Columns Fall Down, Get Up Again- a Column by John Connor Crawling to Deadline Crawling to Deadline by John Connor | May 11, 2018 Share this article: Share article via email Copy article link It’s 3:15 p.m. U.K. time on Wednesday, May 9, 2018. My deadline for this column is actually 3 p.m. Gone are the days of blaming the dog for eating my homework; it’s only in the last few minutes that I’ve actually been able to move a bit. From 8:30 a.m. to just about now, I’ve been clinging onto my bedside commode, well aware that if I dropped anything on the floor, it would be lost to me. The lava game of youth is made real in my old age with MS. Even when feeling moderately together, my hands will drop anything, so this was a major effort! The jeopardy is real, as I’m alone in the house because my wife’s mother is very ill in hospital. My wife, Jane, is on the morning hospital shift. She helped me out of bed and I sat comatose while waiting for my body to recover. Too much work! My live topical show had its second yearly outing on Sunday, at a mini-comedy festival in the countryside 40 miles from London. I also had my regular weekly show in London last night. I went and directed them both. And now I’m paying for it. I’ve never been one who got into fights, but you do have to be tenacious to survive in show business. I will lose against MS but I’m going down swinging. *** Note: Multiple Sclerosis News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Multiple Sclerosis News Today or its parent company, BioNews Services, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to multiple sclerosis. Print This Page About the Author John Connor In the ‘80s, John Connor created the first regular column about the burgeoning London stand-up scene. In 1990 he wrote a book about its effect on the Edinburgh Festival: “Comics: A Decade of Comedy at the Assembly Rooms.” That year he also devised and ran a live topical stand-up team show at The London Comedy Store, The Edge (It was destroyed in 2020!). In 2009 John was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS, which cut short his main job as a TV casting director for “Black Books,” “My Family,” et al. Now, John writes “Fall Down Get Up Again,” an irreverent journey with MS. Tags determination, energy, fatigue Comments Christopher Paris Now we're talkin, friend. The mindset is "fight," always fight, no matter what the opponent or the opposition is. This is the old neighborhood all over again. I'm glad I earned my stripes there, even frequently up against opposition bigger and more numerous than I. Takin my lumps cured me of fear. So, today, I accept or resign myself to nothing; and, fight the opposition even when I sense fighting the odds may even prove futile; because fighting the opposition in any way I can is always still better in spirit than falling to just acceptance or resignation. I accept nothing especially fear and trepidation, for they incarcerate us, don't they. The goal is fight and persist for as long as we can, for our longevity will prove us victorious against the odds. Fly on, brother. Reply John Connor Well, if you put it like that.... ta. Reply cynthia Thanks for your column , John. ''fall down, get up again''.....the MS battle cry !! Reply Leave a comment Fill in the required fields to post. Your email address will not be published. Your Name Your Email Your Comment Post Comment
May 7, 2024 News by Margarida Maia, PhD Wayne State professor wins grant to study oligodendrocytes in MS
May 6, 2024 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Nearly $650k awarded to advance potential remyelination drug IFB-048
