(Happy?) Anniversary

Do you celebrate your birthday? Yesterday was my BFF’s birthday. I didn’t see her but had dropped off a card and pressy with her husband the night before and I’ll see them both tomorrow when we and some other friends go to the theatre. Very cultured! Today is the anniversary of my mum’s death. I might visit her grave. I remember in 2005 apologising to my BFF because I hadn’t helped her celebrate her birthday – it was the day before my mum died so she excused me.

I think it’s really important to mark birthdays. If only to show respect for the mother who gave birth to you – just think how much hard work she put in that day! An MSer friend of mine is in the Silver Star unit at the JR hospital due to be induced today. I’m hoping all goes well for her and look forward to meeting the new member of her family.

I feel like MS has become a member of my family over the last three years. At first it was an unwelcome guest but now it’s just part of me. Not all of me and not instead of ‘me’. I will soon be introducing my MS to a new audience – I have been asked to speak at an MS Society UK reception at the Royal Institution. I need to outline my 3 - 4 minute speech. I’ve looked back in a diary to see what was happening 3 years ago when I was in the relapse that led to DX. There is no note for today on 2009. Things really hotted up a few weeks later. In fact I was taken into hospital in an ambulance on 9 June 2009. 9 June was my mum’s birthday. Another anniversary.

For now I have to write my speech, a Gilenya diary entry for MSRC (similar to their Tysabri® User Diaries) and a press release for my Pre-Cake Lunch with Hardeep. Perhaps I’ll just pop out to the cemetery first.

Please help me mark my 3rd DX Anniversary. It’s All4Cake! Cake Break