2009 MS SCHOLARSHIP AWARD

I am a firm believer in EDUCATION...It was a blessing to have all my daughters go to college on scholarships. The advantage searching for scholarships are:

1. You do not have to spend all your money or take out parent loans.

2. Your child will not be thousands and thousands of dollars in debt when they graduate college.

I use to have a website called "DID U KNOW" that listed hundreds of scholarships, but since my children graduated college, I no longer maintain that website. I try to let you MS'ers with college bound children or MS'ers who are seeking to go to college for the first time know about the National MS Society Scholarship in advance.

The Society established its scholarship program in 2003 and the program continues to grow in terms of both support and scholarships awarded. In its first year of operation, the program awarded 36 scholarships for a total of $68,000; in 2008, a total of $1.14 million was awarded to 518 scholars.

2009 Scholarships — Scholarship applications for 2009 awards will be available October 1, 2008. Applications may be submitted from October 15, 2008 through January 15, 2009 and scholars receive notice in May 2009.

The application form will be available on this site in October. It will remain posted until the closing date (Jan. 15). National MS Society chapters will also have applications. Contact your chapter by calling 1-800-344-4867.

CLICK HERE FOR FAQ

A Butler and A Chauffeur

Sitting in the back of a cab this morning on the way to the hospital, I thought if I ever have a big huge pile of money, I will hire a butler and chauffeur (with car) for each and every person I know with MS. OK even for people I don't know.

Wouldn't it be the answer ? Wake up in the morning to a lovely breakfast on a tray,the morning paper next to it, and a vase with a single rose. The mail on a silver tray presented by Jeeves, the butler, ( what else would he be called) .
Have an MRI that day ? No problem. The chauffeur has the car ready at the front of the house ready to go at a moment's notice. While at the hospital, all the errands are done, chores completed, and a meal prepared. Feeling hot and tired on arriving home? No worries, as a bath has been drawn and fresh clothes laid out on the bed. I could go on and on .

In fact why couldn't the insurance pay for an arrangement like that? What with all the money spent on nurses , carers, wheel trans, drugs, and doctors etc. I'm sure everybody would need less drugs and less medical care if they didn't wear out, struggling to keep themselves and their household in order . I bet if a cost comparison were done, my arrangement would be equal or even less than the current system we have, which is certainly inefficient, not to mention frustrating.

Yeah, Butler and Chauffeur is the way to go . Now if I could just win the lottery or be appointed health minister.

The MRI was a breeze I only needed to be in the machine for twenty minutes. It was a good one too with a mirror inside and music. Even though that crazy MRI is very loud it was nice to hear some Beatles playing in the background. The mirror gives the illusion of being less confined and I'm all for illusions if they help me get through a medical.

I went home after wards as I was still not feeling that good. That's the reason I splurged on a cab, to make sure I kept the appointment no matter how lousy I was feeling.

This evening I'm better so it's work for me tomorrow. If my work situation would only improve there , things would be fine. No doubt, the uncertainty only aggravates my symptoms . It's a Friday before a long weekend, so I'm hoping most of the jerks will be off.
Not much to do this evening and it's way too hot to go out . After the barbecue is done, I'm going to waste some time playing the Sims 2.

Here's a link to that show about brain trauma and the DTI scan.

Split In Half

Daughter: “Mom are you okay.”

Me: “Yes, I am okay why you ask.”

Daughter: “You do not look well and you are walking funny.”

Me: “To be honest, I feel as if I am split in half.” “I have been trying to ignore I am having problems with my right leg, but now the entire right side of my body feels different from my left.”
My daughter looks at me very hard then she says, “You know the right side of your face does look weaker than the left.” I gasp, “You are kidding me” with a straight face she said, “No I am not, that is why I asked if you are okay because you looked off to me today and you are moving around the house like you are okay, but I can tell you are not. Sit down and tell me what needs to be done, I will take care of it.”

