Age: 26 Country: Ireland Profession: Blogger Hobbies: Baking, reading, blogging, hanging out with my friends, and spending time with my dog

Living with MS since 2016

I’m Katie, and I was diagnosed with MS in 2016 after over a year of relapses and symptoms. Before my diagnosis, I was training to be a baker and got my university degree in it – I’m now renowned for my award-winning signature cupcakes! Even though baking is still my passion, I’ve now become a blogger and I blog about MS and mental health issues to raise awareness on these topics, which is also something I feel passionate about.

I have a little dog called Pete (a Jack Russel terrier), and he loves to spend his day following me around. Pete has been an amazing support to me during my MS journey – he’s been there for me through it all. I think dogs are truly a great comfort when it comes to MS – they know when you need them, they give the best cuddles, and will sit and happily listen to you for hours on end without judging you!

Layer up

Drink cold drinks

Try an acupuncture mat

Meditate

Treat yourself

1. Layer up I find it is better to wear layers of clothes so that you can add or remove layers if you are too hot or cold. In summer, I find this especially useful.
2. Drink cold drinks   In summer, I will nearly always have an iced drink rather than a hot one (iced coffee is a favourite). Adding ice to drinks helps me keep my body temperature down.
3. Try an acupuncture mat   I like to lie on an acupuncture mat (these can be found online) for up to 30 minutes a day. It helps me with body pain and helps regulate my sleeping pattern. I also get body and back massages regularly, which helps me with pain and stress.
4. Meditate   It is important to look after the mind as well as the body, so I regularly do online guided meditation. YouTube is a great resource for this, and there are many good apps too.
5. Treat yourself   I think it’s important to forget about having MS sometimes, so I make sure I treat myself. Some days I take myself on a ‘me date’ where I spend time on my own, go for a walk, go for lunch, do a bit of shopping, or get my nails or hair done.