MS is Weird!

I do not know what the hell has gotten into me today, but I actually feel like a normal human being again. Hope it lasts. I got up early, wrote my list of shit to do and went on my merry way, Steve helped me unload garbage out of truck at the end of the driveway, I shoveled out back of truck, not completely, but enough, drove it to the station, gassed up and headed towards clinic to pay a bill and finally get my labs drawn before Tuesdays appointment with Neuro. I stopped at good ole' Walmart for some things I needed and then headed back to the feed store for 250 pound of grain for horses and goats.. Steve unloaded it from the truck, but then I ripped the 50 pound bags open and emptied them into the feed bins, we both corralled the goats back into their pen after Steve shoveled them out and now I'm fixin' to clean the water troughs outside, which requires retrieving the hose and unwinding it, just right so that there are no kinks and I think today, I'll quick bleach troughs before putting fresh in. That means finding a creative way to empty what is left in it, so the horses don't have to ice skate. Not an easy task as this a 100 gallon tank that is probably just under half full. Last time, I manged to freeze my feet off. I feel good today and I don't know why! Cripes! MS is weird! Oh and fold a basket of laundry.............

I Thought I Would Entertain You All

I thought I might bring a little chuckle to my fellows MSers, who seem to as well as me be getting our butts kicked by this crappy disease lately by posting a video of my crazy yet entertaining goats I took yesterday. This should bring a smile to your faces, if you find your way here that is. Great entertainment....... At least I find it funny. These are the boys, Herman, the larger one running around and jumping onto his house. Pumba and IttyBitty head butting. Just cracks me up, but I am easily entertained. Probably due to lack of some brain cells.

MS is a Butt Kicker!

It is just kicking my butt. My legs are like jelly and my knees were buckling earlier. I worked hard my two 12 hours nights Friday and Saturday, but I can't believe that would be it alone. I knocked myself out last night to ensure good sleep, but I still feel like crap. Geezus, I hate this shit. And to know it doesn't get better ever! Just worse. Pisses me off really. I have so much stuff to do this week. And to top it off, 8 inches of more shitty crappy snow again tonight. I need green grass and spring flowers NOW! And perhaps a new pair of legs, just for today, anyway. Like my piggy pic? That's how I feel. Except that he's cute. I took that last year at our county fair.

Another Sunny Winter Day

Today is Thursday and this is the day that I must do outdoor chores or more than my normal AM and PM feeds. Today I needed to top off water troughs before I work the next two nights. I also made a new friend in the horse blogosphere that's an expert in feet, so I am a good mommy and value other's opinions, so I managed to juggle a camera, an 1100 pound horse and their feet, so I could send photos to her. My redheaded girl is stubborn and posed more of a problem, but my Kola was easy. And to keep Spot the border collie concentrating on the job at hand, which is to go potty and poo poo rather than dive into snowdrifts chasing shadows can certainly be a challenge. I'm sure my neighbors must think I'm nuts. Last night, spasms in quads were held at bay, due to new massager meant for neck wrapped around legs. Seemed to work. Hope it helps tonight. I am sure looking forward to warmer days.

I Need A Massage!

Oooooh..........That feels so good. What I wouldn't give for a massage right now. Especially my legs. They feel so tight. I know I lay in bed at night and I can feel those damned legs spasm. Just minor.........not anything big, just enough to be really annoying. Oh a good leg massage from top to feet. I think I'm going to find a local spa and get one. It seems to be more constant. With 50% good days and 50% annoying days. Still not bad days......I suppose it coulf be much worse, but a massage would feel so good right now.

Back Amongst The Living......

I think......Geeze, this was a crappy flu. I haven't had a real flu in years. Steve is still suffering. I feel like I'm finally starting to get better. These are my Valentine's Day flowers. I've got to get back to the grind. Horses get feet trimmed today. At least the house is clean. It ought to be as Stephen and I haven't eaten in a week so there are no dirty dishes.

Judge Judy Knows Nothing Of MS

This is a copy of an opinion that I just sent to Judge Judy following one of the cases on her program.

I watched a case in today 2/14/08, in which a Mother had told her 6 year old child that her Father may not be her Father, etc. I agree with Judge Judy. A parent is a moron for doing that, however, I take issue with a comment the Judge made to the Mother after she said she was now getting SSI for Multiple Sclerosis. Judge Judy stated, "You look fine to me!" MS is a debiliatating disease that often takes years to diagnose. It causes one's immune system to attack the mylin that covers one's spinal cord and brain. It not only causes physical disability but also causes cognitive issues. As a recently diagnosed MS sufferer, I was offended. Most of us with MS take drugs either weekly or daily or monthly that are very much like chemo drugs and they make you very ill for hours to days. Some days for people with MS are good and indeed they look fine, some are not. I used to work full time, but have cut my hours in order to cope physically and mentally. I do not plan on SSI until I cannot move.

I don't have a problem with Judge Judy's final judgement in the case, but that was an aweful thing to say.

This is even worse when a well known and popular TV host Montel Williams announces his retirement due to the progression of his MS.

Happy Valentine's Day!

A Bit Sick!

Feeling a little under the weather today. I don't know whether it was something I ate or a touch of the flu. You can imagine, keeping the bucket with me everywhere. Eeeewww !!!!!!!!!!!

A Sign.........

Have you ever seen a sign like this one before? I took this pic one year while in England, having never seen a sign like this in the states, I immediately burst into laughter. No one in the car, all British, by the way understood what was so funny to me. It just struck me as funny, not a chuckle funny, but the kind where tears are streaming down your face and you could actually pee your pants. It must be Karma...............I could use this sign around here, only change it MSer's crossing.........Only not today, feel pretty energetic. It still cracks me up!

