Reactions to my blog and me.

Well, nothing much has happened to me this week since I wrote my last blog, in particular very little falling about!   I did however have a very pleasant lunch with Ian, my economist friend, in a pub in a nearby village, Appletreewick.  Subsequently, I thought I would share with you some messages I have received over the last few months that have encouraged me not to give in too early to MSA. The quotes are in no particular order and unsolicited.

I cannot imagine what it might be like to have MSA but reading your blog does help me to understand what you are going through. So, first of all, thank you for writing it. It is so full of joy and hope. More than anything despite the explanations of symptoms and the degenerative nature of the disease you experience the blog is full of joy and hope which gave me an enormous lift when I read it. Hope for mankind, and hope for living the moments we are all given.

I am keeping up to date with your blog. I admire your positive attitude to it all, not sure how I would cope.

 I was very sorry to realise what your father is going through with MSA. I read the blog and remembered him as highly active, always on the ball, funny but slightly scary D of E leader. It was good to read he is still so active however physically constrained. Levens Hall [Cumbria] has listed gardens which are fantastic and accessible with a scooter - I'd recommend it for your mum and dad if they haven't already been. Weird thing is it's only thinking about it now I realise how good those times were.                  

I read your blog for the first time this evening and was saddened that you have been hit by this, but at the same time heartened that you are clearly fighting it with great gusto. I am now working for King's and was on  tour of our Institute of Psychiatry last week where the focus was on Parkinson's. It was good to hear how much progress is being made.

And I just thought botox was for women! I enjoy keeping up with your blog Simon and I like the way you combine humour with such insight into your day to day activities which must be so very hard to cope with at times. Have you thought any more about fund raising for the MSA Trust!

LTK invited us to follow your blog - and I have. It´s very honest and sometimes it´s painful: painful for you as you relate your experience of MSA and painful for your readers. Certainly, I felt hugely frustrated for you after reading the 27 August contribution. Thank you.

To finish a quote from my most dedicated Scottish facebook pal, Joanna:

You’re  getting good at this

I think we can leave things as they are for another week and dwell on other people’s histories. We know so little about each other I am privileged to be sharing more than most.