Dizzycast: Dizzy’s Dotty Team 🙂
Dizzy
Role: Being a very important donkey.
Heather
Role: Everything Dizzy doesn’t want to do…which is everything apart from being a very important donkey….
Dizzy’s Discussion Members
Blog: trippingthroughtreacle.com Twitter: @TrippingTreacle
Robert was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis 25 years ago and has chronic pain for nearly 4 years. He has learned many techniques and strategies that he writes about in his blog. Living with gratitude is one of his main strategies for a life of chronic illness.
Dizzy’s Guest Interviewee’s
Episode 1: Meg Lewellyn
Meg was an active 37 year old with three young kids when she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Ten years have passed, her kids are no longer little and she continues to find the reasons to laugh and smile at all this disease doles out. She believes that her kids are better people for seeing her embrace all that comes with the disease with a positive attitude. In her blog (bbhwithms.com) she talks about the good, the bad and the downright funny shit that happens when living with a chronic illness. She has begun to use cannabis to help with the chronic pain and is now also sharing her “MMJ Adventures” with her readers.
Blog: bbhwithms.com
Twitter: @meglewellyn
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Episode 2: Christian Rolfe
Christian is 41 and is from Maidstone. He was diagnosed with MS in 2007 which has progressed into secondary progressive MS over the last few years. Christian runs the facebook groups
YUMS and
MSed Up He enjoys the occasional tumble.
Twitter: @halabeme
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Episode 3: Michael T
Michael describes himself as:
Soon to be 49. Diagnosed in 2009 with primary progressive MS, so over time I’ve swapped my little sports car for a sporty wheelchair! Frequent visitor to my local minor injuries unit and this is usually for stitches after impressive falls!
Self confessed geek who loves a new gadget, IT manager and husband to @wheelchichome who after I was diagnosed three months after we were married, turned her design skills to creating a fabulous yet accessible home.
Rattles when shaken due to the various number of tablets taken throughout the day and I’m also a Fampyra responder! Did I mention I’m a purveyor of all things Gin? Lurks somewhere in West Sussex.
Twitter: @mrwobblelegs
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Episode 4: Robin Howard
Robin was born in Massachusetts, USA, and now lives in Alberta, Canada. She was diagnosed in 2004 with Relapsing Remitting MS and follows the Wahl’s protoco
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Episode 5: Trishna Bharadia
Trishna is a multi-award winning patient advocate for chronic illness, hidden disability and specifically multiple sclerosis. She was diagnosed with MS in 2008 and despite having a full time job as a translator for a business information firm, she uses her spare time to work with with various stakeholders (including pharma, clinicians, other patients and the third sector) to improve support, services and patient engagement in the healthcare arena. She’s also a Patron/Ambassador for MS Society UK, Sue Ryder, ParaDance UK and the Cambridge MS Therapy Centre, and is a Committee Member of national support group Asian MS. In 2015, she put MS on the national map when she was chosen as one of just six people out of over 11,000 nominations to feature in a special four-part edition of Strictly Come Dancing on BBC1. She was chosen specifically because of her advocacy work and her approach to the MS diagnosis. Awards include: Eyeforpharma Patient Advocate Award Europe 2018, We Are the City Top 100 Rising Stars (Charity category), Woman of Achievement 2015 (Women of the Year Foundation), Sue Ryder Southern Women of Achievement Award 2015 (Volunteering Category) and MS Society Volunteer of the Year 2013.
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Episode 6: Ami
Ami was diagnosed with MS in August 2013, after having her first major relapse in 2006. Ami has always been interested in the alternative side of medicine and has personally chosen to treat her MS holistically, and drug free for as long as possible. Ami’s love of complementary therapies as well as her search to manage her own MS symptoms led her to retrain in Bach flower remedies and intuitive led and channelled healing. Ami runs Honeysuckle Healing in Bristol UK and offers 1-1 tailor made treatments both in person and via SKYPE/phone (for those outside of the area). Ami believes in an individual approach to MS, looking at the person rather than the illness. She is passionate about self empowerment and supports her clients to access their own self-help toolkit for MS management. Ami’s treatments complement orthodox medicine and she believes in a holistic approach to healthcare. Ami writes a monthly newsletter which you can sign up to through her website, which provides wellbeing tips and features to support your journey outside of treatment. Ami also writes regular blogs, featured on her website. Ami believes that we are all individuals and feels strongly that we should be treated that way, especially in the case of chronic illness.
Website:
Twitter:
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Episode 7: Cynthia
Cynthia was born in Romania, and lived there for 26 years.
She now lives in Germany, Hamburg. Cynthia loves reading, making puzzles and other crafty activities.
Since her MS she has become more aware of all the small things that bring joy to her life. Cynthia’s interests still relate to everything that’s technical, since her job is as an IT developer.
She has a wonderful daughter that means everything to her and brings magic into her life.
