On the cusp of 2016, this is a post to thank everyone for their wonderful support for me and my blog over the last three years.
You’ve watched me grow from being bullied and sacked simply for having MS, changing career, coping with three courses of Campath, going back to university and most importantly, bringing up The Teenager despite MS.
MS can be a lonely, frightening and isolating illness.
It doesn’t have to be.
If you are reading this and you are feeling alone, please reach out. There are fantastic Facebook groups, tweeps on Twitter and blogs you can connect with. It can be a relief to be amongst people who just … understand.
Whether it’s making sense of foot-drop, cog fog, wibbles and wobbles, there’s a lot of us who know exactly what you’re talking about.
Personally, I don’t know where I would have ended up without the help and encouragement I’ve had from other people – my blog has been a lifeline. Every single comment has helped and I can’t begin to thank you all enough.
My wish for 2016?
I don’t want anyone with MS to suffer in silence.
Happy New Year to you x
And to you!
All the best,
X
Lovely post xx
I wish you a healthier 2016 and in true Irish tradition, my wish for you, your son and family is that in 2016 they have ‘enough’.
Love and hugs xx
I like that! In Scotland we say, ‘lang may yer lum reek’. Sounds icky, I know!
Have a great 2016!
x
Happy New Year fellow MS buddy. Thank you for your posts – they have been an education and a comfort xxxx
That’s such a lovely thing to say, thank you!
Happy New Year!!
x
Here’s to 2016. Thanks for your updates. They keep me smiling.
I’m hoping that just 1 day might go by in 2016 where I don’t think/mention or feel sad about having MS.
Wishing all your followers a good 2016. ? xx
I really hope so to, for you.
Keep smiling!!
X
Ten minutes left of 2015…nothing good on telly…how sad do I sound? Jules Holland or Alan Carr…mmmmm
I was exactly the same last night! I switched to BBC Scotland and watched the scenes from Edinburgh 🙂
x
Happy New Year!
Thanks for the blog, it’s been a life line xx
That’s really lovely of you to say, thank you!
X
Thank you so much for the book and the blog – they’re an inspiration!
Best wishes to you and The Teenager for 2016.
Siân x
Thanks Sian!
And you – here’s to a brilliant year 🙂
x
Happy New Year,
As usual, you have nailed the topic.
You Rock!
This song lyric fits well with the post
https://youtu.be/QYGvKc7Q1PU
Aw, thank you!!
What a lovely song 🙂
x
Happy new year Stumbling, and thank you, from an MS’er just passing by, from West Michigan ,USA.
A very Happy New Year to you too, fellow MS’er!
x
I’ve only just found your blog after buying your book over Xmas. I was finally diagnosed on 23rd Dec with progressive MS after a year of not feeling ‘normal’ and MRIs/lumbar puncture/blood tests (the usual) and just reading your comments and those of others is helping understand a little better now. So onwards and upwards to 2016 and not letting it beat us – happy new year xx
Hello there,
I’m so sorry to hear of your recent diagnosis and I hope you have a lot of love and support around you.
We’re always here for advice, encouragement and a friendly ear.
Please look after yourself!
X
Love your writing – it’s heartening, well expressed and at times makes me laugh. Blessings and good health to you and the Teenager in 2016 and beyond. xxoo
Thank you so much Judy, and the very best to you and your family too!
x
Thank you so much for your post, it has made me feel a whole lot better.
From someone diagnosed 3 months ago with secondary progressive (yep, I managed to get through 25 years of relapsing without a diagnosis), I will try to approach the New Year with a positive outlook and search for other people who, as you say, just understand.
I have no reason to feel alone!
Thank you and Happy New Year to all of you!
Hello Claire
Thank you for your lovely comment!
You most definitely do not need to feel alone. You might have heard of it, but a great website to find other MSers is Shift-MS. It’s a fab site, full of real, down-to-earth advice too.
Onwards and upwards for the New Year and I hope you have a great MS team 🙂
X
Wanted to wish you a very Happy New Year! Also wanted to congratulate on another fantastic blog post; support I agree is critical when living with any chronic illness. As someone diagnosed with a vague diagnosis of a long-standing brain stem lesion, gaining a support network outside my immediate family has ben very difficult as there are no support groups. And even more difficult when unable to get out of the house unless I’m with someone else. But as we are now in a brand new year, I hope and are inspired by your post to find support.
Hello there,
That must be really difficult, when your illness doesn’t ‘slot’ easily into a diagnosis, like you said. I have a friend who is in a similar situation and as her diagnosis is so vague (but the illness is very real and very debilitating), she has found it difficult to find support out there.
She’s found a lot of support on the internet, even if it’s from overseas and now chats to people who are experiencing the same thing as her.
Here’s hoping this is a wonderful year for you and your family!
X
Bless you and the Teenager!! Wishing you a happy, healthy and abundant 2016! (I may be repeating myself, ho ho…)
Can never have enough good wishes for the New Year!
x
Today I finally managed to catch up on on your December blogs, hoorah! Having been diagnosed with RRMS last August I’m relatively new to the whole MS malarkey and when I found your book and then the blog I was delighted. I have been positive and upbeat about it all from the start but it’s so refreshing to read about someone not only coping with MS but also laughing at it. I joke about it myself sometimes and feel that maybe I shouldn’t or it’s not the done thing, but why should I be miserable when there’s still so much life to live? I know what MS can do to us, my aunt passed away recently from complications bought on by her PPMS, but I refuse to get depressed about what the future may hold. You’re blog is a great read, uplifting, inspirational and always brings a smile/chuckle to my face. Happy New Year to you and The Teenager from Bonny Scotland and keep up the fabulous writing. xx
Hello there fellow Scot!
Thank you so much for reading my book and blog and I like that you totally get where my blog’s coming from. A fabulous comment and I’ve got a lovely big head now 🙂
I’m really glad to hear you’re adjusting well to life with MS. What else can we do??
A very Happy New Year to you too and thanks again 🙂
X
The big head is well deserved by the way! Thought I should mention that I’m not actually Scottish though… well, I am half, as my dad is but I was born and brought up in England… Just happily residing in the Highlands. Do you think you’d ever come back up this way, I know my dad would if he had half the chance? x
You’re most definitely Scottish :-). The Teenager, who has lived in Wales since he was 10 months old, considers himself half-Scottish, half-English (his dad’s from Manchester). Which is odd as I thought he would feel Welsh, lol. He has an IrnBru sign in his bedroom and adores being in Scotland, even if he can’t understand anything my cousins say to him.
Funnily enough, I’m planning to pop back to Glasgow some time in the Spring, but am dreading the cold. Which means I can’t see myself moving back – I’m such a Southern softie now. I left Glasgow when I was 14, so loooooooooong time ago, although I’ve kept my accent!
x