Held Captive Only If You Allow It

Summer is a beautiful time of the year. Lots of activities and events are planned for outdoors. Unfortunately, when you live with multiple sclerosis the heat during the summer can hold you captive if you allow it.

I was looking forward to attend an annual political picnic Saturday. I knew it was going to be hot, but I was not going to let that keep me from trying to make the event this year. The heat was extreme, I could not last any more than getting out my car and making it to the grounds. Oh, well that is life living with MS. I felt good trying it instead of staying captive in the house because of the temperature outside. There is always next year.

It can get depressing when you try to attend an outside function and the heat is too much for you to enjoy it. Instead of getting depress always have a back up plan or two if you have to leave an outside event because of the heat. Enjoy every day of the summer month regardless of the heat. Plan accordingly by monitoring the weather report.

The weather report for next week here is 97 degrees across the board, with the heat index well over 100. I already planned accordingly :)


I AM NOT GOING TO LET THE HEAT OF THE SUMMER HOLD ME CAPTIVE IN MY HOUSE…HAVE A WONDERFUL SUMMER…I PLAN TO!

Blame It - Jamie Foxx- BARACK OBAMA SPOOF

With all that is wrong in this country, I will have PATIENCE for President Obama to evoke CHANGE. He is only one man it is the men and women on Capitol Hill who we the American people should hold responsible if change is slow in coming or does not come at all...Remember The Republican Party talking piece want him to fail. Hmmm, there is something wrong with the Americans who hang on every word of an addict that speaks for the Republican Party?

President Barack Obama did not create this mess in America, but they the Republican Party want people to believe its President Obama’s fault. Let us not forget it was them, the Republican Party in charged for the last eight years and rubber stamped the Bush Administration. I also blame men and women of the Democrat Party for not putting up a fight to the bullying of the Republican Party.

To sum up opinion BOTH PARTIES are the blame for the mess the United States is experiencing. Capital Hill has been bought and paid for by the super rich and big businesses. I personally am ready for new, young, intelligent, uncorrupt faces with new ideas on Capital Hill who is not afraid to take on the thieves that robbed America blind.


click here...I endorse Blame IT-Jamie Foxx-Barack Obama Spoof

Americans Are What Is Wrong With America…

When is it going to stop…?

My healthcare coverage was the best to have, but over the years, benefits are slowly disappearing, while my premium is slowly rising. Out of pocket expenses were something I did not dread, but I dread going to get a prescription. Co-pays are steadily increasing. So far, I am still one of the fortunate ones to afford my drugs to fight MS… What about the ones who cannot afford to take the expensive Avones, Beastron, Copaxone, Rebif, and Tysabri to slow the progression of multiple sclerosis.

DMD’s cost more than what many Americans make a year, mine in particular cost $1700.00 a month. I will not be surprise if day come when my health insurance carrier find a way for me to pick up most of that cost. If that day comes, I will be like many other Americans deciding between purchasing my prescriptions over purchasing food to live.

I am pissed off; I am sick and tired of our legislators the Democrats and Republicans bullshitting when it comes to my life. The Dems and the Repubs want American people to believe they are working hard in our best interest to fix the healthcare crisis.

I do not give two rats asses which party comes up with a solution for the healthcare crisis here in America. The writing on the wall started when HMO’s came to America in the early 80’s. Healthcare has been changing and rising at the disadvantage to the American people since the HMO white horse rode into a town near you.

To fix the healthcare crisis here in America, it is time for Americans to demand the same coverage Congress receives. I plan to write my representatives demanding the opportunity to have the coverage they receive. It is time for all Americans to DEMAND IT!

I remember then candidate for President Obama saying during his campaign, "Americans deserve the same coverage offered to Congress." Therefore, if Congress is having a problem putting together legislation to offer us the same coverage they have because of the Democrat and Republican bipartisanship bullshit. The American people need to remind them whom they work for during their election year, and VOTE their asses out of office, and put some fresh blood in...which is what Americans should do to kick start fixing what is wrong in America!

Remember they are in Washington to be working for us and not for the Insurance and Pharmecutical industry poiitical donations and perks.

Health Care for U.S. Congress

What Is Worse Than A Winter Cold?

ANSWER

A Summer Cold!


It has been years since I had a cold, I guess it is a cold. It could be allergies or sinusitis. Any who, whichever it is, its time to take it to the doctor. Over the counter meds are not doing squat.

