My diary from the week before I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis I have written a book and created a podcast based on what I imagine might be written in the diary of my ginger cat, Weasley. Now I’m going to share a little of my own real diary. Today marks ten years since my … Continue reading STRANGE DAY!!
Today marks the beginning of Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week in New Zealand. 2026 is the third and final year of Multiple Sclerosis New Zealand’s “Time Matters in MS” campaign which focusses on early understanding, early support and early action for those living with this autoimmune disease. It’s an important message. Recognising possible symptoms of MS … Continue reading Dear Doctor Who Thought I Was a Hypochondriac
This post follows on from Navigating the Maze – a complicated chain of medical appointments that eventually led to cataract surgery. With the date finally confirmed for my cataract surgery, the saga was almost over. I contacted my daughter to make sure she was able to drive me to have the cataract surgery done. When … Continue reading Cataract Surgery (at last)
This post follows on from an earlier post about a chain of medical appointments that followed the discovery of a cataract and retinal tear Link: A Superfluity of Appointments By this point I had already had one laser procedure on my right eye and was waiting to hear about the cataract in my left. I … Continue reading Navigating the Maze
Some weeks feel like a test of endurance. This one could have qualified for the decathlon. Monday: I had an appointment with the Eye Service at Outpatients, where I was told that despite months of being assured I qualified for publicly funded cataract surgery, I no longer do. The reason? The other eye is “too … Continue reading What a Week (From Hell)
MSD disability allowance New Zealand – the article in The Press I was surprised — and slightly amused — to discover this morning that an opinion piece I wrote about the MSD disability allowance New Zealand had appeared in The Press. I had no advance notice, but someone from the Diamond Harbour Facebook page kindly … Continue reading MS(D) Gets on My Nerves
I’m proud to share that a piece I wrote has been published by the MS Society of New Zealand. It’s called “MS Care Can’t Wait – and Neither Can We”, and it speaks to the urgent need for better access to treatment, services, and support for people living with Multiple Sclerosis in New Zealand. This … Continue reading MS Care Can’t Wait — And Neither Can We
For the past eight months it seems as though a week hasn’t gone by without some sort of hospital appointment … Nothing dramatic — no flashing lights or overnight stays — just a steady stream of visits, usually to Outpatients, for one thing or another. It all started with my eyes. To explain that properly … Continue reading A Superfluity of Appointments
Ten days ago, I got a call from IRD about an Application for Relief I’d submitted online. Within thirty seconds, I could tell the tone was going to be adversarial and accusatory. Since I tend to fall apart in those kinds of situations, I recorded it — so I could digest what was said later, … Continue reading No Relief for Doing the Right Thing
This is a link to a story I wrote for the MS Society of New Zealand and was published in their newsletter. Click to follow link Continue reading My MS, My Story – Claire Brown
