Ken's story:

"I first realised something was wrong when I started having problems with my eyes. It was over 25 years ago. The doctors didn’t know what it was but they thought it would right itself. It did, but then a few years later I started to get a tingling feeling in my hand, it felt like my hands were wrapped in cotton wool."

"The doctors thought I had carpal tunnel syndrome from operating a road drill at work. It went away but in 1983 the muscles in my right eye locked. Again the doctors couldn’t explain it and it righted itself. Then one day in 1990 I had a bad bout of the flu and when I got up to turn off the television I tripped and I couldn’t get up.

 

"At this point, after tests, I went back to the doctors and he just said: “Yes, we’ve looked at the tests and you have got ms. Pick up some leaflets on your way out.” And that was pretty much it. Thankfully, it’s all changed now, but it was hard to take at the time. I was devastated.

 

"For about a year I kept myself to myself. I didn’t tell many people. Then I began to slip it casually into conversation. But you wouldn’t have known then, from looking at me. It was only about three years ago when it became more obvious.

 

"I began coming to NICE around six months ago. I didn’t know what to expect but my ms liaison nurse had said “Don’t expect to sit around – they will make you work.”

 

"The first session I was quite self-conscious with all the counting, but by the third afternoon I was walking better and I began to notice the benefits.

 

"I have found that Conductive Education makes you more conscious of how you should start to walk or sit down or get up. I can hear Agi’s (the conductor’s) voice in the back of my head reminding me what I should be doing! The sessions give you confidence and a more positive approach. And when you get the feel-good factor like that it makes you come away with a real boost, it makes you feel like you can do anything you want to.

 

"I had to take early retirement in 1997 because of my condition and now I spend a lot of time keeping fit, swimming and going to the gym. I also volunteer at the Foundation for three days a week in the fundraising office and I play the saxophone which Conductive Education also helps with, because it stretches my hands and helps with co-ordination.

 

"I think it’s important to keep a positive attitude. It’s no good saying you can’t do that or you can’t do this. Conductive Education does help you keep a positive outlook for the future because it gives you different ways of dealing with the situations that you’re in. It’s true that things take longer than they used to, but you just have to get up an hour earlier!"