When the Heat Wins: PC Chaos, Broken Glasses, a Broken-Down Van, and One Very Long Friday

⚠️ This blog shares my personal, sometimes painful experiences with MS and mental health. My intention is to speak honestly and offer solidarity—not to harm or replace professional advice. I’m not a doctor or therapist, just someone who gets how hard it can get. If you’re struggling, you’re not alone. Please reach out to a trusted friend, support group, or professional. You deserve help and hope.⚠️

please remember I suffer with severe cognitive dysfunction this may be a confusing read. some AI Help with written content

Well... Good Morning Fellow Humanoids

Good morning, fellow humanoids, and to everyone who somehow wandered into this little corner of the internet.

It's another blisteringly warm day, and after the week I've just survived, I honestly wasn't convinced I'd still be upright enough to write this.

What a week.

One I'd happily lock inside a concrete bunker, weld the door shut, bury beneath several tonnes of rock, and pretend never happened.

Unfortunately, reality doesn't come with an Undo button.

The Great Linux Adventure

Last weekend began with what should have been a fairly straightforward task.

Installing Zorin OS onto the Geek Mini PC.

Now, installing Linux itself?

Easy enough.

Bluetooth afterwards?

Apparently that was asking far too much of the universe.

Cue several hours of staring blankly at the screen while my multiple sclerosis, brain fog and cognitive dysfunction all gathered together like mischievous children before deciding...

"Let's see how much of his remaining sanity we can misplace today."

The result?

Me looking at a perfectly functioning computer whilst simultaneously having absolutely no idea what to do next.

Computers are wonderful.

Until they're not.

Heat... The Gift That Keeps on Taking

While wrestling with technology, summer decided to join the party.

Not politely.

Oh no.

It arrived like an angry tropical dictator determined to remind everyone exactly who's in charge.

Sleep disappeared.

The spasms increased.

The fatigue became crushing.

The brain fog thickened to the consistency of cold porridge.

Every symptom that Multiple Sclerosis can gleefully throw at you seemed to decide Friday was the perfect day for a reunion.

I've honestly never known it this bad.

The Glasses Fiasco

Friday morning began with what should have been a simple trip.

Around sixty miles there and back to get Albertine's glasses sorted.

The opticians had somehow managed to completely mangle her prescription.

No small mistake.

No little adjustment.

Completely wrong.

By the time we arrived, the temperature had already climbed to around 30°C.

There was absolutely no chance I could stay inside the van.

So out came the wheelchair, and I parked myself beneath the blessed air conditioning inside the supermarket while the opticians attempted to unravel the optical masterpiece they'd accidentally created.

Eventually...

After plenty of apologising, head scratching and general faffing about...

Everything was sorted.

Well...

Sort of.

We now have to go back again in four weeks when the replacement glasses arrive.

Wonderful.

Exactly what everyone wants.

Another sixty-mile round trip.

Then the Van Had Other Ideas

Driving home, things were finally looking up.

Naturally, that couldn't last.

Without warning the engine started running rough.

Then the warning light appeared.

Thankfully Albertine managed to pull into a tiny lay-by on the A38 before the van decided enough was enough.

We called the AA.

They promised someone would be with us as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, "as soon as possible" translated into roughly two hours.

Which normally wouldn't be too terrible...

Unless you're sitting inside what rapidly becomes a mobile greenhouse.

The temperature climbed.

Thirty-five...

Thirty-six degrees...

Water slowly disappeared.

Patience disappeared even faster.

When the Heat Finally Won

Eventually I had to get out of the van.

The heat had become unbearable.

I stood holding onto the side of it...

...and then everything simply stopped working.

The heat.

The dehydration.

The exhaustion.

The MS.

It all combined into one spectacular reminder that my body occasionally enjoys staging a full-scale workers' strike without giving me any notice whatsoever.

Thankfully Albertine caught hold of me as I collapsed.

Had she not been there, I would almost certainly have ended up face-first on the tarmac.

She wanted to ring 999.

I told her not to.

Looking back...

Perhaps that wasn't my brightest decision.

A Genuine Hero Arrives

Then my phone rang.

It was the AA.

Not long afterwards Harvey Maguire arrived.

What followed was honestly remarkable.

Professional.

Friendly.

Knowledgeable.

Calm.

Exactly the sort of person you hope turns up when your day has completely fallen apart.

He quickly diagnosed the problem, replaced a faulty injector, got us safely back on the road and somehow managed to stay cheerful throughout the whole thing.

So Harvey...

If by some miracle you ever happen to read this...

Thank you.

From both myself and Albertine.

You genuinely turned one of the worst days we've had in years into something that ended with us getting safely home.

People like you deserve recognising.

Saturday's Plan... Absolutely Nothing

Fast-forward to this morning.

Saturday.

I've got a headache.

I'm almost certainly still dehydrated.

The kitchen is already sitting at around 32°C.

This room is nudging 30°C.

The fan is about to begin another heroic battle against physics.

I'd planned to take the Three-Wheeled Chariot of Death into the market this morning.

I've wisely decided against it.

Today is officially dedicated to doing absolutely nothing.

Music.

Cold drinks.

Shade.

Survival.

Not necessarily in that order.

One Final Thought

If this week has taught me anything, it's this.

Hydration isn't optional.

If you're living with MS, another chronic illness, or you're simply trying to survive these ridiculous temperatures...

Drink.

More.

Water.

Your body will thank you.

Mine certainly wishes I'd listened sooner.

As always...

I wish every one of you peace, healing, love and light—wherever you are in this wonderfully strange world.

Look after yourselves.

Stay cool.

Stay hydrated.

And if life decides to throw everything at you...

Try not to let it see you laugh.

Sometimes that's the only victory we get.

Warlock Dark Chronic illness survivor, truth-teller, occasional bastard. From My Living Hell (For those who came here by accident: yes, my living hell is real. And yes, we still fight. Every shitty day. With defiance

sick@mylivinghell.co.uk 𒀭𒊩𒆳 ᛞᚱᚨᚷᛟᚾ ᛏᚱᚨᚾᛋᚲᚺᚱᛁᛖᛞ ✦ ᚹᚨᛏᚲᚺᛖᚱ 𒀸𒀭 ᚢᚾᛒᛟᚢᚾᛞ