- fatigue
- difficulty walking
- vision problems, such as blurred vision
- problems controlling the bladder
- numbness or tingling in different parts of the body
- muscle stiffness and spasms
- problems with balance and co-ordination
- problems with thinking, learning and planning
- pain
- weakness and fatigue
- sexual dysfunction
Everyday tasks such as brushing our teeth, getting dressed and making breakfast can be extremely difficult for some of us and can take a lot of energy and cause pain.
Another serious symptom which I personally experience a lot is Uhthoff’s Phenomenon, where any raise in body temperature can cause symptoms to flare up. This can be caused by hot weather, exercise, cooking and even bathing. It can cause vision problems to worsen, concentration issues, fatigue and pain and although temporary, it can mean having to rest from such activities for way longer than someone without the disease. As an example, if I have a warm bath (not hot, just warm) this can cause me pain, fatigue and vision problems and it can take me 45-60 mins to recover from the flare.
MS is scary! Relapses are scary! Getting up every morning is a minefield and a guessing game! It won’t go away by doing yoga or meditation or acupuncture, contrary to what the random stranger on the bus will tell you. In this country, there is a severe shortage of specialist nurses for diseases like mine, which means loads of people don’t get the support they need, the information the need or the medication they need. I don’t know everything, I don’t think anyone knows everything.
I know I don’t often post about the nitty gritty of my life but it’s hard. Everyday, every activity is a fight. I still have lower function in my legs and left side of my body from a bad relapse 2 years ago. My anxiety and depression has been made worse by this disease too. I have also suffered from death anxiety since my diagnosis, so I try to fill my life with whimsical fuckery and nerdisms and laughter to counteract the darkness. And as Jim says, you can’t spell misery without MS.
I started doing nail art after I had lost my job and was sat at home depressed. I needed it. I needed something to bring a bit of creativity and light into my life. I have seen my nail art improve a bit over the years and I will push through my pain and fatigue to try to get my vision. One day I won’t be able to do it at all, so until then I will do as much as I can, when I can. This is MS!
We are fighters! We are Warriors! We are strong as fuck! Fight with us to increase our hope for a cure. MS is my non sexual life partner and I’m stuck with it now.
If you have read this far, seriously, thank you, you are awesome!
:)x
