LOVE and FRIENDSHIP

Multiple Sclerosis been good to me in 2010 and I pray it continues in 2011. Yes, I have had my moments, but it has not been as bad from previous years. There is no doubt in my mind, God does not give us more than we can handle. I know my MS behaved this year because my husband has been going through a lot medically in 2010. I am thankful I had been able to be there for him as he has been there for me when my multiple sclerosis is at its worse.

The unconditional love I feel for my husband, I would gladly have my multiple sclerosis rear its ugly head so he would not have to have any more surgeries or health problems. I cannot see my future without him. Therefore, my wish for 2011 is for the return of my husband's good health, continued better days than worse for me and my virtual friends living with or without Multiple Sclerosis.


See you all again in 2011!

An MS Christmas Story

Read  here about Tim Donovan's MS Christmas gift.
Merry Christmas to everyone!!

Another CCSVI Story

Read this article in today's Star. I can so relate to this woman's story since she too is in the "you don't look sick" category. The cost  for CCSVI surgery in Albany, is pretty reasonable compared to going overseas. I have to decide in the NewYear if I'm going there for the surgery or wait to see what happens in Canada. Albany is close enough that if I have any complications I can easily return there.  I still think that the procedure should be available in Canada, and will continue to support the ongoing lawsuit to acheive that, however: Should I wait?

Yesterday during a lunch outing, someone made a comment that they noticed I'm "not on my game"  the way I use to be. They weren't being mean. It's a simple fact and it's true. I'm not right in the head and I know it. The endless up and down of this MS condition is hard to handle some days. Most people don't notice it but those who are close to me see the changes. If I'm not on my game;  then what is my new game and what is my game  plan? 

Stay Informed About CCSVI

Here are some videos  from the Albany Vascular Group, regarding CCSVI and angioplasty surgery.
Stay informed and make up your own mind.

It has Been Awhile Since I Posted A...

If you had been reading the blog you know, every now and then I post a Did-U-Know, which is my way of passing on some fantastic consumer information news...

After the birth of my first born in 1982 my breast size went from a 36DD to (warning put your drink down now) to 38K. I could not buy a brassier from a regular store; I had to purchase my brassieres from specialty lingerie stores. To me carrying around all those breasts were a curse to everyone else it was envy from woman and sexual gawking from men.

I carried my large twins nicely for many years because they were supported with the best money could buy. However, I had enough of unwanted sexual advances and carrying the weight, so I made a decision against my husband wishes to have a bi-lateral breast reduction. I felt like a new person after my surgery and it was wonderful being able to shop for a brassiere at a regular store again. I became a Victoria Secret gal, I could not get enough of purchasing brassieres from The Secret until I tried a Maidenform, and my preference is their Lilyette Minimizer collection. The secret to Victoria Secret is their brand is overrated. You have to give credit where credit is due when it comes to VS, they have a damn good marketing department.

Anywho, after all these years of being a Maidenform gal, I never knew about the lifetime warranty on their products. I had recently purchase another Lilyette and one of my snaps broke. Instead of throwing the bra away, I contacted the company. I was ecstatic to hear about their lifetime warranty; all I could think of was how much money I threw away over the years when I no longer used a particular style Maidenform brassiere. I felt like a kid in a candy store when I went through my lingerie draw and pulled out the Lilyette brassieres I no longer wore and mailed them off to Maidenform a week ago. Maidenform wasted no time in replacing my brassieres. I received my replacement brassieres TODAY!

All you have to do to replace a Maidenform product is:
Provide your name, address, and phone number inside the package you are returning. I also provided a size and style change for one of the brassieres I sent to them.

If you do not wear Maidenform brassieres and know someone who does PASS THIS ON TO THEM!

Year End

Here's a few snaps I took with my new phone . You think  it would be a simple thing to do, and it is, so long as you ignore the software that comes with the phone. I wasted a precious hour of my life downloading all this junk, not realizing it is totally unnecessary. If I had a jar that  I could put all the hours in that  I have wasted on technology;  I wonder how many stolen hours that  would be? Best not think about it .

The goalie statue is in front of the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.  It's a tribute to  Jacques Plante, the first goalie to wear a mask. Yes Clint Benedict, did wear a mask in the 1930's, but that was only to protect his face after an injury. Plante is the first to wear one regularly to prevent injury and set the standard.  Now every goalie wears a mask. Yes we humans do progress sometimes to avoid  doing dumb things, even if we resist at first.

 The blurry Christmas tree was taken at the Christmas Market in the Distillery District. They took and old whiskey factory and converted it to condos and retail spaces. Imagine;  candles that cost $36 each  !!


  I was in Toronto finishing my Christmas shopping. I tried hard to avoid the mall, yet had to venture there when the big box electronics store didn't have the item I wanted. That's what I get for procrastinating.
What insanity! Watch out for the people walking in crowds, listening to their IPods,  text messaging,  totally oblivious.  People who can't even sit down for five minues to eat their food;  walking around with  a stinky hot dog in one hand, a coffee in the other,  ignoring the " please no food or drinks" signs. I mean are we really in that much of a hurry?

