Super Mom

Super Mom
Flying with MS
I hope you find some humor, information or a smile for your day. If you are reading this, you may have MS or know someone with MS. The main thing to remember is we are normal people who learn how to go about our daily lives in different and sometimes unique ways.

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Flying with MS

I have been battling with fatigue and heat seems to be affecting me a little more than before. Of course, since I am getting older the heat sensitivity could also be “HOT FLASHES”. Fatigue is very hard to explain to your family. When people ask me what is wrong I will say, “I am tired”. This is not the type of tired that sleeping more or resting can get rid of. Yes, resting and sleeping will take the edge off but I am tired first thing in the morning when I wake up.


The great news is that I have found a few new stretches and pressure points to add to my repertoire of physical therapy exercises and I hope to see a change soon. I have also revisited the articles and books about diet and Multiple Sclerosis. I don’t like the information about the foods I need to limit and drop altogether. How can any human survive without dairy products? I think I even like milk better than my beloved Dr. Pepper, which may also be on the list of foods to avoid. I will let everyone know how the will-power holds during this next process of looking at a better approach to eating and surviving MS.


I have now checked off one item on my Bucket List. SKYDIVING!!!! Yes you read that right. I jumped, or was pushed out of a perfectly good airplane and loved every minute of it. Here on the ground I walk with a limp and sometimes walk a little from side to side. I have stopped playing basketball and I am sure not jogging or running a race any more. But for a few brief seconds I was flying in the air and rolling and swinging from side to side like everyone else who jumped out of the plane. No one saw the lady limping or the one using a cane they just saw a person with a huge grin on her face falling to earth and flying weightless for a few brief seconds. It was heaven!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I would do it again tomorrow. The things that were scaring me the most were the issues and limitations due to my legs while I was on the ground. Once I got past all of those issues and I was sitting on the side of the plane looking down I felt like a normal person. Too bad I can’t just fly around every day. I would even get a cape and maybe put “Super Mom” on it. I am sure that would completely embarrass my kids.

Keep on smiling and think about me when you get that falling feeling in your stomach.


Joy

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

My own stupidity amazes me......

The only term for what I did is, “Dumbass.”

I have been trying Yoga for several weeks. The yoga has been kicking my backside but I think in the long run it will really help my MS. I have fallen a few times and pulled a few muscles and defenently made my hip sore. I have spent the last week lying on a heating pad at night to help the stiffness. Progress and recovery seemed to be happening slowly but I saw improvement.

Last night, I did the same thing I always have done while getting ready for bed but, evidently I did something very wrong. I woke up at about 3:32 am and felt like I had be lying on a cord or something and had a raised whelp on my hip. I rubbed it and rolled the other way to go back to sleep. I rubbed it again and it was wet. The thought that maybe I really was getting old, wetting the bed entered my mind. Only my hand was wet.

I stumbled into the rest room and looked in the mirror and could not believe what I saw. A burn as big as my palm and fingers was on my skin along with several large blisters. Here is when that whole dizzy state started again. Lying down on the bathroom floor, I asked my husband to come help me. He thought that maybe I had an allergic reaction but it was only my own stupidity that had given me a burn.

A doctor’s visit, three prescriptions, a visit to the pharmacy and a ten year tetanus shot later and now lots of people know that I am STUPID. The nurse kept trying to tell me that people do things like this all the time but it did not help as she is wrapping my burn, pulling skin and telling me how to make sure this does not get infected.

I have definitely learned that I have lost some feeling in that leg and need to be more careful. I am blessed that I did not do more damage. How major burn victims endure their injuries is not in my realm of understanding. This one small hand-size mild burn hurts and is uncomfortable so lots of prayers are sent out for all those in the world who are dealing with this type of pain. My burn will be gone in a short amount of time with no lasting scars except for my ego.

Just remember when you think you have done something silly or stupid, there is ALWAYS someone else out there who is out scoring you on the “dumb-o-meter.”

Joy

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Funny Pages

I am sorry it has been so long since my last blog. Life is going by me in a flash. So much has happened in a short period of time.

I have been fortunate and found another job. I am working in a collision shop in the front office, answering the phone and doing some computer work. I like the job very much and the other people who work there are very nice to me. Again I am astounded by my good fortune.

