I’ve got big news

I’ve got news.  Big news.

I ate an apple this morning.

All of it. Well, except for the core and those weird tufty bits at the bottom because they taste like firewood.

While this is not exactly as earth shattering news as for arguments sake, the release of a sex tape by a media greedy socialite, it is huge in my world.

It means for the first time in a year I can continue my cunning plan of growing an apple orchard on the roadside between home and work.

Three years ago I started having an apple every morning on my drive to work and then biff the core out the window.  I figured this is better for the environment than a beer can or junk food wrapper so decided I was onto a good thing.  Besides, over the years I will be able to watch my orchard grow.

This time last year my cunning plan was derailed when I started on a Disease Modifying Drug ( DMD ) for my MS.  My body didn’t like it very much.  There is no other way to say it – I felt toxic.  My bloods tests proved this and with some of my liver functions being three times what they should be it was decided to move me to a new DMD.  Amongst other things I couldn’t finish an apple, went completely off peanuts, and the very thought of a beer made me feel like vomiting.   On top of all that I was about as social as a P addict.

But 8 weeks into the new drug my body likes this one.  Oh sure, it has some side effects ( what drug doesn’t ), like the menopausal hot flushes I occasionally get.  Ok, they can be quite intense – just look at the picture of my arm below, but at least I haven’t had any of the “gastro” side effects.  I was advised to keep my loo paper in the freezer! 

Rereading that, this new DMD could actually be a concentrated Beef Vindaloo.

With the new drug, plus side effect management, our poor fruit bowl is a bit overloaded and there is no real way to say they are working.  Apart from the more obvious “I’ve had no relapses”, if that is the only measure I’ll take it. 

Not only can I now ‘live’ the saying “an apple a day keeps the Dr. Away”.  I can also finish a beer.  There is nothing like sitting down to a cold beer after mowing the lawns but for the last year I was struggling to mow our lawns let alone sit down and have a well earned beer afterwards.

The other weekend I not only mowed the lawns but I trimmed all our hedges ( there are a LOT ), did some weeding and spread a few bails of pea straw.  Then I sat down and enjoyed two beers.  Yes TWO – please don’t tell my DR, though.  He might growl.

I started these posts a year ago this week, and like the roadway between home and work, it has started to grow.  Thank you for reading, liking and sharing about How I Live with MS.  I appreciate it more than you know.