I can’t breath out of one of nostrils, the other nostril is working at 75%, my throat is itching, my ears are ringing, coughing, one minute I am cold, the next I am hot, but most of all...

I CANNOT SLEEP. When I lay down, I have to get back up because what will not come out my nose is choking me.

Hubby think I should go see my doctor ASAP…of Dr. BlindersOff think she can wait until her physical appointment Tuesday.

My Condolences

Words are not enough to comfort a mother when a child dies.

This MS candle burns for you Sherry. My prayers and thoughts are with you. May you find the strength to carry on.

Vitamin D Deficiency

I finally had my Vitamin D level checked and to my surprise, I am severely deficient in Vitamin D. The reference range for Vitamin D in the body is 32 – 100. Hell, my range was a 9, I was damn near depleted of Vitamin D.

A cousin of mine who is in the health nutrition industry brought the importance of Vitamin D in our system and the importance of African Americans to have their level check to my attention about a year ago. The reason being African Americans do not absorb the sun natural resource of vitamin D. She also mentioned, a lot of the pain I experience could not only be from multiple sclerosis, but also from the lack of Vitamin D.

My MS rollercoaster has been taking me for a ride. It was time to find out if there was something to this Vitamin D after reading about it. I did not have nothing to lose if I had to take another pill and if taking pills for Vitamin would help my cause living life with MS. I was all for it.

When my results came in, my doctor immediately but me on 50,000 ui of vitamin D a week, I thought I was going to have to take a handful of pills to get that much vitamin D a week. Fortunately, our good ole pharmaceutical companies make a 50,000 capsule and I take one a week.

It has been four weeks now and I have to admit I feel a lot better. I am experiencing moderate instead of severe pain now. That severe anxiety I experienced that damn near drove me insane has disappeared. Cymbalta helps, but I notice a tremendous difference since I have been taking vitamin D.

Although it is wise for African Americans to get their Vitamin D checked, I would suggest everyone who have health problems to have their Vitamin D checked. The medical community is doing more research about the harm of having a vitamin D deficiency. Instead of trying to blog about the different ways a lack of vitamin D can effect your life…check it out in your spare time on the provided links below.

Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms

Vitamin D and Mental Illness

Why Vitamin D May Be A Hidden Epidemic

Vitamin D May Prevent Multiple Sclerosis

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!

Why I Walk:

A Mother's Love


PAIN does not begin to describe the physical beatings MS delivers to my mother on a daily basis. PAIN does not begin to describe how MS mentally torments my mother on a daily basis. But HOPE, COMPASSION, L.O.V.E., DETERMINATION, DEDICATION, PERSISTENCE, COURAGE, STRENGTH, HUMILITY, FEARLESSNESS, AWARENESS, and MOTIVATION describe the characteristics she embodies that enable her to reject the condemnation that MS tries to inject in her spirit.

So many times she could have given in to the PAIN, and so many times she has DECIDED to fight - to not let this disease define her. That's the god in her. Her resilient spirit is relentless in its effort to combat the detrimental effects of MS, and she is winning. She is a WINNER. She loved me when I didn't love myself. She cared for me when I couldn't care for myself. She consoled me when I couldn't console myself. She felt my pain when it was too much for me to bear. She protected me when I couldn't protect myself. She is a part of me because she taught me how to be a woman. She taught me how to love. She taught me how to care. She taught me how to be courageous. She's teaching me how to live in victory. She has the victory. I need her. And, if she ever needs me, I'm here. Thank you Mother...for loving me in spite of me. I LOVE YOU.




My daughters and husband walk with me every year for the National MS Society Mid-South Chapter, but this is the first year my daughters did a personal page when they registered to walk...the above was written by my baby girl. I am blessed that my girls and husband give me my flowers while I am living..my heart is smiling.

Hit the Nail on the Head

I do not usually take from another blog, but this is a must listen to interview…Taken from Autoegocrat at the Flypaper Theory.

Disabled Not Dead

ANNE



When Someone Deeply Listens To You
it is like holding out a dented cup
you've had since childhood
and watching it fill up with
cold, fresh water.
When it balances on top of the brim,
you are understood.
When it overflows and touches your skin,
you are loved.
When someone deeply listens to you
the room where you stay
starts a new life
and the place where you wrote
your first poem
begins to glow in your mind's eye.
It is as if gold has been discovered!
When someone deeply listens to you
your barefeet are on the earth
and a beloved land that seemed distant
is now at home within you.

by — John Fox


You are in my prayers...Blinders Off