannot even begin to think where I’d be medically had I not retired, so if you want anything to work out in your life, then please let it be your early retirement."