My Pick

Click to view my pick for BEST PERFORMANCE during our historical inauguration weekend.





Click to read my baby girl experience witnessing history.

To Achieve Your Dreams

REMEMBER YOUR




Avoid negative sources, people, places, things, and habits.

Believe in yourself.

Consider things from every angle.

Don't give up and don't give in.

Enjoy life today, yesterday is gone, tomorrow may never come.

Give more than you planned to.

Hang on to your dreams.

Ignore those who try to discourage you.

Keep trying no matter how hard it seems, it will get easier.

Love yourself first and most.

Make it happen.

Never lie, cheat or steal, always strike a fair deal.

Open your eyes and see things as they really are.

Practice makes perfect.

Quitters never win and winners never quit.

Read, study and learn about everything important in your life.

Stop procastinating.

Take control of your own destiny.

Understand yourself in order to better understand others.

Visualize it.

Want it more than anything.

Xcellerate your efforts.

You are uniqwue of all God's creations, nothing can replace YOU.

Zero in on your target and go for it!
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The above is a poster I bought at a store when my girls were in elementary school 17 years ago. Instead of framing it in a poster frame, I took it to a frame shop and had it professionally framed.

I wanted my daughters to know what it took to achieve their dreams and today they are living their dreams because of the words on that poster. I personally benefitted from reading the words on that poster because I thought my dreams were over when I heard, “You have multiple sclerosis”.

I was one of those people who defined themselves from their profession and salary. I now know the depression I went through behind having to quit my job because of multiple sclerosis was a massive waste of time out of my life.

It is true when one door close another one open. Multiple Sclerosis changed a lot of things for me, but living with multiple sclerosis has open a door for me to help others in a way I would not be able to do if I was working in the profession that once defined me.


I Achieve My Dreams and Remembering the ABC’s helped me along the way

MS + Copaxone = ANXIETY

I started experiencing attacks of anxiety before I went on a hiatus from blogging. In the beginning, I thought maybe, I was doing too much…blogging, school, accepting board appointments, and helping in the Mayor's campaign among my personal daily duties. By the way, my candidate WON :)

I awaken one morning from a night sleep and I immediately felt panicky and fearful. The feeling last a few minutes, but I was complex to why I was feeling that way. As I continued with my day, I noticed I was feeling panicky and fearful through out my day. I did not associate what I was feeling to ANXIETY, I just knew something was not right to feel something terrible was about to happen and it was out of character for me. I brushed it off as residual effects from wearing a morphine patch for a year and suddenly stopping a few months earlier.

Waking up feeling fear and panic went on for weeks and it intensified to the point, I knew I had to get to the bottom as to WHY. I did not like what it was doing to me, it was starting to affect my life to the point I was afraid of being home alone, driving, and leaving my home. I was at the point of despair hiding this creature ANXIETY that invaded my thoughts and body.

Many times, I thought I was going to lose control of taming the creature within when I was out in public, therefore, I cancelled appointments, stopped blogging, and if I were not taking online courses, I would have quit school. Realistically, I knew nothing was going to happen, but this creature was paralyzing me. I start realizing keeping quiet was giving the creature within power.

I began taking that power back when I told my husband what I was going through. Of course, his response was to make an appointment with my therapist. I agreed, but the creature had me paralyzed to the point I could not drive without feeling as if I was having a heart attack. I was ready to have myself committed to get control of the creature within. I called my therapist and told him how I was afraid to leave my house and drive because I physically felt as if I was going to die. I asked him, “If I checked myself in the hospital could he see me then because I cannot keep going like this”. Unfortunately I could not check my self in for severe Anxiety because I was not suicidal or a harm to others, which is fortunate.

My next course of action to fight the creature was a visit to my primary care doctor and neurologist. It is no secret there is a drug for all ailments that invade our body. Once again, I was semi scolded by my primary care doctor and neurologist for waiting weeks to let them know Anxiety was kicking my ass. My primary care doctor asked me, “Is anxiety a side effect of Copaxone.” I responded, “I don’t recall anxiety being a side effect of Copaxone, but I will look into it.” My neurologist confirmed anxiety is a side effect of Copaxone and anxiety is associated living with multiple sclerosis. I was prescribed Cymbalta 60mg to control my anxiety creature. Cymbalta was good for my neurological pain because I use to take it, but I did not know it was also to control anxiety. It took three weeks for Cymbalta to get in my system, tame the creature, and start gaining control of my life again. As of today, I have been taking Cymbalta for two months and I plan to continue taking it until a side effect rear its head from taking it.

So many different side effects come with taking medication. It is not as if I did not know, but I have to remember that a side effect from a drug can happen at any time while I am taking it. I promised myself, when I am out of character; I will not wait until it become critical before I notify my primary care doctor or neurologist. Do not be a hard head like me, when you feel out of character get in touch with your doctor.

Slowing Working My Way Back

OH, BY THE WAY I WISH EVERYONE A...

I Have Not Forgotten You All

I will be back to regular blogging in December, but I will try to post now and then and visit when my load lightens up. As most of you all know, I am taking classes and that is what is taking up most of my time. I also committed myself to a few projects that are time consuming. My time is stretch thin, I had to let something go, and that something is blogging.

In away it is a good thing because withdrawing from being a blogging junkie was almost as bad when I went through withdrawing from taking morphine for my MS pain :)

YES WE CAN

I am THANKFUL to ALL AMERICANS who voted for Barack Obama on the content of his character and not the color of his skin.

Feel Good Sunday

LET GO!