The remaining  photos are from different art galleries and I can't remeber which. I wasn't supposed to take any pictures, but I didn't know that. I don't get why some galleries are OK with you taking pictures and others aren't. The blue and grey picture is one that I edited in my phone to make it look like a drawing. It's a guy's foot.

Good Grief! Only ten days till Christmas. I'm a little worried about the visiting I have to do over the holidays.
My hot/cold spells are driving me crazy! Not so much because I can't cope. It's  more to do with the reactions I get. I'm  so not in the mood for people who will either  feel sorry for me or tell me to pull up my socks.

It Depends Where You Inject

If I did not believe, Copaxone was slowing the progression of my multiple sclerosis. I would not be taking the daily injections. I quit injecting Copaxone in my right buttock two years ago. As of December 7, 2010, I will no longer inject Copaxone in my left arm. It is now December 13, and my left arm is still sore. Immediately after removing the needle from my arm, my arm went limp, pain radiated from my shoulder blade to my fingernails. Trying to lift my arm was like trying to pick up a ton of bricks. I counted the minutes thinking to myself, "In about 15 minutes I should be able to move my arm." I sat in bed watching the clock; it was two hours before I could lift my arm to my face and several hours later before I could lift my arm over my head.

During that time a strange sensation flooded my body, my brain felt like a circuit breaker going haywire, then an extreme fatigue invaded my body, a fatigue I am still experiencing as of today. I have been doing great and feeling fine when I was not taking my injection after my flu shot occurrence. Yes, I had some pain here and there and slight immobility because of nerve pain in my foot during my hiatus from taking a Copaxone injection. Where there is belief, there is doubt, I am questioning is all this is worth the unknown of what happens after an injection.

There are times I do not know what to do when it comes to treating my MS. I do know I will not be taking an injection in my left arm again. There are only five other places I can inject Copaxone. Unless, for some other reason...If or when I experience what recently occurred when I injected my left arm and what I experienced after an injection in my right buttock over two years ago happens in the remaining places I have left to inject.

Regardless of my belief...
There will be no reason for me to continue taking Copaxone.

Politics, Science, or Compassion ?

Here's an article in today's Star about the New Brunswick government's decision to fund CCSVI surgery. Anyone in that province who pays to  travels abroad for "liberation surgery" can apply for  reimbursement. Not sure if they get all their money  back or not.  A nuerologist is questioning  the fund saying it is a political move and not  scientific; whatever that means, and figures it's always a nuero who complains whenever anyone even tries to do something positive in regards to CCSVI.  Oh! and neurologists aren't political ?

The fund is only $500,000 which isn't much considering patient costs are anywhere from $20-$30 thousand.


No doctor,  it isn't science and it isn't politics. It's compassion.

Hot and Cold

 First I'd like to apologize that I may have deleted some comments by accident. I always publish any and all comments. Usually, I like to go back and read  them  again after  they are published but I don't seem to be able to find  a couple. Have to see if I can retrieve them some how..  
 
 OK all my Christmas decorations are up and they look pretty good !! Bonus, is the ever growing display of Christmas greeting cards and postcards, thanks to my postcard club. I'll post some photos once my card "tree" is filled. I have two stands that are meant for photos but work great for postcards.  One looks like a floor lamp, only instead of a shade there are steel  rectangles with clips. The other looks like a big star with the same type of clips at the end of each point. It should look pretty cool once all the cards are in place. 
 
 I' m experiencing an extreme reaction to the cold ; It totally wipes me out.

 It's different from the way I feel on a hot summer day. During the summer, I have to avoid going out on hot sunny days and when I do, I use frozen cold packs to regulate my body temperature . Even if I'm careful the sun and heat leave me wasted. Now, when I'm out in  the cold weather, even if I'm dressed properly the cold makes me so tired. That really sucks too, because I didn't think it was possible to have more fatigue but yes, it seems there is no bottom to these tired depths.

  Saturday, after walking to the hardware store to buy some plumbing supplies ( Oh! that's a whole other post)   I came home and crashed on the couch. I was able to get up and have dinner but that was about it. The rest of the evening was spent in fron of the t.v. Thank goodness for old movies; they are a blessed distraction. I couldn't even manage to pick up  a pen to work on my puzzle book.

That's the second time this happens. Same thing last week when I went out to do some Christmas shopping. Normally in winter I like to walk places if  I can to  get some exercise, which often is my only exercise.  So looks like that's not going to work out . I can't afford to lose an entire day to feeling like a zombie because of half  an hour of walking. AND I do mean zombie .  I'll have to start using the Wii Fit again and stay with my protien diet.

Trying to think of a place in this world that has moderate temperatures but I don't think it exihists.