Laughter Is The Best Medicine

When I started this blog just over a week ago it was largely for selfish reasons. I wanted to write out my thoughts, feelings and experiences as I faced this challenge head on.  I have been overwhelmed by the fact that it has been read by thousands of people already (seriously, how crazy is that?) and I have had such an outpouring of support and love.  I have had other MSers tell me how it has helped them to read about someone that feels similar to them and I have been very humbled and honoured by the messages.

I have also had a couple of people ask if I am concerned that I might offend other MSers with my sense of humour. I really hadn't considered this as a possibility as I simply write from the heart and from my own experiences. I do use humour to express myself but I am in no way trivialising this awful illness.

Ask any of my friends (going right back to primary school) and they will tell you that I have always been a bit of a clown.  I will be the first person up on the karaoke (even though I am tone deaf - sorry Pixie Lott for killing your songs!) and I will quite often be the girl that makes a complete idiot of herself at a party.

It's just who I am and who I have always been and let me be clear, I have MS but it doesn't have ME.  I won't let it change who I am as a person.

It did get me thinking though that when we are faced with something negative in our lives (and surely a chronic, life-long, possibly life-changing, brain-eating disease with no cure qualifies?) then in my opinion this is the EXACT time that we need to dig deep and try to use our sense of humour. What is the alternative?  Crawl up into a ball in the corner of a room, wailing "it's not fair"?  No thanks.

I wont lie, I have had my moments and I am sure I will have many, MANY more.  I have sat and cried like a baby but it is usually out of frustration that I am feeling weak or I have a new symptom that makes me wonder if the rouge soldiers in my brain have launched a new attack.  Then it is time to dry the tears, take a deep breath and carry on with a smile.

When I came up with my T-Shirt idea of "It's Not Merlot, it's MS", my partner Phil said he would get a T-Shirt to wear at the same time that reads; "I'm with the Drunk".  I couldn't stop laughing at the visual I got of us both wearing those shirts.  I supposed there might be some people that might not "get" our sense of humour or our ability to make jokes at a "time like this" but actually it is the jokes and laughter that have kept me from sinking into a very dark place.

I read an article that said statistics show that 75% of MSers suffer from depression.  That is awful but I can understand why, it can be a very lonely disease.  They say that you don't "get" MS until you GET MS and that is why I am trying my best, through sharing my own experiences to raise awareness.


So, I leave you with this little poem that I threw together (hope you enjoy):

Tingle tingle on my tongue,
Please go away, it isnt fun.
Twitchy twitchy little toes,
When will it stop?  nobody knows.

Feeling numb all in my feet,
Makes it hard to feel the street.
I stumble left, I wobble right,
I must look drunk, a funny sight.

MSers listen, one and all,
There is an upside after all.
You forget a birthday or a date,
It's your disease, they cannot hate.

So keep your chin up, soldier on,
Or else this illness will have won.
Keep on smiling, you know its right,
Don't let it beat you, fight the fight!


One of my friends recently said I could be the "Carrie Bradshaw of MS" and what a great compliment although to be fair, if I bought myself a pair of Manolo Blahnik or Jimmy Choos I would probably just fall on my bum!

So enough about me, how are YOU?