Lydia’s Lifestyle.

Hello there everyone, my name is Lydia Livingston, I’m 49 and I’m originally from Moston in Greater Manchester.  My 3 main types of medical conditions comprise of: Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; An Autism Spectrum type disorder; Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis. Most specialists cannot empathize or interpret me very well, or sometimes even want to. For example, the people in the mental health team simply see me as a Cruella De Vil type character. By doing so they can easily avoid treating people like me to save money on their budgets and responsibilities. I’ve got 3 main medical conditions of very different things, with different specialties being involved with a resulting a lack of clear transparency, Many reports and letters are not read by doctors as there’s too many of them put simply to read. I try now, when I need to be admitted to hospital, to complete what is known as. “A medical passport” form. Last year my MS meant that I would spasm and nurses would say “You’ve just relaxed your legs” but in reality, I couldn’t even move my legs as the signals in my brain had gone. This is a small snapshot of my life in this 1, possibly too large, paragraph.

Lydia’s interests.

A) My favourite TV programmes are 5 news UK & The Martin Lewis Money Show.
B) Favourite reporters are Tessa Chapman, Simon Vigar and Julian Druker. and lurking behind the scenes now with her awesome accent is Specialist News Producer Katie Goodman.
C) My favourite Radio DJs are Sparky on Hot Radio, Jon Andrews on Surrey Hills community Radio and Terry Jones on Dorset Riviera Radio.
D) Favourite singers now are Lolly aka Anna Kumble, Sonia Evans, Sandie Shaw, Geri Horner, Crazy Frog and the late Tammy Wynette.
E) Using social media as well as using You Tube too, also I’m curious about some kinds of trendy new gadgets when first released.

Lydia’s recent wellbeing.

I was first diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2004 then later Secondary Progressive MS in 2006. It was a very scary time for me. I’m at the stage now where I can only roll over in bed with the assistance of bed levers and carers, I now need full assistance with personal care, eating and fluid intake. I’m wheelchair restricted which makes me feel tearful and emotional at times. I always hope that my website helps people like me to be better understood in society, some people see my wheelchair first and the person second which is very sad. Sadly, there is unlikely to be an overall cure for MS in my lifetime. I’m on a dose of Simvastatin which in some people has been seen to slow down the progress of this cruel auto-immune disease. To help the spasms I’m now on Tizanidine and Sativex. I’m donating my brain to MS research, I hope this will also help, in particular medical students embarking on their future careers. A recent Social Services OT assessment had suggested a Profile bed which raises and lowers head and/or legs + a monkey bar. and I have now got this.

Many thanks for reading this, it’s much appreciated.

My Q & A with the amazing Beatboxer SK Shlomo.