Tysabri Q & A by Lauren P.

Lauren
is the first person with Multiple Sclerosis that visit and commented on my blog. Lauren is an inspiration to me. She has been living with MS longer than I have and to watch her video being self efficient calmed my fear when or if MS force me into a wheelchair.

Today Lauren is an advocate for Tysabri and through her, I keep up with how Tysabri is working for her and others for the day I decide to use Tysabri. Yes, I am a coward when it comes to Tysabri. I am still afraid of taking Tysabri because of the risk of PML and how it came on the market. After visiting her site today and watching (another young woman by the same name Lauren) she has inspired, who is taking Tysabri, I decided to start weekly YouTube post from people living with MS.


Q & A Part 1
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Q & A Part 2
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Song For The Week "One Love"

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When Worlds Collide

When I first entered the blogosphere, I was angry with our Government and the Democrat Party for allowing things to happen without putting up a fight. I was questioning my loyalty to the Party and was thinking about becoming an Independent voter. I start searching and reading information about both political parties in our country and discovered there was a movement for a Green Party. Hmm, who knew that surprised me and it was interesting to discover a third party movement.

While I was on my quest reading about our country political parties, I discovered blogging. I realized average citizens were blogging about politics, it was interesting reading others viewpoints about politics and discovering I was not alone in how I was feeling. My love for blogging began, I knew I did not want to blog about politics; therefore I began blogging about living with multiple sclerosis.

In the beginning, I kept my post strictly about my experiences with MS and MS related information before I knew it I was talking about what was on my mind. I began questioning myself many times about publicly talking about my life. I start feeling naked and fearing possible lunatics were lurking around. I claim I accidentally deleted my blog last year, it was not an accident I deleted it because of feeling naked and fearing lunatics.

Immediately after I hit the delete button, I wanted to reach into cyberspace and retrieve it because a part of me was forever gone and floating in cyberspace. Blogging was a comfort for me it was a way for me to release my thoughts and feelings before my mind burst. It was also my way of holding on to what I felt I was loosing. My cognitive is not the same living with MS, blogging is my way of working to hold onto what was changing in my life such as remembering words, spelling, writing, and putting sentences together.

Another reason why I love to blog is the virtual friendships. I did not expect to form virtual friendships in the blogosphere, but I did. As I stated before my blogging began because of politics. My very first blog experience began with a local political blogger. Leftwing's blog will always hold a special place with me I have found other special places I like to visit through him, one being The Flypaper Theory . Because of one of the contributors at TFT, Christian Progressive Liberal , I discovered many African Americans who blog. From the words of bloggers you see their character and virtual friendships are formed.

There came a time regarding politics in my city an issue I was having, one of my virtual friends let me know that he had my back and so would the others. When I called on him by email from his response and action, I knew he had my back. I will never forget that, I will also never forget the post I saw on one of their sites wishing me well once. I knew eventually I would meet my favorite local bloggers, Newscoma and CPL one day.

I thought that day would be when I came to one of their bloggers event, social event, or a political event. Each time I decided to attend one of the announced events, my illness was exacerbated and I would not attend. The highlight of my week was when I was feeling good enough to attend Congressman Steve Cohen's open house to congratulate Randy Wade on his promotion. My virtual world and real world collided. I met Freedonian, the blogger I mentioned who had my back during an issue I was having in my city. He is not blogging much now because he is writing a book, but I check in because I love reading his writing.

It was an honor to meet him in person and surprised that he was honored to meet me. I truly enjoyed our chance encountered and the cherry on top of the end of my week was when he called me Thursday while at a social function with other bloggers I consider virtual friends wanted to speak to me after he was telling them he met me. I had the pleasure of talking with Newscoma and LWC. It was great to speak to LWC after leaving my rant on his site Thursday morning assuming he was this obnoxious person on another blog because I was given the opportunity to verbally apologize for my rant. In my heart I did not believe that was him, but I was blinded by that word and assumed it to be him.

Politics was the reason I start blogging, but I have discovered bloggers who blog about multiple sclerosis and other issues. I might not ever meet any of my fellow MS bloggers, but they have become part of my virtual world. The information they put on their blogs is enjoyable and helpful to read. They also can relate as I can to blog post that only a fellow MS’ers understand. They all have fantastic blogs, but I have to give Merelyme the award for her thought provoking blog posts.