A relief came over me because I could now tell my family how I have been feeling since we been home from Texas. I been going acting like all is well, but deep down I knew my body was going through changes. I came home from Texas anxious to get back to blogging and visiting my virtual MS blogging buddies site and my other favorite non MS blog sites that I push what was going on with my body out of my mind.

When I was in Texas during the first two weeks in July, I blamed Texas HEAT and HUMIDITY on the new affliction my body was experiencing. Not only did I have to deal with a summer cold that flared my MS, I quietly suffered with a debilitating pain that hit me in on my right side. When I would step on my right leg, a lightening bolt pain would hit me directly in the small of my back on the right side and forcibly radiate down my right leg that knocked me off balance. I could not walk, I tried to take a step again and the same thing happened. Instead of alarming my family I tearfully went to bed and prayed to God, “Please do not let MS rob me of my mobility NOW, not NOW with all that is going on with “E” he would not be able to handle this NOW. I am aware of what MS can take from me, but this is not the time. Please take what is afflicting my body right now away and while you are at it take this cold with you.”

I could not reveal what was happening to me because my family was grieving the lost of Moma Nora. I was able to hide what was happening because everyone already knew I was feeling bad from my summer cold. Fortunately, my prayer was answered the temporary lost of the use of my right leg was brief. I was happy to leave the Texas HEAT and HUMIDTY behind, but a heat wave was waiting for me when we returned to Tennessee. My summer cold and MS flare was better when I returned home and I did not experience that new affliction I experienced in Texas. I thought to myself, “It must have been the heat that caused the right side of my body to do what it did in Texas.”

Sadly, that was not the case. I cannot get angry that the new affliction my body was feeling returned because at the end of the day my prayer was answered God took it away while I was in Texas. I tried to go about my day by ignoring how painful and weak the right side of my body felt. I literally felt like two people and I still feel that way as I type this blog post. The left side of my body feels normal, I cannot say the same for my right side...imagine this:

On the right side of my body I have a headache, my eye feels lazy, my arm have a lightning bolt pain striking me above my elbow, and my back have radiating pain shooting through it. My hip has a standing sharp pain in the joint that connects my hip and leg bone, and to make matters worse, my leg feels numb as if it is being weighed down by a ton of bricks.

I start feeling this way on the third day upon my returned from Texas, I thought if I was still wearing the Fentanyl patch I probably would not be feeling none of this. That is what I LOVED about the Fentanyl patch, I did not felt ANYTHING, and I was PAIN FREE. I have been tempted to call my doctor for a prescription, but instead I have been taking Lortab 10mg to get some relief from the pain when I could no longer tolerate it.

If the networks ever have a game show on who could tolerate pain the longest before taking something for it I would probably win.

I went to see my neurologist yesterday and I am scheduled to have a MRI Tuesday of my C-Spine and T-Spine to check and see if I developed lesions on the spine. I am optimistic that my MRI will be negative and I am mentally prepared to accept the worse case scenario.

I am holding on to the belief it is the HEAT that is causing my body to temporarily split in half and the two sides will unite in harmony once this heat wave is over.

Three Strikes , You're Out !

These trees remind me of pineapples. Put them on here just to cheer me up. As I'm writing this there's a show on about DTR imaging, which can see white matter in the brain. They use it for people with concussions. I'll have to go to the website later to find out more as it seems like it might be something they could use for MS ?

I tried three times to get to work today. Got up at 6:00 a.m. and wobbled over to the bathroom, nearly fell off the toilet. Decide to go back to bed. Got up again at 7:15 still feeling odd, so I went back to bed. I must have fallen asleep because I woke from a dream around 8:30 . Got up, managed to get washed, and partly dressed. Went down to the kitchen to make tea and breakfast. Couldn't manage eating and flopped on the couch. Sipped a bit of tea and realized there was no way I was fit for work. Called up my new boss ( yeah another one) and took a sick day. I wasn't happy about it, in fact I was really down. Vegetated on the couch watching the news till my son got up. Normally when he's around I try hard to rally and cover up how lousy I feel. Couldn't do it this morning, I was so weak. I smiled at him and mentioned that there was tea. He made a couple of comments about me being home , saying it was turning into another wanker week for me( he's joking) . We sat and chatted for awhile . I stayed there all morning like that, sort of watched a movie .

