It Wasn't a Drive, Drive!

Good morning friends.

I would like to share a funny story with you today, something that I did that I probably won't live down for a while. Even when you can attribute something silly that you do to something serious like MS it can still be ammunition for the family (and in this case, your man) to take the Mickey out of you. This is definitely one of those times.

On Saturday, Phil and I didn't really have any plans and we had a "kid free" day so we wanted to do something to get us out of the house for a while. Since he isn't originally from our lovely, little seaside town (he moved down this way after we met) there are still a lot of local villages and towns that we haven't explored together.

We decided to visit one of them as I had heard it was very quaint and neither one of us had been there. Well, it was a little disappointing (apart from a lovely little tea room where we stuffed our faces) and not much to look at so after an hour or so we got back in the car and started to drive, not really knowing where we were heading to.

I was having a good day (dizzy-wise) so I was in the driving seat and as I was driving along I jokingly asked Phil if the fact that we were "out for a drive" made us officially OLD now. Only old people "go for a drive" I said. He replied with "We are out for a drive, but not a drive drive".

Now I don't know if you guys are familiar with one of my favourite comedians but I started cracking up laughing at this point because I was instantly reminded of Micky Flanagan's stand-up routine of "Out out".

We were out for a drive, but not a drive drive. Ha ha! If you don't know Micky (shock, horror - how could you not?!) then take a minute (OK, just over 2 mins) to enjoy his genius!




Anyway, we were driving along and I asked Phil where he would like to go. He replied that he didn't know the area and so I suggested another little quaint seaside town (Whitstable) that I have been to and is really nice with cosy pubs and cute shops.

Off we went.

When I turned off at an exit, Phil asked where we were going (apparently he had just seen a sign saying it was 9 miles to go) and I replied I was taking him the "scenic route". Since he doesn't know the area that well he had no reason to ask for any more details.

We drove through country lanes for quite a while and then Phil realised that he was on familiar territory, roads that he recognised. It was at that time he asked "so how far to that place we are going?"

I looked at him all confused, "what place?" I asked.

"The place that begins with w"? at this point he looked at me like I had completely lost my marbles.

"What do you mean?" I replied

He looked at me for a second and asked "where are we going?"

"Home" I replied (at this point I was wondering why he was looking at me like he wanted to call the men with the white jackets).

"So, I guess we are not going to that seaside town that you told me about with the pubs and shops?" He asked.

OH. MY. GOODNESS!

I had completely forgotten where we were going. I had for some reason just started driving home, completely not realising that even though it was my suggestion, I had forgotten that we were on our way to Whitstable.

I started cracking up laughing but inside I was thinking "oh crap". I joked that I need to maybe start putting post-it notes in the car to remind myself where I am supposed to be going. How do you just forget where you are going? Especially when it's your own idea, you are en route and you are the driver?

Phil has since joked that he doesn't have to worry about me ending up going out and getting lost because I am like a homing pigeon and I will probably just keep driving home.

So enough about me, how are YOU?

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?