Multiple Sclerosis, it’s a challenge to spell it and I could have been diagnosed with Lupus, only five letters and two ‘U’s’ simple, but no I had to get something that’s a devil to write. It’s not the ‘multiple’ it’s the sclerosis. People get it so wrong, cirrhosis as in liver cirrhosis which would imply that I have a drinking problem, which I don’t. There’s scholar, there’s cyril, there’s scoliosis. So, I have found another acronym that works for me. MS: Must Shop.

Anyone who knows me or has any scant knowledge can relate to my shopping. I am the kind of person who might have a tendency to think they are saving money by over-ordering an item to invoke the free postage, but in doing so ends up with an excess of products in their cupboards. All of my kitchen storage and larder is full to the brim with groceries that will go out of date before using. I have many oils for cooking; forget olive oil, I have sesame, walnut, chilli, coconut, groundnut, sunflower, and don’t talk to me about dressings! French dressing, ranch dressing, ketchups, mayonnaise – reduced fat of course. Soy sauce light and dark, tamari and sweet chilli to name a few. Sugar is another favourite; caster, dememera, golden, light brown, muscovardo light and dark, icing, golden syrup, maple syrup. Lindt chocolate are kept in business by me. What no one appreciates is that they would have gone bankrupt without my frequent purchases: there’s 90% dark; and 70% of course, there’s cherry, the orange infused dark, there’s lime, sea salt and salted caramel, I like the raspberry and I can’t tell you how much I love the Lindor balls and they come in so many flavours! My weight is struggling as a direct result of this shopping. Let’s just say that the hostess trolley and the sewing cupboard do not do what they say on the tin.

Why do I shop like this, what is my rationale for shopping? I do this because my MS brain doesn’t allow me to remember whether or not I’ve used the last of an item and as I’m not the one doing the preparing, cooking etc, I don’t know if I have too much or not enough of anything. I hate running out, it makes me feel inadequate and as if my disability is defining me. My plan for the future is to compile a spreadsheet of groceries and contain, use up and save some serious dosh. Waitrose be warned!

It’s not a psychological trait but it seems odd to me that MS stands for ‘Must Shop’.