A Fantastic Game For MS'ers and Adults

I would have never thought that in a million years I would promote a Nintendo game. Well, I am and if you have Multiple Sclerosis, you might want to consider purchasing the Nintendo DS, the average prices is $129.00. Believe me it will be worth the money because you can play the following two games that help MS’ers with their Cognitive and Vision.








I believe Brain Age is good for our Cognitive









I also believe Flash Focus is good for our Vision.











You do not have to have MS to enjoy the above two games, it is also good if you are getting up in AGE :)

Moving On...

I do believe I would make an excellent Alderman here in my city. I had several people call me, on the day an Aldermen died strongly suggesting I submit my name to fill his seat until the elections later this year. I told supporters who want me to run for aldermen that I am still on the fence about an elective office.

Many times, I am lead by my heart and one day this week after saying my prayers. I was lead to write a letter of interest to fill the vacancy on the board because of the sudden death of a very good alderman. I fought with myself to send the letter of interest because I know I would not be considered, but I did what I was lead to do and sent it.

The reason I know why I would not be considered is that for years I have been very opinionated before the board mainly about the police and developers. I also will not be considered because I am a FAIR person, I will always side on what is right and a person like me do not make it far in politics. Finally, the main reason why I will not be considered is that I am female and black. I would be the first black person to seat on the board in this city history.

With all that said, I was seriously considering running for the elective seat this year. I have black, white, well off, and poor supporters who are encouraging me to run because they know I am a fair person. My husband and children are my biggest supporters because they know it is my passion to help others and do not look for nothing in return.

I know I am going to disappoint many people. Politics is downright dirty and I do not have the luxury of health to do battle just to win an elective seat. My health would not prevent me from doing a good job. I also do not think my health can take the stress of campaigning if it becomes dirty. The position of Aldermen in my city pays $300.00 a month and I have no problem with that because for me it is not about the money. For others who play dirty to sit on a board it for reason that makes politics dirty.

Therefore, I am sure some who are sitting on that board including the Mayor will be relieved when they find out I will not be running. I wish I were a fly on the wall when they received my letter of interest. I can image the looks on some of their faces wondering which one of them I was going to oppose this year.

The way I feel right now I am tired of it ALL. Politics bring out the worse in people. Why that is I do not know, I am tired, I give up and I quit? I need to stop worrying and fighting for the under dog it is a thankless and unappreciative job. From this moment on, I am going to try to suppress my passion of helping others. My immediate world is fine, I need to learn how to not worry about others and only get involved if it personally affects me.

UPDATE

I received a call from one of the Aldermen that received my letter of interest. It was very interesting, if he knew about my blog he would have had an answer to his subtle inquiry. Let the fun begin, but without me...I wonder if I should have told him I know who is going to challenge him. Naw, he will find out soon enough.


Second UPDATE

It felt good visiting my fellow MS'ers blogs today and staying away from the political blogs.

Happy Birthday

I was a child when you stood up against racial oppression for African Americans. Had it not been for you, I would not have had the opportunities I had in my life. I thank you sincerely and I try to live my life working towards seeing your dream which is also my dream come to fruition.

Politics In America and Being Black

This post probably disturb some of my MS bloggers, but I have always been opinionated and when it is election time in my city and America, I am just as opinionated. This is going to be a long blog entry and it is going to be an entry that I keep up for awhile.

Politics is a F****ing Dirty Game and with the season upon us again. I am reliving the HELL I went through supporting the city I live in Mayor, remembering the racially charged election that happened in the city Memphis Mayor race in 2007, and now witnessing the under handed tactics of the Clinton camp.

I personally cannot get absorbed in the wonderful world of politics, my mind is made up as to what I am going to do, which is not support the Mayor of my city this year and not vote for Hillary Clinton if she wins the Democrat nomination.

Once I am finished writing how I am feeling about politics in America I will update this post and remove myself from America Politics for a few weeks. Hell, I just got over from an exacerbation and I will be damned if I work myself up to another one behind politics. Which is nothing more than a different day, but the same sh*t.

UPDATE

They are keeping it real in the Fields about what is happening in this race for POTUS. I will not post my personal local fight when it comes to politics. What I like about the Fields is that people of all races express their honest opinions and there is honest dialogue. MSM need to realize that there is a lot of power from political blogs hosted by African Americans. What you see happening on a national level in politics is just as bad on a local level.

I am ready for a freaking change when it comes to politics and race. I hope that this will be the year African Americans and other minorities make an impact on how Democrats and Republicans treat the minority vote.

This is shaping up to be the year when both parties will hear minorities and the poor loud and clear.