Wednesday 21 April 2010

I have demylenation disease.

You are entitled to ask: “What is that?” I did to my doctor when she told me in mid-March last year.

At first, she asked me if I was sitting down – that’s when I realised the painful headaches and bruises I kept getting down my right leg weren’t going to go away by taking a few paracetamols.

When the doctor had said what I was experiencing, I wrote down the name of this disease and typed it in Google after my conversation with Dr Kapoor ended.

When I saw what it meant on Wikipedia, I at first refused to accept it was me – I drank healthy green liquids, lots of water and exercised regularly, so I felt my GP must be wrong.

I also noticed no black people were stated as having this illness. We do but the majority of us just don't want to mention it to other people, including friends and family.

But I had all the symptoms, from bumping into things to losing balance for no reason. I was seeing double vision and had problems in focusing on objects in front of me.

It’s been decided that I’ve got a clinically isolated syndrome, which is the first isolated attack. The current diagnosis criteria for MS does not allow doctors to give a MS diagnosis until a second attack takes place.

I can't touch type anymore and have to resort to one finger typing. I also use a walking stick to get by but that doesn’t stop unkind people from telling my parents they saw me drunk when really it’s my sense of balance and co-ordination that’s gone awry.

It’s not been easy. I recently had to have speech therapy and physical therapy but its all helped me and I’m very grateful for all the help I’ve had.

That’s another reason I’m glad not to be working for one magazine whose owner was cheating the Inland Revenue at my expense – thank goodness I kept one of the few payslips I was handed which showed he did claim to be paying me under PAYE (pay as you earn) which also meant I wasn’t knowingly involved in any fraudulent behaviour.

As far as I’m concerned, there are some lines no-one should cross. Cheating the tax man (or woman) is one of them.

I don’t officially back any political party but Lord Ashcroft, shame on you!

It’s thanks to the NHS I’ve been able to get the relevant treatment necessary for my condition.

I’m so glad I can speak again and at least do one-finger typing.

That’s why I’m so glad the USA accepts change needs to happen for the better regarding their healthcare. At the moment, nobody will give me insurance to work in this great country.

That’s also why I haven’t been able to fill my blog like I did last year but that will change for the better – I like having the right to speak and be heard!

I realised the power of blogs many years ago regarding the coverage of Hurricane Katrina – they told me the news regarding the treatment of the people in New Orleans, not the BBC or ITN, which left a lot to be desired of the U.S authorities and President George W Bush.

Regardless of one’s political views, the handling of the aftermath was one of Dubaya’s worst moments as head of the world’s most powerful country.

No wonder the now disgraced music artist KanYe West accused the then president of not caring about black people.

BBC news has learnt its lesson. Their coverage of the earthquake in Haiti a few months ago, especially for the ten o’clock news, was magnificent and showed what journalism is all about – life and people.

So I’m proud to announce my health problems online while not giving up my commitment to good standards of journalism.

I’m determined I will get up to high standards again shortly as I don’t want to spend the rest of my life on benefit.

Then again I’ve experienced prospective employers who find ways of making me miss interviews or registration by giving me times that are well after the relevant appointment, so don’t be fooled that discrimination doesn’t exist anymore for disabled people.

I so wanted to talk about the football match on Monday 19th April between Liverpool and West Ham but that was two days ago.

What I can still say from that match is, who needs Torres? – the Kop don’t! Although I don’t think Liverpool will finish fourth – the people behind Manchester City clearly want that place, that’s why they spent so much money on players like Tevez and Bridge and got rid of Mark Hughes last year.

At the same time, looking at the external problems of Liverpool FC, including the American owners decision to sell the club - as we’ve seen with Portsmouth - what goes on outside the pitch DOES affect the performance of the team.

That’s what football is about, team ability and how they operate with each other. Even if the rest of the team just care about the next pay cheque, if one person has deeper concerns, it will affect the performance of the club.

*******

The Ferguson rumours begin once more.

Yes he’s going to retire – again!

Please read the book titled, Married to a man of two halves, the story of Agnes Docherty, the original Footballers Wife, by their son Tom Docherty.

The Doc, as the former Manchester United manager was called, dealt firmly with three heroes of the Red Devils, George Best, Denis Law and Sir Bobby Charlton and all the time his first wife Agnes stood by him.

The way he treated Agnes and his jobs as a player and manager, before and after leaving her for the Man united physiotherapist’s wife in 1977, left me awe inspired about what really goes on in and around this sport and made me realise no one’s life is complete without someone to share it with.

It’s also very interesting to read what she thinks of her husband regarding Sir Alex Ferguson.

Looking at what the Doc took on, its not surprising that many view him as the best manager of Manchester United between Sir Matt Busby and Sir Alex Ferguson.

But my favourite is still Ron Atkinson!

Take care

Light and Love

Andria

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