Catching Up…Sorry About Being Away So Long

Thank GOD School Is Out

April 27 was my last day of class...NO MORE Linear Equations, Scientific Notations, Powers, Polynomials, and their relatives.

Blame them for keeping me from blogging :)





I Hope This Is Not My Last Mid-South Chapter MS Walk

I was not going to walk this year because I was upset the walk was moved from Shelby Farms to H. W. Cox Park in Collierville. I had a change of heart and decided to participate two weeks before the April 4 walk in Collierville. I formed my team and set a goal to raise $500, I thought that was reasonable because of the economy. That goal was achieved less than a week so I raised it up to $1000.00. I am happy to say my team and I raised over a $1000.00 for the MS Mid-South Chapter.

Unfortunately, I am sad to say moving the walk to Collierville was not the same as having the walk in Shelby Farms. It was very noticeable that the attendance was not the same (I guess others felt how I felt in the beginning). The atmosphere at the Collierville walk uninviting and unfriendly. If the Mid-South Chapter decides to continue the MS Walk in Collierville, this year will be my last year participating, but I will continue to donate to the MS Society.

The Mid-South MS Walk always been at Shelby Farms before Collierville start having a walk on the same day about 2 or 3 years ago. The Chapter excuse having it at Collierville’s H.W. Cox Park was it did not cost them and it cost $3,000.00 to have it at Shelby Farms. That is poor excuse to take it away from a traditional site. Free is not always best…less teams signed up, less volunteers’ and less vendors participated. ..most importantly LESS MONEY WAS RAISED.

P.S.

You all know I did not hold back on the survey sent to me by the National MS Society.




NO THANKS DOC

I am no doctor, but in my opinion having morphine entering your body 24/7 is worst than popping a Lortab as needed. I am so use to having pain and I now have a very high pain tolerance, but that tolerance level is penetrated every day. Lortab is prescribed 1 tablet every 4 to 6 hours I take no more than 7 tablets a week. One tablet a day to keep the pain at a level I can tolerate.

I like my neurologist, but I disagree with her preferring to have me on morphine than having me take Lortab, as I need it for pain. She seems to believe Lortab is more addictive than morphine. Hmmm, am I missing something here, I wonder what is the hang up with my neurologist and Lortab.

I am the one who lives with the freaking pain and I should have a say in what I choose to put in my body. There is no freaking way I want to go back on morphine and go through the withdrawals I had when I decided I no longer want morphine entering my body. Hell, It was me having heart palpitations, severe constipation, and feeling as if I would stop breathing any minute while on morphine. Yes, I felt no pain, but I was paying a high cost not to feel...A DECISION HAD TO BE MADE! I prefer to feel than to stop breathing at any moment. The choice is mine and I will make that very clear at my next appointment or I will find another neurologist.


Finally...



My Baby Girl is moving back home. She is not moving back in the nest, she is moving to be near her Mom, Pops, and sisters for a couple of years before she head off to Harvard for her Masters and PHD. I am happy as a kid in a candy store!

Nerve Pain Is Different

In the beginning it was hard for me to distinguish my pain because I experience pain in the joints, muscle, and nerves. All I knew was I was in pain and I wanted it to stop. Now that I know how to distinguish my pain, I know what pain medication works for me which is Cymbalta for my nerve pain and the Duragesic patch for my joint and muscle pain.

The following is an article from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society Mid South Chapter newsletter called the Connection. It is about nerve pain and I can vouch for Cymbalta when it comes to nerve pain it is also an anti-depressant. That’s one capsule that attacks two symptoms of MS and I highly recommend it over Neurontin. Why take three Neurontins a day that only helps with nerve pain when you can take one Cymbalta that helps with nerve pain and depression?

All pain is transmitted by nerves, but nerve pain is different. "Phantom limb pain" is a vivid example of "neuropathic" or nerve pain. This type of pain originates in the central nervous system in injured nerve pathways, not in the bones or muscles. A person with phantom limb pain feels pain in a body part that was amputated in the past.

MS lesions can injure nerve pathways and produce neuropathic pain - or unpleasant sensations called dysethesias (or "di-es-THESE-ee-ahs"). The burning, aching, stabbing, prickling, or itching may start and stop or drag on. MS lesions may also cause "allodynia" (Al-oh-DIN-ee-ah") - which is pain from something that shouldn't be painful. A soft touch, the weight of bed covers; even a cool breeze can be the trigger.

Neuropathic pain is not soothed by the over-the-counter medications that work on muscle pain. Even powerful prescription medications such as Percocet, Lortab, Oxycontin, or Darvocet are not effective for this kind of pain.

Instead, physicians need to prescribe medications that work on nerves. They may be anti-convulsants (such as Tegretol, Dilantin, or Neurontin), antidepressants (such as Elavil), or new drugs approved for diabetic pain (such as Lyrica or Cymbalta). It's not uncommon to try out several drugs to find what works best.