She can be found venting about life and MS on her blog. 🙂
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Episode 8: Hannah
Hannah is 28 years old and was diagnosed with MS at 24 in 2014. She blogs weekly about my new lifestyle & living with MS in a positive yet realistic way!
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Episode 9: Dr Julie Latchem-Hastings
Julie works as a Research Associate in the Centre for Trials Research and for the Coma and Disorders of Consciousness Research Centre at Cardiff University. Her research, both past and present focuses
on the care and rehabilitation of people with neurological conditions, and the well-being of those who care for them.
Julie is currently working on study ‘LEAP-MS’ – Lifestyle, Exercise and Activity Package for people with Multiple Sclerosis – a three year study funded by the Multiple Sclerosis Society. Julie is also being helped by a new member of the LEAP-MS team – Giddy.
Giddy has progressive multiple sclerosis and is a strong advocate for exercise and being physically active with MS. Giddy enjoys aqua aerobics, home-based strengthening and balance exercise programmes and all-terrain trike cycling.
Website: LEAP-MS
Twitter: @ms_leap
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Episode 11: Vicki
Vicki is wife to Michael (see Episode 3) who has PPMS. Vicki is a practical type who is (to quote a friend) freakishly strong! Which is useful as Michael falls over a lot and needs picking up.
Vicki has an award nominated blog –
Wheel Chic Home – where she is an advocate for fabulous disabled friendly homes and writes about interiors and disability, giving tips and ideas to help keep your home looking fabulous and not hospital-chic.
Vicki also is co-creator of #inclusivechic – a way to share ideas and photos across Twitter and Instagram and to chat about inclusive homes and the clever things we do.
Can frequently be seen hiding chocolate from Michael on the top shelf of the fridge where he can’t reach…
Twitter: @WheelChicHome
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Episode 13: Katie
Katie is 25 years old from Dublin. She was diagnosed at the age of 22 after dealing with symptoms and flare ups for a year. When Katie was diagnosed she was in her last year of university to get her degree to become a baker. Shortly after her diagnoses with MS, Katie met her partner Niall. Katie is a massive fan of Disney and all things Minnie Mouse.
Katie currently is a member of the MS Ireland “
MS & Me” blogging team, and Katie also has her own personal
blog where she writes about life with MS.
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Episode 14: John
John describes himself as:
I’m John, and married to Eleanor. I was diagnosed in December 2015 with remitting relapsing multiple sclerosis. In April 2016 I had treatment for my MS, I chose to have Lemtrada infusions over 2 years. I have my bloods observed every month, and so far I have had no adverse effects. Also more importantly for me I have not relapsed since the first treatment, and my mri’s show no new lesions thus far. Pre diagnosis I was fairly active and I have managed to keep this up since, and maybe even increased my fitness as I feel this could help mentally, physically and neurologically. MS has given me a different perspective on life, I try not to sweat the small stuff any more and look for the good where possible and ignore negativity. I don’t know where this journey will go, so I will just try and enjoy the view on along the way.
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Episode 15: Jessie
Jessie Ace is host of the DISabled to ENabled podcast. A podcast that aims to inspire people living with chronic illness. She’s interviewed everyone from paralympians, radio DJ’s, chronic illness bloggers and marathon runners. She’s also a blog writer and illustrator for the biggest MS charities worldwide such as the National MS Society, MS Society, shift.MS, MS-UK amongst others and she’s also written and illustrated for the biggest MS magazines such as Momentum magazine, MS Matters and New Pathways. Jessie was diagnosed with MS at 22 years old and says MS makes her feel blessed everyday to be able to live a new life and to connect with so many amazing people. Her own experience of being newly diagnosed so young was negative and scary – she wants to change this for other young people and support them through the process by being a patient advocate.
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Episode 16: Sabina
Sabina Brennan is a research psychologist, neuroscientist, filmmaker, award-winning science communicator and author of the No 1 bestseller: 100 Days to a Younger Brain. She is fascinated by the brain and human behaviour and give talks on a wide range of topics ( stress, sleep, caring, resilience, brain health, dementia, managing migraine, ageism, love etc). Sabina has been described as passionate, inspirational and entertaining speaker. She also is a regular guest, panellist and expert contributor on radio and television in Ireland. Sabina is incredibly passionate about lifelong learning, and has three rescue dogs, one of which is called Dizzy!
Dreary, this week- more forms to fill, appointments to attend.
Sluggish. wonky, sleepy. I feel I am morphing into one of Snow Whites dwarfs 🙁
Lol, I often feel I would do a better job than Sleepy. 🙂 But I’m sorry this week hasn’t been so good. Forms and appointments are never fun. 🙁 I hope you’re able to rest and look after yourself though. x Sending hugs. xxx
Safe travels to you & Dizzy on your holiday. Remember to pack plenty of ginger nut biscuits for the growing donkey!
Thank you Jeanette. We did have a lovely holiday, and Dizzy got to make lots of donkey friends! 🙂 x