Since Malta, I’ve been having a battle with Malcolm.
You see, this winter, it has been really clear that even if I’m wrapped up warm, when out on the water or even simply being outside having a gentle walk, I will be absolutely badgered for the rest of the day.
I have always known temperature to have a bit of an impact on me, and indeed others with MS, but not to this degree. In fact, if you would like to learn more about temperature and MS, check out this article
In the cold, my left side has become increasingly stiff and weak, sometimes painful, and I am awash with severe lethargy.
A few weeks ago, after an hour or so of kayaking, I got home where within minutes I apparently fell asleep mid-sentence. To me, the cold is now like a sleeping pill and a tight jacket of the limbs all rolled into one.
This has impacted my desire to get paddling during these cooler months, as a few hours on the water means an afternoon and evening written off feeling drugged up, weak and floppy.
I have also noticed if I go swimming and the pool is a little chilly, despite physically swimming to keep warm, I will, without question, become very stiff and tired after that too.
I won’t lie – this has made me demotivated generally with exercise, which is THE number one thing I recommend for staying fit and healthy with MS. As such, I have put on over a stone and I can feel that my left side is noticeably weaker than my right again.
You may say…”get down the gym Jones, stay inside where it’s nice and warm”…yes, I hear you, loud and clear, but I find it so bloody boring! I need to be outside, not just for the physical benefits, but because it is the best medicine for mental health too.
This weekend, my left arm and hand felt so weak, that I flatly refused to go paddling, which really is unheard of. I just didn’t want to go anywhere near that cold water; I didn’t feel strong enough on my left side to sustain paddling for any length of time, and was frightened of feeling wiped out again. I was also, in truth, fearful for my safety on the water if something were to go wrong.
I was desperate to do something physical and outdoors, and so after a lovely relaxing breakfast at Lew’s (my new favourite breakie place), I was taken out on a bicycle, for the first time in about 8 years, in my thermals, to go for a jaunt along the beautiful Taff Trail.
HOORAY!!!!! Despite some hilarity on the way back cycling with no resistance due to a gear mishap, and an aching rear end, this was something I could do where I didn’t need any particular strength from my left arm, and if my legs felt stiff or achy, I could always let the bike free-wheel without me pedalling for a rest.
I got to see some beautiful flowers, as well as the view of the river from another angle for mental clarity. Being by water always makes life super dooper…not that I’m not a cheery human, it’s just my soul food.
The other thing which was really noticeable, were my energy levels. Unlike paddling in the cooler weather, pedalling in these conditions did not wipe me out. I think that’s because with paddling, my lower body is relatively inactive, plus I am essentially immersed in cold water with only the boat for a barrier. With cycling, my legs are moving like billy ‘o, my heart is pounding, and I’m even getting rather sweaty due to the heat I’m producing.
I am so over the moon about it, that I aim to later this year, and I am just going to throw out into the ether a date off the top of my head – the end of September – to cycle the full length of the Taff Trail; Cardiff to Brecon which is 55 miles (88km).
This will be a great focus for overall fitness and to build strength back into my legs…and once the weather is warmer, I will ensure I get back out on the water.
This has all affected me more than I thought it would mentally, and so I have allowed myself a period of self-pity, but now, I really need to buck up my ideas, especially as I promised a dear friend of mine whom has recently passed, that I will never give up, and will always for as long as I can, go on paddling adventures. And that, dear Reader, is what I hope to be able to do. Malcolm, can quite frankly, hop off.
Stay tuned for pedalling and paddling updates!
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