Overall my health has been very good. I went to my youngest son’s football game the other night and a friend commented about my not using a cane. I really have not had to use it very often in the last 3 months.

Life has at times put me in difficult situations. I can laugh about them now but at times I want to cry. Laughing is easier. I had a very bad kidney infection a month ago. I was in so much pain that a few times I went down to the floor because my back hurt so badly; very different prospective from down there. I finally got to the doctor and got some medication. I went to work on Monday when I probably should have stayed home. Monday night I had taken the medication and the two different types of pain medications. I went to the rest room during the night and after washing my hands I felt light headed so I sat down at the vanity in the bathroom. Putting your head between your legs is probably not the best idea when you are on medications but more importantly putting your head between your knees is not a good idea when you have balance issues.

Before I could stop myself or even realize how stupid I was going to look, I fell forward off the stool and hit my head on the cabinets below my sink. Being the quick contortionist that I am, I caught myself. You may start laughing!!!!!!!!! I now have the back of my head up against the bathroom cabinets, my palms on the floor; I am still on my feet so my backside is sticking straight out. My husband calls from the bedroom and asks if I am alright and I say yes. What else am I supposed to say? The only thought running through my head is, “there is no way I can get up from this position.” A few quick ideas went in and out of my mind but I knew that going down to the floor was the only way out for me. I tipped over sideways on the rug making sure not to go back and hit my head on the stool. This brought my husband into the bathroom to see what all the noise was.

Now I am lying on the floor in a fetal position pouring sweat. He asks if he can help me up and I tell him, “ no, I am sweating too much and just want to stay there for a while.” I guess he has learned to leave me alone in those situations and I was fine after a while. I eventually stopped sweating and returned to bed. Thankfully I was off on Tuesday and spent most of the day in bed sleeping. By Wednesday I was well on my way to a full recovery with the exception of the visual image I had in my head of being stuck up against the cabinet with my backside in the air.

I enjoyed telling the boys about my late night adventure and how I scared their father. My sister got a good laugh out of my adventure, but she is used to me falling a lot.

One of my funny children put a sign on my iPod-touch that says, “It takes skill to trip on flat surfaces.” Well I must be one of the most skilled people around. I use my gifts to the fullest of my abilities. Next time I will tell you about being trapped under a chair at work. Please laugh with me so I have company!

See you in the funny pages,

Joy

Monday, July 20, 2009

Bad Turned GREAT!!!!

I was “let go” at my job recently. It hurt my feelings to think that they did not need me. How could they survive without me? More importantly, where would I ever find a job in my condition? Sounds like a cry-baby to me and, that is exactly what I was doing. But that all changed really quickly.

I went to the doctor a few days later and got some very encouraging news. The Dr. told me that he would not change anything I was doing or medications I was taking. I have now been over a year without a major exacerbation, my balance has improved, and my coordination is not getting worse. My mild vertigo seems to have faded away. WHAT GREAT NEWS! To me this was almost like getting a clean bill of health. I am not cured but it is not progressing at a fast rate. Again, I am blessed.

After the doctor left, I spoke with his wonderful nurse about what he said to me during the appointment. She told me that I was so positive about my MS, and she thought that is where I was making the biggest difference in my own treatment. I left the office on cloud nine and finally felt a small bit of proof that my hard work was paying off. I can do this and I will win!

My day got even better. I know you are having a hard time believing I could have gotten more good news in one day. On the way home from the doctor’s office, I received a call from the veterinarian our family pets use. I won a drawing for a free year of Sentinel, heart worm preventative. Voicing concern that she must have called the wrong person, I was quickly reassured that I had registered and won. I told her that I always register and never win but I would pick it up before she changed her mind.

I recently visited my sister in another state and stayed 3 days longer than planned since my schedule is flexible now. I have also revisited my “project” list here at home, and I have plenty of things to keep me busy for a long while. My renewed belief in my exercise and physical therapy efforts will also take some additional time since I know that it is one of my top priorities.

A secret hope of mine is that when my older son has his senior night for Basketball in 3 more years, I will be able to accompany him to mid-court without any trouble. Once I meet this first goal, then I will work on doing the same with my younger son 3 years after that. I will keep all of you posted on my progress.

Walking with a twinkle in my eye,

Joy