How do I turn my photo around?

As the title suggests? I don't want to give you all a sore neck looking at the photo but I can't figure out how to turn it around! Any suggestions?

Thanks xxx

1st Rebif Injection

Hello all,

Sorry for the lack of update but our laptop charger has been playing up and I have been struggling to even load the laptop up. Well Ava is now 5 weeks old today and we can't imagine life without her. She is settling a bit more at night and giving us a little more sleep now which is good.

I had steroids when Ava was a couple of weeks old and they really helped my legs and balance. I now must work with the Physio team to build up my strength to improve them further. The physio team was really impressed with me when they came out last week...they thought I may be worse than I was, as I ended up having a c section. I also started my rebif treatment a couple of weeks ago. I have been on 8mg and go up to 22mg tonight. I was pretty scared about doing the first injection....but it really wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. Fingers crossed, I haven't experienced any flu like side effects, I'm just getting slight bruising and skin reactions around the injection sites. I will keep you updated on how the increase in the dose goes.

The laptop is dying again so I will be back when I get a new charger!

Em xxx

Ava Grace Richards

Hi all,
Just a quick message to announce the safe arrival of Ava Grace Richards. She was born on October 17th at 02.25am weighing 6lb 110z. Had a bit of a long labour ending in an emergency c section but she is fine and I am recovering well. Have had some steroids to help with the MS this week already so when we're a bit more settled, I will write in more detail.

Love Em & Ava xxx

3 and a half weeks to go......

Hi all,

Not long now til baby Richards makes and appearance....and I am so excited! I took that picture this morning and noticed how strange the bump shape is. It may be something to do with baby lying bottom down (breech). We had a scan at 34 weeks to check the growth and everything was fine but we found out that baby was the wrong way around for delivery. I have since seen 2 different midwives and neither can tell which way baby is lying.....so if they haven't got a clue neither have I!

My legs have really not been working so well and getting less efficient the bigger the bump gets. So we are seeing our consultant on Oct 14th to find out if the little monkey has turned. If not I will be booked in for a c section. If it has turned they may try and start contractions for me as baby will be counted as full term by then (37 weeks). So we may meet baby Richards sooner than we first thought.

So, the MS side of things...as I said my legs have been the main problem. They are very tight and crampy and my balance is not great. I still also have my numb face which frequently gives me a headache or toothache. I am hoping to have a course of steroids when baby is out to help reduce these symptoms. I also had my first delivery of Rebif today ready to start treatment after the birth. That was quite scary...makes it real that I will have to inject myself soon.

I am under strict instructions from Nathan not to do anything around the house, which is lovely but also driving me insane!!!! I am officially sick of daytime tv having been off work since the school holidays in July. So I am signing off, which may be the last time before baby is here...watch this space.

Em xxx

No work!

Hello all (bump picture 31 weeks)

Well as the title suggests, I have not gone back to work :-(
I should have started back today but instead I have had to admit defeat.

I saw the midwife last week and she told me I would be silly to go back and put my body under more pressure, so I thought I had better put mine and the baby's health first. I had also been suffering with a partially numb face (one side) and patches of numbness in my legs and feet. Which as it happens (I saw my neurologist yesterday) is a relapse. So much for being relapse free through my pregnancy! He did say in extreme disabling relapses they would treat it with steroids but in this case the relapse is more irritating than disabling! (So good news in a strange kind of way). The best way to describe the feeling in my face is of having been to the dentist and had an injection for a filling or something. You know that numbness you get where you dribble and don't notice!!!!!!!! (I know you've all done it!). Luckily only my top lip is numb so no dribbling incidents to report.

Any suggestions of what to do for 8 weeks are very welcome as I will be going insane. My headteacher has told me to take up knitting....may be worth a shot.

Well we have 8 weeks to go until baby Richards arrives and think we are quite sorted with everything. The nursery is done (and has been for a while!), the bits and bobs nearly all sorted and the pram travel system arrived to my parents house this morning. How very exciting, all we need now is baby. I'm taking sweep stake odds for the sex of baby Richards, the date of arrival (due 31st Oct) and the weight. Answers on a postcard............

Bye for now
Em xxx

10 weeks to go......

Hi,
So I have 10 weeks to go until my due date and am now beginning to feel like a whale! It seems to have taken forever to get here but I know these next 10 wks are going to fly by. It is my 27th birthday tomorrow and as my darling husband told me - my last before I will be a mum. What a scary thought!

I have got less than 2 weeks left to go until I return to school and I don't know where the time has gone. I am just making the most of having a school holidays where I haven't had to do a great deal. My classroom was sorted before we finished school, displays were up and books labelled for the new class. I am now going to sort out my plans for the 4 weeks I am at school before I start my maternity leave.

I have been kept sane by the Olympics but now think I have overdosed on the coverage of that as I am getting slightly bored of that too! I am looking forward to the Paralympics starting in Sept as I am very interested in how an old swimming friend of mine will get on. Coincidentally, she has MS too!

As for my MS, no change really. Very tired legs but still not sure if that's MS or baby or a combination of both. I had some injection training for the Rebif (disease modifying drugs) that I will be starting when baby makes an appearance. Although it is an auto injector injection it was still quite scary injecting it into some fake skin! I am sure I will get used to it when I start using it three times a week.

xxx

Heat heat heat and summer holidays!

Hi all,

Well I'm finally on school holidays and already a week has passed. Bump is rapidly expanding and kicking me nicely! Everything seems to be going well with the pregnancy. We have just started to see my stomach moving from the outside which is so exciting and great for Nathan as he feels more involved. I'm 26 weeks now so only have 14 to go! I'm having another scan at 34 weeks to check that baby is growing ok and everything is on course. I suppose that is a benefit of the MS - I get extra special care!

I've not really done a great deal this week as I have been really struggling with the heat. It has been so muggy and humid that I am really struggling to walk anywhere or do anything. I am ok when I first get up and try to do as many jobs as I can before it gets too hot! I think it is just the MS flaring up and slowing down the nerve conduction, but I am sure the pregnancy has something to do with it! I have definitely noticed an improved circulation being pregnant but having always had cold hands and feet it is really strange to have hot hands and feet. Plus it adds to the loss of sensation which is not great but hey I'm not complaining, it will be worth it.

Em x