MaMa's Kitty

I thought this pic was hilarious, so I posted it. This Ezekial aka Zeke, my special kitty. One of our six which all can be quite annoying at times. Zeke was attempting to foil my picture taking caper by pulling the string handle of the camera. Each have quite their own personalities. Zeke will also ransack my computer area by pulling the lampshade with his teeth, stealing my watches, walking across the keyboard, and knocking down my pictures. He's also been known to chew important paper work. Devil, I say.

New Widget Towards The End Of The Page

I created a widget for Callie at the bottom on the right of the page after she was telling me one night she likes to go out each day and check the other MS blogs on her list and make comments, but sometimes she would spend two hours checking them out to find all her blogging friends had been busy and not posted, this is especialy so for MS Blogs as they tend to blog more often when they additional problems.

So I created the little widget that gives the latest 10 updated posts .I used her blogroll as the starting point, then checked the most compregensive braincheese blog roll and found a few more of my own, plus sites that I thought would be useful.

Please let me know of any good MS sites with RSS feeds blogs I have missed out and what you think of it.You can find the full list of sites included at The Power Guide for MSI think one of the reasons I like it is because I can include blogs that do not post very often due to other commitments but you can still tell when they create a new postSteve

Scenes From Today

Our driveway. My marvelous parallel parking job. The snow sculptures in Lake Geneva. The fools out on the lake ice fishing.

Fooey Snow!

I hate snow, but obviously Spot loves it! He came tearing through it at me after his afternoon potty break, yesterday.

My List of Annoying MS Damages

I put this pic up to go with this post as this is a very annoyed horse and I thought it would go well with this post. I'm listing all of my annoying damage done, for lack of better words. Don't know why. Just thought I would because I feel like it.

1) Even though I was only diagnosed in October or was it September, I've had a left foot drop for about two to three years. I remember thinking it odd that when I rode, my left foot would push down into the stirrup while I would ride normally with my right foot flexed upward. I thought it was just me being weird. I also noticed the lack of flexion when walking down the stairs barefoot.

2) I've struggled with a very stiff left side of my neck for about a year steady. Thought I was sleeping weird or maybe my pillows were crappy.

3) Random numbness in my left arm especially my hand. Sometimes my right hand too, but mostly my left side. Again used to think I was sleeping on it.

4) WORD fishing, really word fishing for a couple of years now. Sometimes worse than other times but usually always. My husband noticed this first. I thought I just had too much on my mind.

5) Short term memory..........I've been writing lists for a few years now as well. And asking my husband to help me write the list and remember.

6) Concentration. Not so bad at work, because what I've been doing, I've been doing so long that it comes fairly automatic, but sometimes even there I have to redirect myself and start over.

7) Generalized body stiffness. If I sit say for instance too long in a car, I become quite stiff and it's harder to get up.

8) My strength. Where I used to be able to pull my fat ass up onto a horse, I've had to use my trusty mounting bucket for at least two and a half years now.

9) One thing I forgot to add, the random little annoying muscle spasms that I get nearly every other day. Mostly in my legs but often in my hands. Have had those for a few years now, just thought I needed more calcium.

10) Cognitive ability. This one scares me and I don't know if I'm hyper aware of it or it is more of an issue, but I've pointed to the rubberband on the table, knew it was a rubber band and asked for the ashtray. Of all of them that freaks me the most.

And then those obvious three relapses that I've previously spoke of with the final one getting me diagnosed. Unless I've forgotten something, which is entirely possible, I think that basically covers it. Although my husband has mentioned various mood swings, but I think that's related to my normal PMS. So there it is in a nutshell.

The start of 18 inches of snow, starting yesterday at about 3pm and ending today at about 6pm. Woo Hoo! More snow! When I really want to start seeing green.

Well, I have my appointment with the neurologist next month. And as I suspected, I have to go back to the lab and have a liver panel drawn from my most easily found and giving veins, NOT. Which pisses me off, because with the last draw, I made a point about making sure the livers were drawn while I was there and of course they were not.

Today, stay indoors and make a yummy chicken stew, because it's crappy and near blizzard conditions outside. Do some laundry and Diane, yes, I will tidy up that desk area, LOL, because it is in need of that.

Breakfast?

This happens any morning that I may attempt to eat cereal. What you don't see is that there is two dogs on the floor looking up and another cat on the floor also looking up. They wait for me to set the bowl down and Lilyput (the oversized calico) will challange me for it and paw and bite at me to get the bowl. Pardon the state of this old kitchen. It's seriously outdated and one of the last rooms in the house that needs to be done. And I just realized just how flattering an oversized red sweatshirt really is.......Yeah......That's good.........

Waiting.........

Just called the Neurologist and now I'll wait for a couple of days to find out more about my labs and what he thinks.

I have to work a crappy 4 hours tonight of mandatory overtime. It's silly weather again. It snowed four inches last night and this morning it was pouring rain and thundering. We have a few errands to run before I head off to work. At least it's only 4 hours and it will go quick. The chill of today has gone straight to my bones. I don't mind the cold but when it's coupled with dampness.........Brrrrrrrrr.........Nothing a nice warm bath won't cure.

I have to get out and get my daughter and her roomate, Brit, a few goodies for Valentine's Day. College kids love to receive packages and Zoe's birthday is coming up. I can't believe she'll be 19. Makes me feel old! So tomorrow, we'll be headed to the Apple store for the childbrat's birthday gift. The gifts get more expensive as they get older.

Today, when I went out to feed the horses, I noticed a strange hole dug into the old tall grass next the barn as I bent down to crawl through the fence and there peeking out at me was a little bunny. I shouted to my husband and made him come down and look at the bunny. I hope it's still there because I'll take a picture of it.