Getting back to normal

So, this week I got back to work (at last). My Nurse told me not to... and I never bothered to go and ask the Doctor what he thought; I was going mad stuck in bed.

I was starting gradually anyway... half a day on Monday and half a day on Wednesday. It isn't like I really had to move too much. Walk to car, ride to work, walk to office, sit in chair (get brought coffee), walk to car, ride home, walk to house.

I think it was more tiring working at home on Tuesday and Thursday to be honest... I tried working in bed with the laptop but it didn't work with all the bits of paper so I had to get up and sit at my desk which, using a laptop, isn't ergonomically quite right.

But here we are and it's Friday; and I'm not a total wreck. Tired, yes. Glad the week is over, yes. Feeling better than I have done in a month, yes. I think having something to occupy my mind and feeling useful again really helps in the whole 'feeling better' bit.

The steroids are finished at last too. That means that my insides and sleep patterns will hopefully be returning to normal any day now.

I can't say that I'm 100% recovered. I still can't walk any distance... the Better-half had to push me in the wheelchair to the Doctor's for my flu jab this afternoon. I'm keeping up with all the stretching exercises though so hopefully that will get some muscle-tone back and if nothing else make my arms strong enough to push myself in the wheelchair a bit.

It's been a difficult four weeks but hopefully things are on the up now.

Baby steps

So this is the end of week four in bed. Honestly, I'm fed-up. I feel much better than I did (although not better enough to be up and around all day). Better enough to feel bored. I guess that is progress.

I wanted to go back to work next week but my Nurse said she didn't think that was a good idea. As a compromise I'm going in Monday morning to collect some work that I can do from home.

Have to remember... baby steps. I've been here before and too much too soon sets me back... patience and taking it slow is the key.

I've been doing my exercises (which mostly involve sitting and stretching muscle groups) and making an effort to get up and about at least once during the day.

What remains to be seen is, like the frog in the well, how far I'll climb back up after this relapse. It always seems to be one step up and two steps back so that you never reach where you were before.

As long as I can get back to middle distance mobility on crutches I'll be happy... I don't mind the wheelchair for days out and long journeys... but I'm not quite ready to welcome it as a permanent part of my life yet!

Tell MS Friday (3)

I'd like to tell MS... sometimes I hate you. Because I never know what the day is going to bring. Will it be a good day... no new symptoms; a bad day... strange new symptoms - or just another day where nothing gets worse but nothing gets better either.