08/01/2024 - 'Happy New Year' by David

Happy New Year to all of you reading this blog!

New Year's Eve for Alice and I was a quiet and reflective one. We had an unexpected family bereavement last year, and I got diagnosed with a terminal illness, so we had nothing to celebrate, and as such we were in bed at midnight listening to other people enjoying themselves outside. Life after our dear Frankie will go on, as it will after my passing too, so I hope you had a good evening and best of luck for the year ahead x.

Alice and I completed the festive double at parkrun, by running (shuffling) on New Year's day followed by a gingerbread latte with vegan whip afterwards at Star*ucks, before we returned home to start our new jigsaw which features our own faces (which is equally satisfying and weird!)

I am enjoying retirement, however it is so new to me that I still feel that I'm actually on annual leave. We were recently talking to a doctor friend of ours and she said she was working on orthopaedic wards, and I said that I would pop up and see her. Alice had to remind me that I had actually retired!

I am reading more, watching lots of TV, and listening to radio 4, while drinking copious amounts of coffee, Christmas cake and Christmas chocolates, so all is relaxing and good. 

My legs are definitely benefiting from not having to walk the hills to work, and my only strenuous exercise is my 5k parkrun on a Saturday, so this way I'm hoping to stay on my feet for as long as possible, with my lovely, trusty, hand holder by my side.

My fingers continue to be weakening, which is both disappointing and upsetting, but I can still butter my toast, stir my coffee, play my records, cook food, drive the car, and write this blog so I am thankful for what strength I do still have.

Unfortunately, I do have to report that I have started to have strange feelings in my jaw and chin area, which is common with MND. At my last appointment, the doctor couldn't see any fasciculations in my mouth and my talking and swallowing are so far not affected. 80% of MND sufferers lose the ability to talk and swallow, so my chances aren't good but 20% is 20% right?  I have also started to experience cramps in my abdomen. As I now know, muscle cramps are the precursor to weakness which means my core muscles may soon start to give up on me and this can affect stability and balance. The gift that keeps on giving, eh?

I have been following the updates of the four sweet souls who have signed up the MNDA fundraiser to walk 15,000 steps every day in January in my name and they are all doing amazingly well and raising lots of money. My daughter Anna even walked the streets of London full of flu just for me, ILY baby x.

On Saturday we joined 1272 other runners and walkers at Southampton parkrun, which was the second highest attendance behind parkrun holy grail Bushy Park in London, where it all started. Numbers are always bigger in the new year as people want to exercise more after festive over indulgence, and it was lovely see so many happy faces experiencing this amazing, worldwide, free event that has literally changed people's lives.

One of those who has changed his lifestyle and benefitted from parkrun is Andy, one of our vegan running friends. He is lighter, faster, happier and sober, and his finish token number was 1234. Apparently, this number is a sign that positive changes are coming. The 'angel number' 1234 is an incredibly lucky number that shows up to let you know you're on the right track. Your hard work and optimism are paying off and you're getting closer and closer to accomplishing your goals. We love you Andy 💚

After our run, we went for breakfast and I got to feed our mascot Jasper, a mince pie! I have never had a dog, and know very little about them, infact I have fed more alpacas than I have dogs! He took the pie whole, as well as my fingers, but was so gentle that I didn't feel any teeth, just a warm wet tongue, and I'm not sure which one of us got more pleasure from our encounter!

Alice and I travelled to the island to see my friends play a showcase gig for their new punk and goth covers band Seren. Through the low lights and dry ice, they put on a great show of songs by Bauhaus, Cure, Joy Division, Cult, Psychedelic Furs, Sisters Of Mercy and Magazine, among others. The audience was full of friends that I knew from when these songs were released and it was great reminiscing about the happy, carefree days of the early 80's. Alice was born in 1980, and only knew 2 songs, and said that every song sounded like Joy Division! The highlight of my evening was having my first ever pint of snakebite and black, a classic goth drink which had so far passed me by. I loved it!

After spending the night at mum's we rose early on Sunday to try to complete the island's coastal path that I have walked parts of, sporadically over my lifetime. The final stretch was from Ryde to East Cowes, which is nearly 8 miles so I had no idea if my legs would allow me to complete the distance in one, or two episodes. We were again joined by our lovely friends Guy, Neil, Julie, Caroline and Winnie the dog. As the 'binky bonky was worky' (if you know, you know), we caught the floating bridge over to East Cowes, before bussing to our starting point in the hope of walking all the way back again. 

We set off from Ryde pier in stunning sunshine, with a cold wind blowing and my trusty walking poles in hand. After a photo with the Hoovercraft (not a typo, just my oh, so hilarious pronunciation), we walked westwards past the golf club and the ruins of the old Abbey (1132), before stopping for photos and a bowl of soup at the new (1912) Quarr Abbey, the home of St Benedictine monks. The last time we had visited this beautiful place, we took my parents and they had a photo taken together, sitting on a bench, with their walking aids. Mum still uses a stick, and I use my dear dad's with pride. I had stupidly decided to wear shorts and the complimentary blankets in the cafe were a godsend. 

We continued our walk over Wootton creek and onto Whippingham, past Queen Victoria's Osbourne House estate, before finally staggering on my last legs into East Cowes and a very welcome pint at the Ship and Castle

It was a few more miles than I would have liked to have done, but I was determined to finish and the laughs, jokes, stories and sweets along the way kept me going and I was quite emotional at the end. I have such lovely friends who are helping Alice and I through this mess of mine and every kind word, thought, or donation means absolutely everything to me.

More chat next week lovelies x