I moved from Kent to Solihull in the West Midlands last year so had to re register in order to get to see the MS nurse here. On Monday I drove to the huge QE hospital in Birmingham for my appointment. My MS nurse back in Kent had been brilliant and I had enjoyed our yearly chats so I wasn’t expecting it to be the same this time.
I parked the car, gathered my file and took the lift to the ground floor. I used my stick in case I tripped. The weather was cold and damp. I wasn’t feeling over positive. Winter, Covid, shortages, Christmas, my wife having died six years ago from cancer almost to the day and all that.
I checked in and was asked to keep an eye on the screen. Moments later I was there and asked to move to the next waiting area. Once there the nurse came straight out. Five minutes ahead of my appointment!
She greeted me with a huge smile and in we went to the consulting room. The first thing we did was to discuss our names. Hers is of African Zulu origin. I got out my papers including a synopsis of my MS history and current symptoms. We discussed this which lead onto me talking about how I control my MS.
We smiled, we joked and we discussed everything including history, the Zulu people and, yes, about MS. She seemed to love my approach to it.
I had gone in with low expectations, feeling a bit low. I came out on cloud nine, walked seven feet tall with head held high, a smile on my face and carrying my stick. I didn’t need it.
I wanted to share this because a smile, a laugh, a friendly face is sometimes all the medication we need.
Now I try and smile at everyone. My nurse gave me a great feeling and I just want to give others the same.
