Welcome to The Hobblicious* Chronicles, by Jane Harrison
* Definition
hobblicious [ hobl-i-shus]
adjective.
1. walking lamely, perhaps with a limp, or using a mobility aid, and being highly pleasing, even delightful
2. like Beyoncé, with mobility issues
origin.
hobble + (de)licious (C21, J. Harrison), derivative of bootylicious (C21, B. Knowles et al.).
About me
I’m Jane and I have Multiple Sclerosis. I was diagnosed in 2018, but according to my Neurologist, probably had it for 10 years before then (a story for another day). I live with disability. I also live on a hill on the edge of a city in the North of England, which is a pretty stupid place for someone with mobility issues (the hill, not the North of England). But I like it here, so I’m staying for now.
At University I met the love of my life. We now have an amazing teenage daughter and I love being her mum. I spent 20 plus years working in pseudo-managerial and administrative jobs in the UK National Health Service and University sector. I was always yearning for something more creative. I’m not entirely sure how it happened, but during that time I also became a qualified librarian. Gun to the head I’m sure I could still catalogue your books. Later, I dipped my toe in the fascinating water of psychotherapy training. In my forties I learned guitar and the art of printmaking. Joy. MS put a stop to both of those. Now, I write. I guess that makes me a writer.
Being told by my doctor that I had MS was devastating. I didn’t start writing about it until a few years later when my symptoms really began to show up in ways they didn’t when I was first diagnosed.
Getting my thoughts down on the page helps me stay sane with the daily grind of living with this crap hole of a disease, and even dare I say, allows me to have some fun with it.
I’m not a Multiple Sclerosis veteran, my diagnosis came along at an older than average age. Although I have a fair few years of life experience under my belt, I wasn’t prepared for this, and now I learn from MS all the time. This blog is the record of my journey. Read about why I’m sharing it here.
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Frequently asked questions
So that’s an interesting/catchy/weird name for a blog. I get the Chronicles bit, but where does Hobblicious come from?
Mmm… hobblicious is a word I randomly made up and started using to describe my declining mobility. Classic use of humour as a sort of coping mechanism. Please see my definition above.
Do I have to have MS to subscribe to this blog?
No! Although my intended audience are folks with MS, their friends and families or those with an interest in disability or chronic illness, don’t worry, anyone can subscribe!
Why do you have a picture of a nearly finished cocktail as your logo?
I guess every picture tells a story. It’s also a picture of one of my mobility aids. Behind the cocktail glass is my Alinker, the wonderful yellow walking bike that got me across town and seated at the restaurant table to drink the also pictured cocktail with my 11.30am breakfast. A bit of a celebration at the end of a very stay-at-home 2023.
Are you on social media?
I have been lurking, following and commenting on Instagram for a while, but late to the posting party! Just sorted that out and you can now find me learning to post on Insta - @ms_hobblicious
Will you be offering health or medical advice?
No. Not a doctor. Please consult your Neurologist or other Health Care Professional about anything I say that might stray into these areas. Also you might want to check out fellow substacker Prof Gavin Giovannoni at the MS Selfie. He’s an experienced MS Neurologist working in the UK National Health Service (NHS). He offers loads of free clinical MS content, tells it how it is, and supports patients to self-manage their MS.
When will your Netflix series be coming out?
I will let you know how the negotiations go.
How will you deal with the fame that will inevitably come along with all this?
I’ll try to be Zen-like about it.
Do you prefer cats or dogs?
I prefer my cat.
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