Later I remembered that I had an appointment with the lawyer at 4:30 to wrap up the mortgage stuff. Spent the rest of the day trying to psyche myself to go. I did make it, yet it was touch and go and I couldn't wait to get back home. At least I did manage to make dinner . There was left over raspberry cake for dessert, which finished off the meal nicely.

Well I'm sure not off to a good start working again. Am I ?

Tomorrow is MRI day . I booked a cab as I have to be at the hospital by 7:15 a.m and considering the way I feel right now, it's the only way I'll be able to make it there.
Not looking forward to a new hospital and a different machine. If I ever get this mess sorted at work that will be it for me .No more messing around with MRI's or any other tests. I don't see the point. The question is: When will it be sorted ?

Too sick and tired to blog tonight. Bad scene at work

Half a Loaf

Busy tonight cooking. I decided I may as well take advantage of coming home early to get some food ready for the week. There should be enough to last till Friday, which I think will be a pizza or fish "n" chips night. Then I have a long weekend thanks to a civic holiday on Monday. I'll do another cooking marathon then. I hate coming home during the week when I'm tired , having no clue what to make for dinner. It's going to be a real hot humid week too . I'm sure to be a rag doll.
The meeting this morning went fine, better than I expected, and similar to what my horoscope said( see post below) . I'm getting a temporary accommodation until the Health Canada assessment is done. The expression "better half a loaf than none", is fitting to describe my feelings about it. It's a relief.
I was so tired from not sleeping last night that I left work after the meeting and came right home. Worry, stress ,and tingling feet , do not make for a good night's rest. Maybe that will improve now.

I get to start a bit later in the morning because my "trainer" won't be in till 8:30.She has to show me how to use a new data base. I could most likely figure it out on my own ,but she's trying to be nice, so I'll just go along with it.

That's it for tonight. Have to go check on my pasta sauce that is simmering away here.
I did get some good stamps from Pakistan, in the mail today, and a cool lightning post card from Oklahoma.
Can't wait for the Olympics and the U.S. elections to be over. I'm so sick of both stories highjacking the news.

The Day You See a Unicorn

Went walking around the park at Dundurn Castle this evening. Forgot my camera, so here's a photo of it from last year. It still looks the same.The little red circle is around a toyI hosted for toy voyagers.He's still traveling the world. I think he's in Taiwan now.

My son always jokes that when I forget my camera that's when I'll see a Unicorn.

Speaking of my son : He found out last night, that he's been hired as a staff writer for the university newspaper "The Underground". His first assignment will be to cover Frosh week. He also received funding for his independent newspaper "Surface". Good Luck Billy !

Normally I try not to read too much into horoscopes; today's is sending me a message I think.

Libra (Sept. 23 — Oct. 23)

Wait and see. Let someone play his or her cards first and you'll see what your next step should be.

Perhaps it has something with my meeting at work tomorrow ? If you are reading this, send some positive vibes my way please. It would be most appreciated.

My 3 months off was great. Well worth the loss in salary . Now I just have to finish paying it off, ha ha. Didn't accomplish much, like building a bridge or anything( not that I know how to do that).

To have time, precious time , to think, mediate, and enjoy pleasant diversions , was a tonic that no drug, no money, no material object, can match.

I'm wearing shorts to work tomorrow. Knee length, slim leg ones. That's a big deal for me since I normally dress up for work. Not anymore. I'm through climbing the career ladder and if I can't have anything else, I should at least be comfortable.