Olympic Summer of GB

Yep, I know, the Opening Ceremony sent waves of patriotism through us all in the UK and my dour attitude the Games is a little rubbish and for this I am sorry.  I am very patriotic, it is just I am patriotic away from politicians/officials/Committees and anyone else who has too much self importance.  You might be able to tell by my ranting that I don't feel too good at the moment and I am unsure if I am relapsing but I am so close to getting Botox in my bladder which will result in some long awaited sleep that I can't take anything for the relapse until after the procedure.

We have our friend Sarah staying with us at the moment because she is working at the Olympics so it is great getting the in side of the story.  I am getting into it and I am definitely shouting for Team GB, felt bad for Cavendish early, in the road race the leading group got too far away and although their best efforts they just couldn't catch them.  I can't imagine the pressure of competing in your home country so I think they need all the good will we can all muster.  Unfortunately I still have a problem with the sponsors and have decided to boycott Coca Cola and MacDonald's die to their cheek at these Games.  I know that my one man (girl) stand against these Corporations makes absolutely no difference to them but it will cure my soul.  I can't believe that these terrible corporations are sponsoring a sports event of this magnitude.

I have been in the wars a little and due to the pain in my legs I managed to do this to  myself -

 

My legs were so painful, I couldn't cope so The Man made me a hot water bottle, I took an extra tablet and feel asleep with the bottle on my leg and burnt it.  I don't have big fat ankles, only when I burn it.  I have been lucky though as there is only a one blister and that is being taken care off with a special blister plaster.  I have reduced feeling in my hands/legs/feet so heat and hands/legs/feet so heat is often not a clever idea but when you are in lots of pain sometime I'm too desperate to think straight.  Anyway I got off lightly this time, next time I will have to be much more careful.

Anyway I shall go just now.
Night night
Loves
Jess xx

Olympic Summer of Madness

Today I have not been feeling well which is definitely not usual after an infusion.  I am trying to stay quiet and I can tell you that it is killing me.  I have started doing things and then the fatigue kicks in and I am absolutely floored.  I hate feeling ill and as Polly and I were saying yesterday, relapses are not something that you can instantly identify mainly because you never quite remember the previous ones enough to see the tail, tail  signs.

I wanted to talk to you about the Olympics in London, now I will start by telling you all that I am not usually like this and I apologise for this next section.....

AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is how the feel about the up and coming Olympics.  London is a city of about 7.5 million people in it currently with streets built for horse and carts and a rail system built 1863.  Londoners are renowned not to be the friendliest of people, mostly due to the busy pace of life here in the capital.  I am not the only person in London that believes that the Olympics should have been hosted else where in Britain.  The roads have been disrupted because of the ORN (Olympic Route Network) which are designated road lanes for the rich and powerful...oh and for some Athletes but that is only because this is how our officials have found away to make the city like Russia and the ZiL Lanes.

I had to go to the hospital yesterday and for a journey that is less than a mile, mostly up one road it took me 3 buses...yep you read that right, 3 buses.  The problem began when I got on the first bus and noticed a tense atmosphere on the bus, then when we got to the next stop and were told to get off the bus and on to the next one that would be right along.  When the next one came everyone got on in good faith, some grumbles but not too bad and then we were told to get off and wait for the next one and all hell broke lose.  A bloke started screaming at the bus driver and I ended up speaking up for him.  It secured my belief that Bus drivers should get a massive bonus for working the Olympics.

I will leave you with this because I think it is very funny -

Swedish Proverb

"Fear less, hope more; eat less, chew more; whine less, breath more; talk less, say more; hate less, love more; and all good things are yours"

Gallop

Photos from Austria July 2012

Kingdom In The Cloud

We went up the Schineeberg on the train and disappeared into the clouds, it was brilliant. The train takes about 55 minutes and stops on the way up so you can get something to eat and a hot drink if you like. On this stop they sell these sweet dough loafs that have plum chutney in them, they are very nice. We got to the top stations which is about 1800feet up and could not see 5 meters in front of us, we walked out into the mist to a church which was built in memory of Empress Elisabeth who was killed whilst in Geneva.

It has been another lovely day but I am tired out now and have to go off to bed. Night night to all.

Loves
Jess xxxxx

Schneeberg

Morning, just to let you know that we are going up the Schneeberg today.its ok limply isn't going to try and walk up a mountain, there is a train to the top and a hotel up there.

I slept well but did dream that I found a baby and The Man said we had to keep it. Also I made a speech in parliament about the pathetic squabbling that goes on and the countries disillusioned feeling about the current political parties. If this is a window to the future, I'm excited about it, but hopefully along with the found baby The Man and I will have some of our own.

Loves for now
Jess xxxx

40,000

Wow! Our little adventure together on here has put done itself completely, when I first started this blog about 22 months ago my aim was to write for a couple of years and document my journey with MS and hopefully help my friends and family understand what I was going through so they felt involved without having to ask me all the time, after writing for a few months I was amazed at the amount of page views I the blog was getting every day. I put an aim on then of 10,000 page views in two years and in under that time we have reached 40,000.

