The Decorative Folk Artist July 2017 | Page 5

Kirsty’s update … As at 18 June Kirsty wrote this on her blog: Today is my 39th birthday! I'm +41 days post transplant. I am still feeling fantastic! My energy levels are unbelievable and my mind is so sharp. If recovery is a rollercoaster, I'm still queuing for the ride The early improvements I experienced continue, with the disappearance of photosensitivity, optic neuritis, migraine, vertigo, numb feet, painful joints, clumsiness, disturbed sleep, brain fog, fatigue, bowel and bladder disturbances, swallow reflex. AND THEY ARE STILL ABSENT! I feel better than I have since I experienced my first MS symptoms aged 23! A decade ago, the MS diagnosis devastated my life, and made life very hard for those who love me. I pushed people away and rejected some who cared about me. I was raging against the diagnosis, behaved badly and was cruel to people. I think I was mentally in a crisis feeling in utter turmoil. Three years after that, Rheumatoid Arthritis tore through my body and I was temporarily helpless, bed bound and nearly lost everything. I will never be able to forget living in daily terror of 'The Next Relapse'. I'm still not daring to look more than one day ahead; old coping habits die hard. I still, when I first wake up, have to take a moment to find the courage to open my eyes for the first time that day, to find out if my eyes are working or not. Maybe I'll never be able to stop doing that. But, that's okay. Living with chronic illness keeps you humble. It keeps you focused on what things and who really matters. And today, what matters is, I feel well! I am so blessed to be surrounded by my four beautiful children, and Bryan. The future is tomorrow. Today is what is important