It won’t be a fireman’s lift

“It won’t be a fireman’s lift or anything…hahaha” “we will put a full fire evacuation plan in place” “no….ok…..good….good to know…” cough cough…sniff sniff.

I was sat in a meeting with my new boss, feeling tired, a little nervous, hot, and full of cold-again.

My body it seemed, decided the best way to break me back into the world of work was to catch every single cough and cold going. On my first day I lost my voice, then spent two weeks on antibiotics for a chest infection, followed by 2 head colds. The joys of being immune suppressed!!! So forgive me dear friends, if I don’t want to be near you if you or your kids are ill-it is not possible to avoid EVERY germ going, but having a cold for 6-8 weeks twinned with escalated NMO symptoms such as eye floaters, leg pain, hip pain, cluster headaches, feeling sick, fatigue, spots, is no picnic. Possibly a cough and as I found 2 courses for an outer ear infection and swollan ear drum….thrown in for good measure. Whilst still going to work, being a mummy, and do “normal” things. Forgive me if someone says they have flu-and it is a cold-sorry my sympothy can be limited. I have found since this shit happened, my out look on common illness’ very different to what it once was.

“Take comfort breaks, I will get the ball rolling and get things in place” “thankyou-” my boss was or should I say is a star, he was very pro-active and listened carefully when I explained NMO in my garbled way.

“And this week’s star baker is……!” Oh god…..”Jane, go to bed, ” “its only 9.00” I had nodded off again…..watching bake off, I shouldve been at panto rehersal, something I loved-but I dunno….I was tired. My energy was shite, this is like it felt in the early days. I dragged my heavy body upto bed, and slept.

I spent the first few weeks enjoying work, but inside my body was raging. Paracetamol and ibuprofen were constantly at hand. The pain……and I had no energy to go swimming or to the gym after work or the weekend.

As the weeks progressed and I started to get towards the end of my training, I suddenly realised something.

I was less tired, the colds stopped, fatigue settled, pain settled…..I had….energy….I felt good about myself. I had self worth….

I jane had kicked NMO in the backside, refused to give in, refused to stay living off benefits. Looked at what I could do, and did it.

I finished 9 weeks of training, working full time. I had survived!!!

Next, I was to meet my new team.

 

Ambassador?!

Ambassador?!

“Wow, yes!” I manically typed a reply. I could almost hear the strong liverpuddlian accent of T’s voice asking me. Wow…me? An ambassador?! For NMO UK charity. For staffordshire. Wowwwww.

So much happened around this time. Life suddenly went from 1st gear in a 1.2 litre car, to 6th gear in a 2 litre engine car. This chapter was originally was going to be titled “it’s life Jim, but not as we know it”, but life picked up pace so fast, life became life.

I was in a play in the summer with my drama group-a comedy, and also during this time I was offered a job. A full time job. A proper grown up full time job. Nothing like I had ever done before, who were fully aware of NMO, my “disability”, health and all it entails. I was suddenly going to be catapulted into the un known-from not working for over 2 years to full time.

To say I was apprehensive-yes. Nervous…..no. You see folks, I don’t really do nervous anymore….lets face it. I survived MRI scans, evoked visual eye potentials, and spinal fluid being drained from my spine.

“You’ll be fine” Chris said.

As I parked my car and walked to the doors….ok fine, then I felt nervous.

 

4 1/2 weeks of training here we go…little did I know, I was just about to start an extremeley exciting chapter of my life, and meet some most awesome people.

“Hi I’m Jane, I was a nursery manager, I have a 3 year old son, I haven’t worked for a while….errr I have NMO…I like am dram….and I write a blog”.

“Thanks Jane-NMO? ” “ERRR yes….neuro myeltis optica…errr I learnt to walk again….”

“Oh…wow…and now you’re here”

“Errr yes…!”

“Well. Wow-welcome”

“Thanks” as my palms sweated, as I flushed, drinking water.

“Right, who’s next”