Is There A MS Scam Going On

I am one of those consumers who despise telemarketers. Telemarketers are pesky and annoying and now days most of telemarketing contracts are with prisons or another country.

I might have been one of the first consumers to sign up with the National Do Not Call Registry. My telephone numbers and name should not go off the list until 2010. That is why I couldn’t understand why this telemarketing number 1-877-213-7608 was calling my house. That number start calling my house September 10 asking for my husband who was out of town. I knew it was a telemarketer so I politely told them we are on the do not call list and not to call again.

The pesky *&#* %&@@ called my house everyday exactly at 8:00am and 6:00pm. I became so pissed I final dialed that 800 number and asked in a not so pleasant tone who the hell were they and why are they still calling my house after I asked them not to. Low and behold it was a foreigner who couldn’t speak good English; I was outrage to this intrusion of my privacy.

I decided September 19 to call and report the number. As luck would have it a telemarketer from that same number called before I called to report the number. This time she acknowledges me before asking for my husband. This was my opportunity to find out who the hell is behind this 800 number intruding on my privacy. I was floored to find out she was calling on behalf of the National MS Society and was seeking a donation from my husband because records showed he donates to the MS Society. I challenged her on why she was calling because I have MS and I am an active member of the National MS Society and I raise money every year during the National MS Society Walk Fundraiser and I never known them to do a phone fundraiser.

My first question to her was, “Why is the National MS Society soliciting by phone when as long as I have been involved they never solicit money by phone?” She couldn’t answer it to my satisfaction. I also asked, “If this is a National MS Society fundraiser campaign why would they call contributors who contribute to me on my behalf during the MS Walk." I told her, "I know for a fact my husband and others who are on my list of contributors do not want to be bothered by a phone fundraiser drive." The telemarketer was dumbfounded and all she could say was,” I will not be receiving anymore calls."

I called the Mid-South MS Society headquarters in Nashville MS Society and told them what has been going on for the last week and a half. They too were surprise a phone call fundraiser was going on in their name. I gave them the 800 number and I was told they were going to look into it and let me know because it is not their policy to call and ask for money. I told them, “I did not appreciate it and I know the people on the list I turned in who contributed to the MS Society on my behalf would not appreciate being called and asked for a donation when they have already donated this year.” I also let them know that if this is a new policy of theirs it will hurt my chances for receiving donations next year from my contributors if they are harassed by the aggressive telemarketers who were harassing my household with unwanted phone calls.”

Finally, if this is a new fundraiser drive for the National MS Society, they need to put a stop to it NOW and SHAME on them for having an aggressive telemarketing firm call to beg for money on the behalf of the MS Society. I and many others work our tails off to raise money during the MS Walk and Bike fundraisers and to solicit off the list we turn in to the society is WRONG on many levels.
Mainly, NO ONE wants unsolicited pesky, annoying telemarketers calling them.

Until I know differently I am going to assume the telemarketing calls from someone stating they are representing the National MS Society as a SCAM.

Still Not My Time...The Choice Is Not Mine To Make

My frame of mind is better. When I opened my eyes I didn’t expect to still be here, but I am bless that I am. I know longer wanted to pick up the gun and shoot myself. The mind living with multiple sclerosis can become so confused to the point all you can think about is ending life.

To ease my pain and suffering I would have inflicted pain, confusion, guilt, and hurt to my family. I lost control of all my rationale thinking during a temporary mental lapse in judgment. I allowed the worsening of my symptoms from the heat
cloud my better judgment. I allowed the heat to imprison me inside my home again instead of living life.

The last time I became that suicidal is when I had to inject myself with the inch and a half needle into my muscle to control my ms symptoms. That was years ago and suicide is one of the serious side effects of Avonex. Of course I was immediately taken off of it and I had been injecting myself with Copaxone since. Copaxone is not known for causing suicidal tendencies, but I will mention to my neurologist how close I came on July 07, 2007. I honestly didn’t have control of my actions and that is something to be concern about. I do not want to take my life by my own hands. Did the heat affect my brain to that point? I don’t know, all I know at the time I felt hopeless and tired of living.

Because of my actions it is time start seeing my psychologist again. He was able to see me today and it was decided it’s important to come back to find out why I suddenly and out of no where wanted to die. If anyone can help me understand my actions on July 07, Dr. J is the one to help me. He is the one who gave me the courage years ago to leave my house, get over fear, panic and anxiety attacks when I allowed my illness to control my life. He is also the one who freed me from my self impose home prison.

I feel embarrassed admitting and exposing to the world that I wanted to take my life July 07, 2007. The embarrassment is admitting I too can become weak and loose control of my rationale thinking. It takes courage to realize I needed help and do something about it and I have always been a courageous person, I just lost sight of it July 07, 2007.

I guess God is not finish with me after all.