Andy's MS life hacks

By author and guest blogger Andy Reynard 

Anyone with MS knows the importance of adapting to the new landscape. There’s no point in just railing against the hand you’ve been dealt. Moan, yes – I do more than my fair share – but finding a path through the minefield of symptoms is a more productive use of your time.

Weakness in the legs is one of my most prominent symptoms. I’m sure it is for most MS-ers. Keeping legwork to a minimum is therefore something I have at the forefront of my thoughts at all times.

The further I walk, or the more I do, the weaker my legs get, till they have the consistency of over-cooked spaghetti. So, over the years, I’ve developed various MS life hacks, to save my legs from unnecessary use.
 

One thing I like to have near me at all times is my distance glasses. I can’t afford any unnecessary trips hunting for them.

Depending on what I’m wearing, they’ll be in a pocket, folded round my neckline or on top of my head. All of these places, though, come with the risk of them falling off or out and getting damaged.

The solution that keeps tugging at my thoughts is to put them on a lanyard. This is one of those occasions when MS depresses the hell out of me. It seems like yesterday when my style hero was Kurt Cobain. How has it got to this? A lanyard?

Then again, Kurt would be in his 50s like me by now, if he’d lived. Hmm… maybe he’d also be considering a lanyard. Yes, he’d make lanyards cool. I might just have a little look on Amazon.
 

Another questionable fashion choice that has helped me through the MS maze are cheap slip-on shoes. And two pairs, one at the front door and one at the back. If I need to take the bin out, or pick up the dog’s presents from the garden, there’s no struggling with bending down and tying shoelaces, or doing any unnecessary walking trying to find some footwear.
 

Medication is something else that I need to keep within handy reach, specifically Baclofen, to control the spasms that plague me and can strike at any time. I try to take one tablet every four hours, as my spasticity consultant tells me this is how long one pill’s benefits stays in the system.

I could carry them round with me. I do when I’m out and about. But then I’d probably forget to take them when I’m at home.

So, I have trays of them lying around in several places about the house, to remind me. On my desk, on the coffee table, in the bathroom. And next to my bed, of course. Their favourite time to attack is when I’m trying to sleep. Not a time to be foraging for your tablets.

When I’m running low it’s time for the scissors to come out. The silver tray has to be snipped into several portions, so they can be distributed to the various locations required. The scissors are another reminder for me – I need to get my next shipment ordered urgently.

I have emptying the dishwasher down to an art form. By removing pots and pans in a certain order, I’ve reduced the number of steps I have to take down to seven – and I have a decent-sized kitchen.

I also consider my method of loading the dishwasher an art form that could win the World Championship of Dishwasher Loading. This has nothing to do with MS, though, and everything to do with being a middle-aged man. Don’t most of us think we’re champions in this field?

When cooking, I gather every ingredient in a box, so it’s all together and there are no additional trips around the kitchen to retrieve things forgotten.

And I sometimes sit down to do any chopping. Leg room is a problem with this method, so I’ll open cupboard doors, allowing my knees to protrude inside.

If, however, I’m too involved in cheering myself up by watching the news while I cook, I sometimes find I’ve been standing the whole time. In that case, when I’m ready to tray it all up and take it to wherever we’re eating, I’m doing a passable impression of Mrs Overall, complete with the gait and rattling pots.

At that point, I remember all too clearly that I have multiple sclerosis. Time for Mrs O to put her feet up.

To be continued…

Andy Reynard is an author and blogger who writes candidly about his relapsing remitting MS. For more on his book, visit Andy's Balls to MS blog (external link).