I've got it!!

I've finally got my new car!
I was so pleased to pick it up, although I was a little sad to drive away from the PT, it has served us well for three years!
We took it straight to the petrol station, as there was barely any fuel in it. We put the petrol in & there was a warning light that came on and stayed on. We decided that we ought to take it back to the dealership, just to get it checked out.
We couldn't believe it when I stopped at a roundabout and was shunted up the backside! We looked around for somewhere to pull in, but then the car just drove past me, around the roundabout! I followed him flashing my lights. He then pulled in and we were able to get his details. He tried to say that I had stopped suddenly at the roundabout, but as I said to him, I had only just picked the car up, so there was no way that I would be stopping suddenly. And let's face it, it was a roundabout, of course I would be slowing down and stopping!!
It was just a little scratch on the rear bumper, but it felt so much bigger to us!! The gentleman said he would pay, so we will get some quotes and let him know!
We went back to the dealership to get the warning light looked at, which turned out to be something small, which they sorted out for us.
We left there and drove to Halfords, so that Martin could get an audio lead to play his ipod in the car! That's all he worries about with the car!
I also wanted to get some mats. I had thought about getting the Me To You mats, but they weren't great ones, so I went for some cheaper ones! That meant I could get some Me To You seat belt comforters!
When we got to Halfords though, we realised we had left the disabled badge in the PT. Oh this day was going so well!! I rang the dealership & they found it for us, but it meant we had to go back there again!!
We got home that afternoon, where I just crashed out on the sofa, exhausted from the days events!
The car is lovely though! A real pleasure to drive and it looks to have lots of room, although we haven't tried putting the wheelchair in it yet! I am so glad that I took the decision to continue driving, I know now it was the right decision. When we were going to collect the car, I really wanted to drive it away. I would have hated it if we had picked up the car and it was a manual transmission that I couldn't have driven! So I am not ready to give up mu independence yet!

I have been really struggling with pain again over the past few weeks. Earlier in the week, I had another night, where the pain disturbed my sleep, so I decided that I would try and speak to the MS nurse again. I find it quite difficult to speak to them, because I don't like making a nuisance of myself, but even if they couldn't help me, I thought they should know that the pain is continuing to be a problem.
As it was, neither nurse was available until next week and I was advised to call my GP instead. That turned out to be quite a good move. I spoke to the duty Doctor, who went through what medications I am on currently. I had stopped using the Butrans patches, because I was finding them really itchy and they were leaving a rash on my back, but the Doctor told me that there is a tablet form of that particular drug that can be taken instead! I was also taking Tramadol, 100mg four times a day. He told me that there is a tablet form of Tramadol that is a slow release over twelve hours and he suggested that it might be worth taking one of these at night, to cover me over night.
He did a prescription for both of these medications and I was able to get them the same day. I tried the Tramadol that night and I was able to sleep through the night. I am continuing to use it and it is definitely helping. I am still getting pain, but it isn't severe all of the time. I woke up last night, but my hands were painful but very uncomfortable rather than screaming pain!
So I will continue with these meds, until I go for my pain clinic appointment on February 17th.

It has gone very cold again over the past couple of days. I am sat here, writing this, with three layers on and the nerves all over my body are flickering like mad. There must be some relationship between my sensations and the cold. And also the heat in the Summer! I can't win!
And I must just tell you that our new healthy eating plan is going really well. Martin & I are following Weight Watchers, which we have been doing for almost four weeks. In the first three weeks I have lost a fabulous 14lbs! I am not surprised because I have a lot to lose, but it is a great start! I already feel thinner and that can only be a good thing. I am expecting for the weight loss to settle down and for me to lose an average of 2lbs a week from now on, but we'll see! It is making a huge difference that my head is in the right place for losing weight. I have wanted to do it for a while now, but I just didn't have the will power or the heart to stick to anything. It helps that Martin and I are doing it together, because it just feels like we have changed our habits rather than being on a diet. That is what I like about Weight Watchers, you are allowed to eat anything, just in moderation!

A new year and a new start, long may it continue!
XxXxX