Merry Christmas

Christmas comes but once a year and for someone with MND/ALS it’s a very strange time. You want to enjoy it because it’s a special time especially with 3 kids to enjoy it with but there’s also the thought of will this be my last?
I know it’s not the thing to think about but it’s very hard not to. MND is a death sentence wether you like it or not that’s the way it is! But I also realise I’ve got the best christmas’s ahead of me and each one I achieve with MND is better than the last one simply because you appreciate it more!! Fuck off MND!!!

So when Christmas comes along I always make the most of it, the build up to the big day is unbelievable , talking about were father chrimbo is to the kids and seeing their faces light up is something that makes me happy. Panicking because they change their little minds about what goes on their Xmas list at the very last minute! I always weigh up the positives and negatives of having MND. Some might say how could there be any positives to a terminal illness but trust me when you haven’t got to get in the loft anymore to untangle a shit load of Xmas lights and get the Christmas tree down,to me that’s a positive!!! Plus you don’t get asked to write Xmas cards or wrap up prezzies!! I’ve had to get my 13 year old lad to write Jaynes Xmas card this year and with him being a typical teenager he wrote To Jayne Love Mark!! Don’t go over board mate!!!
Another positive of having hands like jelly is you get out of doing the Xmas dinner dishes and the biggest positive to me is that I no longer have to swear with frustration at the putting a bike together instructions on Christmas Eve!! I can eat as much shite as I want because the dieticians are always happy when you maintain your weight so I’m sure there’s some of you reading this thinking that’s definatley a positive!!! (Selection box problems!!)

I’ve achieved incredible things this year with the help and support of friends and family from skydives to marathons to recording another album to fronting an awareness campaign for the MND association in football. I’ve also spoken publicly on living with this killer disease in my own way with humour and tears!!
I’ve always been a very private person but MND has flung me into the public eye, something I’m not always comfortable with but I always know why I’m doing it. I do it to help get this terrible disease recognised so future generations won’t have to go through what myself and so many other MND warriors go through now. A day will come were we have a cure I’m certain of that but it will only happen if we all have a go at raising awareness to create funds for research!!

So please enjoy Christmas and thank you for all your support this year

Stay positive and more importantly stay smiling

To be continued

Mark