Snow... now there's a surprise.

Everyone is talking about it, snow. There are very few places in the UK that it missed and Chelmsford wasn't one of them. I have to admit, this time I did kind of want it to snow, it did, Niamh has seen it (and didn't like it) and it can go away now. Problem is looking out of my window at the moment I don't think that is going to happen. The sky looks the ominous grey/white that it does right before it snows, but it's dark here so I could be wrong.

From an M.E/Fibro point of view, at least at my percentage, snow sucks! It was worse for me last time we had heavy snow though as I was heavily pregnant and bed bound so couldn't even go and stand in it, so this time is a plus I suppose! For those who don't have M.E and/or Fibro or who (luckily don't have it too severely) snow presents a few problems for these diseases.

Firstly, there's the cold, I suffer a lot with joint pain and the cold makes it much, much worse. I tend not to go out when it's cold, when it goes below 3 degrees is normally a good limit. This isn't as possible with having Niamh but my family help out a lot so that any trips I make are the bare essentials. Ironically it does actually warm up a bit when it snows, so after the snow has fallen is usually better for me pain wise than before. If I do have to go out, it's loads of layers, bandages on my joints (wrists, elbows, knees and ankles) and heat pads if I have them!

Secondly, I can't walk far, and wheelchairs, well they don't like the snow. They don't work in the snow unless it's only a very small amount (saying that Niamh's buggy wouldn't really work in this snow, maybe her old one but not her stroller). So I basically can't go out with snow this deep, unless someone with a large shovel or a small snow plough goes ahead of me and clears the snow (now that's an idea!). Which, of course is very frustrating and does remind you how little freedom you do actually have, sometimes. I am lucky though, I can walk a very little way, so I can be taken to indoor shopping centres and things where you can hire/borrow wheelchairs. In fact I sometimes insist on it!

Thirdly, that little way I can walk (and I am sure this is also true for walking M.E sufferers) is very much impeded by the snow. Especially deeper snow. I think it has something to do with the resistance the snow puts up, and the extra amount you are required to lift your feet with every step. We took Niamh out in front of the flat early (there is a very small amount of grass and a small wall, much safer than the car park) and just walking a little on there (literally standing outside the communal entrance) tired me out so much I had to go and lay down when we came back in!

Finally, I was never really one for playing in the snow for too long, it always annoyed me how cold it was. But now that I can't I really want to. For example, I sat on my sofa earlier watching a couple from another flat mess around in the car park. He was clearing his van of the snow, she was making a snowman, he was lobbing snowballs at her from across the car park, she was trying (and failing) to get him back. They looked like they were having fun. I wanted to have fun too (insert comical big sad face here). But if I could, I would probably be moaning that I was cold, my hands were wet and I was going to have bruises in the morning. Why do we always want things when we can't have them? Ah, that's life!

Anyway off of the M.E parts about snow, and onto Niamh's first experience with it! As I said previously this was the first time that Niamh has seen snow, firsts are always special. So, course we were dying to take her out in it. I even had a bet on with Chris that she would simply try to eat it! But Chris, (who is a CHILD when it snows) was very good and waited until she woke up from her morning nap (I was convinced that he was going to try and take her out there at 5am when she woke up). We wrestled her into a million layers (vest, babygro, jumper, thick snow suit, hat, gloves, shoes etc) and got our coats and snow boots on (has snowed since I bought them last December, typical) and set off outside, armed with phones and cameras. We stood Niamh in the snow, she stood, tapped the snow, shuffled, cried and then fell over. Not the best of starts. We stayed outside for a few more minutes whilst Chris attempted to persuade her that snow was, in fact, actually rather fun. He couldn't, so we went in. There ends Niamh's snow adventure, as it is clear that for the moment at least she is not a fan, much to Chris's disappointment!

Here are mine and Niamh's 366 photos for today. First me and Niamh in the snow:

And Niamh, her new car seat arrived today in an almighty great big box! So here is she in the box, later on I may have got in it (and got stuck) and we also used it as a cave!

Night all.