“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?!