I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has taken the timbered my crazy rumblings,every single page view has helped me along the way and even in my darkest hour I have found strength in knowing that I am not alone on this journey. I know that over the past couple of years I have swung from happiness to depression like a chime swings in a clock but I am feeling 100% better than I have done in years. I believe that no one thing can be said to have made me feel so much better but everything together.

I thought I would share with you things that have made me feel this good ( in not particular order)
1. The love of The Man, my friends and family and readers
2. DMD (Disease Modifying Drugs) - Tysabri
3. Right mixture of med, in my case Dicolfenac, Baclofen, Gabapentin, catheters...
4. The right MS Nurse (mine is definitely the best in the business) followed by a great med team, GP, Neurologist etc.
5. Change in diet, cutting out fatty foods and eating lots of salad, juicing has definitely changed my life.
6. Challenges, getting to work, exercise, hobbies
7. Holidays, experiencing life, not just waiting for it to experience you
8. Regular trips to see Chiropractor, make sure you are in good working order
9. Shift.ms, getting involved with the MS community
10. Right equipment to make it as easy as you can to do the things you want

Right that is all from me, we have finished the wood now 8.7 tonnes in 4 days...who says MS stops you doing what you want?

Night night
Jess xxxx

7.2 tonnes done, 1.5 tonnes to go

Yes you read right, we have over the past three days shifted 7.2 tonnes of soft wood and stacked it in The Man's Dads wood shed. It has taken us about 3-5 hours a day to shift it but what a huge achievement doing it. I know you are probably thinking that a girl who can not walk well and has little to no balance should not be lugging wood around but I promise you that the exercise is brilliant for me, challenging my core strength, balance and also general stamina. I must say that I am not able to do what I once would have been able to do and i have to be honest and pick suitable jobs (like stacking and not loading and wheeling the barrows in) but I pitched in until the end and will be back tomorrow ready for action.

Tonight we have been lute for the best ribs I have ever tasted, they were cooked to perfection and were only lightly marinated. We went to a Heuriger which is a wine and food locale where usually they make their own wine. It was amazing and although we were not drinking wine the food was absolutely amazing. Then we came home and watched some of The Man's family videos and I promise you folks, if our children are half as cute as he was I will be more than happy with that.

Right must go sleep now but hopefully I will be back tomorrow.
Loves to all
Night night
Jess xxxx

Wood and team work

Day two done and dusted, Another 2.4 tonnes stacked. The Man, Peter (The Man's Dad) and I worked together more in a team, taking turns doing different jobs making the time go quicker and the work more enjoyable. It was a lovely day and very warm but enjoyable, there has been a heat wave here in Austria and last week it got up to 37 degrees. The best thing about the heat is that there have been some brilliant storms rolling up and down the valley. It is absolutely stunning here and when we are not stacking wood we are relaxing. I have started reading Kate McCann's book 'Madeline' about the little girl that went missing in May 2007 from a holiday resort in Portugal. I first started the book thinking that the parents had in someway been involved and although I am only a little of the way through it I feel bad for my own judgements on them. I haven't got to the abduction yet in the book but I feel ashamed to have judged so quickly, how dare I or anyone else judge people without knowing the facts. I think we have become a society very quick to judge others due to the way our tabloids feed us such venom and false information. Finding the time to blog at home has been tough, not that I have been too busy more so that I have been stuck for things to right, a little fuzzy headed. I have had loads to tell you all just unable to get my thoughts together enough to write. Hopefully this holiday has broken my silence and I will be back on track blogging much, much more. I tell you, I even tried to video blog (vlog) but I hate being on camera so gave in, knowing that at some point I would be back on track. Sometimes it is hard to focus, find the time and just relax into writing but often it just takes a couple of posts and it's back again. There is a brilliant thunder and lightening storm happening outside. I love storms, especially when you know that it will be hot the next day. Anyway, I am just babbling now. I will leave you with that and come back tomorrow hopefully. Loves always Jess xxxxxx

