Episode 2:
Departure Day minus 26 weeks
This weeks theme: It’s only a cold.
Jane's week
Actually, when you have MS the words 'only a cold' are a massive understatement. That's because a common cold is caused by a virus.
According to google there are more than 200 different viruses that cause the common cold, Rhinovirus being the most common.
But because a cold is a virus, not only does is bring out the sneezes, it also increases the symptoms that are associated with my MS. Everyones experience and symptoms of MS are completely different. (You're going to hear me say that many times over the next few weeks - Sorry). So this time, for me, not only has it increased my tiredness and sent me to bed on Thursday it was accompanied by a sore throat on Friday morning.
Unfortunately, it has also brought out my tinnitus. This is something I live with and I am lucky that it does not stop me sleeping or concentrating. But this time, well, you know when you have a blasted bluebottle that keeps dive bombing you? You know it right? It is so annoying isn't it, drives you mad.
Well that's what my tinnitus has been like this week. Every couple of minutes the volume of the constant buzzing in my ear, suddenly increases and sounds like I am being attacked by a blue bottle.
Another side-effect that become worse is my find motor skills. Having to change our Curry In A Hurry poster quickly, was definitely not done 'in a hurry'. The good news is that our curry slot has completely sold out, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the 7.30 pm and 8.30 pm slots will also sell out. Everyone is putting so much work into this.
Friday morning in particular did not go well for me. It started okay. I did my morning meditation, which is one of the pillars of the Overcoming MS program. Then Radio 2 played American Pie. I was word perfect. Pretty good I thought, considering that the last time I sung it was 11 years ago, along with my whole family during a holiday in France. I would just like to state at this point that we are not the Airey-Von-Trapp Family. In spite of the new sore throat, Friday was starting well I thought. Then I picked up an Earol spray and spayed it into my ear. As it gushed back out of my ear and down my neck, I realised that what I had actually sprayed right inside my ear was my Antiseptic Throat Spray.
So last week I was panicking about the sheer volume of things to plan and organise before we leave. but this week, I have spent some time giving some thought to my energy levels. I have created what I think a typical day looks like for me when we do the Door To Door and I will try to emulate that as much as possible. I'm a bit of a geek so I'm also going to mark myself, firstly a mark out of ten based on how much of the activity I get some and then a second mark out of 10 rating my energy levels at the end of the day.
Ian's week
The Stable:
Bike No 1: 2023 Cannondale Carbon Synapse.
Bike No 2: 2012 Cannondale Carbon Synapse
Bike No 3 2009: Kinesis GF Racelight
I had the Kensis built to my own requirements, an aluminium frame kitted out with Shimano Ultegra gears & brakes. It was designed as a tourer and is still very comfortable to ride, its the one I used when I cycled the 168 miles from London to Holcombe Rogus in a day with Dan, Roddi and Nigel a few years ago. It is also the bike I will be doing most of my early training on.
More about Bike no 2 next week.
This week I have been busy looking at my dietary requirements for the challenge and looking into where the best patisseries are for each day. You may or may not have noticed that wherever there is a cake shop there is usually a number of bikes parked out side!
Read our first blog here
http://tiny.cc/xjbjxz
and you can donate to Overcoming MS here
http://tiny.cc/ms14xz
Thank you for reading
Jane & Ian