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I’ve just heard a Christmas ad on the radio. I’m sitting at the work-from-home space I’ve carved out in the corner of the sitting room, inside invisible boundary between my working day and evening routine. The sound of the Christmassy jingle startles me and I mutter that it’s a bit early for it, isn’t it?

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What would you say if I told you that the best therapist has four legs and a wagging tail? Or that my best friend likes belly rubs and chasing after cats? You’d probably think I was crazy, but my closest companion happens to be my 8-year-old dog Alfie (he’s also known as Alfred when he gets into trouble!). He’s a cross between a Jack Russell Terrier and a Pug. His breed is more fondly known as a Jug! He’s the resident sock thief and postman patrol in our house and from the day he arrived, he’s left paw prints on all of our hearts.

Thirty years ago, I was diagnosed with Relapsing Remitting MS. There were no treatments and the prospect for my future looked bleak. Mobility problems, the infamous MS hug and chronic fatigue were some of my early symptoms. I was 23 and looking forward to an exciting new career in London and it felt as if this bubble of optimism had been burst. Looking back, I did not have the mental tools to help me with such a life-altering diagnosis.

Whitney Houston sang about wanting ”One moment in time” and I’ve definitely wanted one moment when I’m more than I thought I could be. In fact, I believe that everyone deserves their own ‘moment in time’.

I was 64 on my last birthday and ‘celebrated’ my 33rd MSadversity shortly thereafter. I was never physical or sporty in my pre-MS life. I was never that way driven/focused and was happy just getting along. I never made the school teams, never wanted to climb a mountain or run a marathon but after the gravity of my MS diagnosis sank in, I wanted to keep going as long as I could. I wanted to be the best I could be.

Would you be interested in reading a work of fiction with a character with MS in it? Or do you read to escape the reality of living with MS and don’t want to be reminded of it? Or maybe you believe it would be good to see more representation - to normalise it as a feature of life many of us have to deal with? There are a number of memoirs by people with MS including our own Trevis Gleeson's 'Chef Interrupted' but I have not come across many novels where the main character has MS. I set out to find out if such novels exist and came across three.

MS Ireland welcome many of the measures outlined in Budget 2022 but they are simply not enough.

Earlier this year, the Government published the Disability Capacity Review  which outlined that an additional investment of €350 million would be required in 2022 in order to address significant levels of unmet need.

“Energy creates energy”, is something my mum has always said.  I never realised how true this was until I was diagnosed with MS and had none.

Now don’t get me wrong, when fatigue hits me, I’m not jumping out of bed to get some exercise done. Far from it in fact, but ‘energy creates energy’ as a rule is, in general, a good one to follow.

We are delighted to announce the winners of this year's awards

Our Annual Awards are the Society’s way of recognising the contribution many of our members make within their families, local communities and MS Ireland.

Nobody enjoys going back to the place where it all began, the room where you were told you had multiple sclerosis.

Your follow-up appointments don’t have to be an emotionally overwhelming time. If you go in prepared, you’ve won half the battle. Whether you’re a list-person, a cheat-note person or prefer to go in gung-ho with nothing, seeing your neurologist is the most important part of your treatment plan, so it deserves some work beforehand. Take it from someone born with a very practical minded streak who loves making plans, love schedules and lists!