Wood and Wars

2.4 tonnes of wood stacked, I promise to add some photos when I get home but I am on the iPad at the moment so tech challenged. The Man, his Dad and I walked on the wood and Elli cooked up a storm again. It is a lovely pase of life here and I do not feel under pressure at all to get it done quickly, each day we will crack on with it until it is all stacked. We have a delivery of 2.4 tonnes coming every day for four days and then we will have relaxation time. I am really looking forward to juicing later, we have been missing out juice so Elli is going to Elli showing me how to use their juicer and us having a big healthy juice later. I think my body is craving live food (fresh fruit and veg), strangely The Man feels exactly the same which is brilliant because I honestly thought that he would struggle to get into juicing. I would honestly urge anyone with MS to try juicing, buy a maserating juicer and give it a go, you will see the positive effects quickly I am sure. I am feeling better than I have done in a long time although my balance is not so good at all, I am noticing that it is worse than it was last year even though I am actually feel better all round. I am going to tell you all something that might be difficult to understand or difficult for you to believe, either is totally understandable. I have recently had an appointment with a man in thailand who is a guide, he is helping me to release feelings of pain, anguish, denial, guilt,anger and worthlessness. I will explain why you might not believe in what he does when I get home and can put into word what he said to me and how this has rung true to me. I must tell you that I have just fallen over, I managed to falling to The Man's Dad's Television. I hate falling over, i feel so stupid. I hurt my hand a little but hopefully it will pass quickly. Right I must go shower but hopefully i will be back soon. Lobes

Air Tattoo to Austria

Just to let you all know that we are in Austria just now so my rubbish self has not been blogging, sorry. Please don't give up on me I promise to be back soon. I will write whenever I get the chance, I promise. We are here to stack 7 tonnes of wood again. I am sure that we will have lots of fun, nothing like physical labour to bring people together and soothe the soul. The Man has passed out he is so tired. Yesterday we were at the Air Tattoo in Swindon and now we are in Austria, life moves fast even when you can't walk well. Just one last thing before bed, once again the flight out was brilliant, Special Assistance makes flying enjoyable. Loves for now

50 Uses of Vaseline

Vaseline = Petroleum Jelly - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petroleum_jelly

1. Put a coat on your eyelashes before you go to bed. Lots of people swear by this – and say it will make your lashes grow longer and thicker over time.

2. Put a coat of Vaseline on your feet at night, cover them with socks and wake up to softer feet – every day!

3. Put Vaseline on your elbows every day – they will stay soft!

4. Put Vaseline on your cuticles several times a day for softer and better looking cuticles every day.

5. Put Vaseline on chapped lips

6. Use Vaseline as lip gloss

7. Mix a little Vaseline with a little Kool-Aid powder and make a colored and flavored lip gloss!

8. Melt Vaseline and one chocolate chip in the microwave, mix and let resolidify for chocolate lip gloss!

9. Maintains perfume scent longer when applied at perfume points before spritzing the perfume.

10. Can be used as a moisturizer for acne sufferers (it is a misconception that it clogs pores)

11. Moisturizes severe dry skin

12. Use Vaseline on your knees to prevent that dry, ashy look

13. Mix with sea salts to make a scrub!

14. Applying Vaseline on your teeth prevents lips from sticking to teeth for celebrities and contestants in beauty pageants who smile a lot

15. Applied on teeth before applying lipstick prevents lipstick from sticking on them

16. Massage, baby!

17. Warmed up can be used as a night cream

18. Makeup remover

19. Protects skin exposed to adverse weather

20. Applied under eye shadow it can create a shiny effect

21. Applied on cheeks for a dewy look

22. Can be used to smooth and soothe skin after shaving

23. Used in manicures under cuticles

24. Gets rid of dry skin lines which can arise from washing

25. Lubricates ear lobes and helps to make earring insertion easy and painless

26. Keeps fingernails pliable and resilient

27. Use with your lipstick to create a cream blusher for your cheeks

28. Helps to ease off stuck on rings

29. Tames unruly eyebrows

30. Defines eyelashes and leaves them with a glossy and waterproof look

31. Conditions scalp pre-shampooing

32. Can help prevent chaffing

33. Aids with healing after cosmetic surgery procedures

34. Reduces scaling and itching associated with dandruff

35. Theraputic when applied to lesions caused by poison ivy

36. Can help improve condition of those with atopic eczema

37. Helps heal and protect new tattoos

38. Can protect against harmful hair dyeing, perming and straightening chemicals when used as a mask around the hairline

39. Use a tiny dab to put a quick shine on your shoes and bags

40. Smear a tiny bit on your hands and scrunch through your hair for a choppy look

41. Use just a touch on the ends of your hair to hide dry and split ends

42. Remove makeup stains from clothing

43. Rub Vaseline on the neck of your nail polish bottles and they won’t get stuck to the caps

44. Make your week old nail polish look new again – rub a small dab over the polish.

45. Use a touch of Vaseline mixed with powder eyeshadow pigment to make new colors, or a more solid eyeshadow that won’t get all over your face when you put it on.

46. Stretch your favorite lotion by mixing it with Vaseline.

47. Put Vaseline on your lips, leave it a few minutes, then scrub your lips with a toothbrush to exfoliate and leave them SO smooth

48. Remove false eyelash glue from your lash line

49. Apply a small amount on dry spots on your body before fake tanning lotions are applied, and prevent uneven tanning!

50. Generously apply Vaseline all over before taking flights to combat associated dryness

how to get long nails

Because I have bitten  my nails off with anxiety over the past few months I am going to try this...