Tell This

Oct 05, 2008

The Norwegian newspaper VG has reported a truly amazing story about a newly-wed trying to get to Norway to be with her husband, and the stranger who helped pay an unexpected luggage surcharge. The blog 'Leisha's Random Thoughts' has translated the story.

It was 1988, and Mary Andersen was at the Miami airport checking in for a long flight to Norway to be with her husband when the airline representative informed her that she wouldn't be able to check her luggage without paying a 100 surcharge:

When it was finally Mary's turn, she got the message that would crush her bubbling feeling of happiness.

-You'll have to pay a 103 dollar surcharge if you want to bring both those suitcases to Norway, the man behind the counter said.

Mary had no money. Her new husband had travelled ahead of her to Norway, and she had no one else to call.

-I was completely desperate and tried to think which of my things I could manage without. But I had already made such a careful selection of my most prized possessions, says Mary.

As tears streamed down her face, she heard a 'gentle and friendly voice' behind her saying, 'That's okay, I'll pay for her.'
Mary turned around to see a tall man whom she had never seen before.

-He had a gentle and kind voice that was still firm and decisive. The first thing I thought was, Who is this man?

Although this happened 20 years ago, Mary still remembers the authority that radiated from the man.

-He was nicely dressed, fashionably dressed with brown leather shoes, a cotton shirt open at the throat and khaki pants, says Mary.

She was thrilled to be able to bring both her suitcases to Norway and assured the stranger that he would get his money back. The man wrote his name and address on a piece of paper that he gave to Mary. She thanked him repeatedly. When she finally walked off towards the security checkpoint, he waved goodbye to her.

Who was the man?

Barack Obama.

Twenty years later, she is thrilled that the friendly stranger at the airport may be the next President and has voted for him already and donated 100 dollars to his campaign:

-He was my knight in shining armor, says Mary, smiling.

She paid the 103 dollars back to Obama the day after she arrived in Norway. At that time he had just finished his job as a poorly paid community worker* in Chicago, and had started his law studies at prestigious Harvard university.

Mary even convinced her parents to vote for him:

In the spring of 2006 Mary's parents had heard that Obama was considering a run for president, but that he had still not decided. They chose to write a letter in which they told him that he would receive their votes. At the same time, they thanked Obama for helping their daughter 18 years earlier.

And Obama replied:

In a letter to Mary's parents dated May 4th, 2006 and stamped 'United States Senate, Washington DC', Barack Obama writes:

'I want to thank you for the lovely things you wrote about me and for reminding me of what happened at Miami airport. I'm happy I could help back then, and I'm delighted to hear that your daughter is happy in Norway. Please send her my best wishes. Sincerely, Barack Obama, United States Senator'.

The parents sent the letter on to Mary.

Mary says that when her friends and associates talk about the election, especially when race relations is the heated subject, she relates the story of the k ind man who helped out a stranger-in-need over twenty years ago, years before he had even thought about running for high office.

Truly a wonderful story, and something that needs to be passed along in the maelstorm of fear-and-smear politics we are being subjected to right now.

Remember this was 1988, when 100 dollars was quite a bit of money, compared to today's value.

By the way, this would be the perfect antidote to the Smear E-mails going around. If anyone has a good long email chain list, shoot it out, and let it be passed along.

You Shouln't Have...Nah I Take That Back..Thanks For Selecting Me

Thanks Lisa at Brass and Ivory for giving me a Gratitude with Attitude award, it means a lot coming from you.

Some time ago, Jim kindly presented me with the "Gratitude with Attitude Award."
It is time to pass it on to some fabulous blogging friends, old and new.


Here are the rules:

* Put the logo on your blog or post.
* Nominate at least 10 blogs which show great Attitude and/or Gratitude!
* Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.
* Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.

* Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award.


I am to pass this award on and there are a few MS blogs that already received this award. Too bad, I am sending it to you anyway because I truly enjoy your site. I appreciate those of you who read my site, but if live with MS you must visit Lisa, Diane, or Linda they are inspirational, informative, and comical discussing living with MS. Their sites were a Godsend when I first was diagnosis with MS and I found my way to their blogs. They are true champions for the new and old MS'ers out here in the blogosphere.


Brain Cheese...Linda

A Stellar Life...Diane

Merely Me’s Multiple Synchronicities (and sclerosis)

Disable Not Dead...Anne

White Lightening Axiom Redux
Delving Under the Covers...Charlene

Living! With Ms...Denver

Tias Mind...Tia lives with MS, but focus on life

Deeper and Deeper My Poetry Blog...Don writes beautiful poetry

Field Negro...aka Field a Philly lawyer that keeps it real and the people that comments are some of the best, but I must warn you there are occasional knuckle heads.

Please go check out his post “Searching for a Black Friend in the Age of Obama”.

Field could not have said it better when he said,

“Here is the thing Devin: Us black folks are like any other group. We are not monolithic, and we have very diverse opinions, taste, ideologies, and yes; even ways to have fun. So there is no such thing as a black board of directors to give black people their cues on how to act and what not to like and like. I know I joke about shit like that all the time, but believe me, it's really not the case.


And please forget this insane pursuit to find a black friend. Just relax, be yourself, and eventually some black person might just find you and like you for who you are. If not, it's not a big deal. Trust me. There are plenty black folks without white friends. It's not the end of the world. We can all live in this amicable state of self segregation, as long as we show mutual respect for each other and afford each other the dignity that we each deserve as human beings.”

Wow It's Been 26 Years

One beautiful daughter

One beautiful day

Another reason to be so proud of the person you are, to be thankful for all the happiness your bring to our lives.

Another chance to say how much you mean, how much you'll always be loved.