Finally booked my flu' jab!

Why is it getting so hard to force myself to do the most trivial and routine things? OK, it’s a rhetorical question - I do know it’s part of the MS that small tasks often feel like mountains.

I now HATE going to the doctor, because they took the direct bus off, so I’ve got a 15-minute walk and then still a bus-ride.

Yes, there are closer GPs - as the crow flies - but I worked out those would not be any better, as they are not walking distance either, or on a direct bus route, so I didn’t think I would change anything for the better by switching.

So for some time now, I’ve been getting little notes on my repeat prescriptions, saying I’m overdue for a medication review (which I’m sure will turn out just to be a blood-pressure check for the contraceptive pill, as I’m 48…) and a reminder that I’m entitled to my flu’ jab, and please get in touch to book.

I’ve been putting these off and putting them off - partly because I’ve had an excruciatingly painful back the past week or two - which probably needed the doctor in its own right, only it was too painful to face the 15-minute walk, and sitting on a bumpy bus.

Also I thought the chances were slim that I would be able to arrange both for a single visit, so thought I’d end up having to attend twice for two routine things! TWO painful trips out in the cold.

Anyway, I must finally have been feeling a bit better today (touching wood as I type this), because I finally grasped the nettle and rang the doctor’s. Explained the situation - that I have MS, that I need to attend for two routine things, and there’s no direct bus any more, so could they please try to fix them for a single visit. To my surprise, they said: “Oh yes, that sounds much more sensible - we should be able to do it!” and I’m booked in for both on 27th November.

That means there’s still another couple of weeks for the back to improve - hopefully - so I’m not panicking that I’ve got to go tomorrow. But it’s in the diary, and I’ve got plenty of time to prepare. I posted only recently, in another context, how I’m finding it almost impossible to do anything at short notice any more - I need to know ages before anything. Never heard any more about the college reunion, by the way - whether it went/is going ahead without me. I have a suspicion not, as I expected still to get the goss, even if I wasn’t going. Instead, not a word more has been said - by anyone - so I’m starting to draw my own conclusions. I’m sorry if my decision to quit has caused the other two to scrap the whole thing, but if somebody still won’t commit, less than a week before, and hasn’t given others time to arrange their transport or accommodation, what can they expect?

Tina

x

Hello Tina

I go to bed tired and I wake up tired. I have all these plans in my head but here I am, still in my pjs, mentally talking myself into getting a shower. I say tired but it’s more feeling drained of energy-know what I mean?

Hopefully, will go for a short drive out with my husband somewhere, which I will enjoy. I just don’t have that get up and go anymore…it’s got up and left me a long time ago so I know how you feel.

I’m used to living with a certain degree of back/joint pain from having psoriatic arthritis but just lately it’s been breaking through the tablets I take at night to sleep. Weird isn’t not, how we learn to live with certain levels of pain until it becomes the norm.

I’m glad you’ve organised your flu jab, flu is the last thing you want.

Hope the back pain improves soon…you have my sympathy

xx

Hi,

Yeah, I know what you mean!

It shows how bad it’s got that I actually felt the need to tell people I got round to making a doctor’s appointment, as that seems to have become such a big deal now, instead of something that takes two minutes, that I should have done weeks ago.

Of course, it’s not really the phone call that’s the stumbling block; it’s the having to face going, and that’s why I’ve been putting it off and putting it off. But making the call is the first step. I do have to go now, and won’t be worrying that I missed my jab this year, and put myself at risk of flu’ (and consequent relapse). Also I got my wish of not having to turn out twice, so shouldn’t have been so silly as to assume that would not be possible…

I don’t often play “the MS card”, but sometimes you do have to speak up. It is absurd for somebody with MS, who doesn’t drive, to have to make two separate doctor visits, for two different things, that both could be dealt with on the same day.

Tina

x

I say play " the MS card" Tina. I do and why not? One of my sisters said to me, “you have to deal with the hand you’ve been dealt”. Why is that? Personally, I’d like to get back in the queue and ask for a reshuffle. When I get up there to heaven, I’ll be having a long discussion with god. XX

1 Like