A Blessed Mess

No More Messes

I think that the time has finally come for me to put this blog to rest. A mess, even a blessed one, is still a mess and since I believe what you put out into the universe is directly related to what the universe sends back to you, I don't need to be thinking about messes.

In this blog's short life - I started it on July 13, 2007 - it has been through some of the very best things that ever happened to me (including getting MS) as well as some of the very worst things that ever happened to me (including getting MS).

That having been said, I'm going to bow out of blogland. Instead of reading and writing blogs, I'm going to spend my time focusing on what really matters to me and that is my husband and our marriage, our families, our friends, our health, and advocating for causes about which I care deeply.

Thanks to all who bothered to read this blog. I'll still be taking pictures and putting them up on Flickr. In essence, I suppose Flickr's my new blog.

P.S. At some point in time, you might want to check this link out.

I've Pulled The Camera Back Out!

Too Yummy For Words

Found the recipe at one of my new favorite blogs - Smitten Kitchen!

This IS Cool!

Myslexia and Catoholism

I promise I won't always blog about MS from now on and one of these days I'm even going to get back to my knitting but for now, bear with me.

MS can mess with your brain. For one thing, before I was diagnosed, I started not being able to find a word that would be right on the tip of my tongue. Later, I started thinking one thing and saying a different word though there was always some connection. For instance, one morning I passed my toothbrush to Tim over the shower door and asked him to put it back in my pencil cup! In the past few days though, something new has started - I'm switching letters. For instance, I just tried to tell Tim I was happy but what came out of my mouth was habby. Yesterday, it was d's and b's I switched in my brain.

Weird, huh? I believe the technical name is Cog Fog (hehe - just kidding but that's what I've seen others with MS call it though I like Myslexia too!) My favorite myslexic moment of all happened a couple of weeks ago. We were watching a movie that took place in a catholic school. At one point, a priest is standing there holding a book with the word Catholic on it. Well, I actually had to wonder to myself what a cat-o-holic was and why the priest was holding a book about cat-o-holics. Ironic though since if there is such a thing as a cat-o-holic, then I'm definitely it! It didn't take long though before I realized what it really said!

These are the parts of MS that keep us laughing and as long as I can keep laughing, I think I'll be just fine.

MS = Good Days & Bad Days

That's what the specialist told us to expect from this disease and that is what we are getting. Yesterday was a great day and then in the early evening the hubby and I took Rudy out for a walk. At 78 degrees, yesterday was the first really warm day I've experienced since we got back from Hawaii (and it was in Hawaii that my MS made itself known).

Long story short, heat and I are not friends. Apparently, when I get hot my right foot gets numb and feels really heavy. The heat also dramatically increases the fatigue that comes with MS. Needless to say, all that makes me walk funny - sort of like a really drunk person! I had the same experience one day at the Y when instead of swimming I tried the elliptical trainer. While using it, I drank LOTS of very cold water and tried to stay cool but it didn't really work. After a couple of hours in air conditioning and drinking more ice water, my stability improved but today both feet feel kind of funny and I'm totally exhausted.

Truth be told - after I was diagnosed, I did what I do best - I researched, I read, I learned, I studied and I immersed myself in MS. Knowledge is power after all. That said, I knew that heat was likely to affect me this way but as it is said, denial is more than a river in Egypt. There are just some realities and possibilities that come with this disease that are taking longer to accept than others. I'm just not ready to accept limitations. Plus, MS is as individual as our fingerprints. It affects every person who has it differently, it is random, inexplicable, and unfortunately still incurable.

Alright - I have vented and that's what I needed. I will be as fine as I can, I am doing everything I can to manage my MS and I stand firm in my conviction that as others who suffer this disease have said: I may have MS but I won't let it have me.

Thanks for reading this, now I'm going to take a nap!

American Idol

It happens every season. In my humble opinion, I think the wrong contestant was sent home tonight. That's my 2 cents - plus, I didn't take any pictures today! Well, I did take some pictures in the car wash with my FUN new phone. That would be the very same phone I am using to make this post!

I really am just a geek! You can take the girl out of Silicon Valley but . . .

In other news, the adorable husband and I got to have lunch with the totally awesome and wonderful J.P. (stands for Just Perfect and that he is!) We had good food and good company.

Okay-my thumbs are starting to hurt!

Bird of the Day

Okay, in case you guys are wondering what's up with the bird pictures, I'll explain. All of these are taken from windows on the second story of my house. Truth be told, since I started giving myself thrice-weekly injections of a drug made from chinese hamster ovary cells, I've had quite a few days when I haven't felt too good and the best I can do is to simply open a window and take a picture of a bird (I was getting a little tired of taking pictures of the cats!).

As my body gets used to this stuff, I should start feeling better but until then, I'll just keep taking pictures of stuff close to home.

Speaking of MS, the Nashville MS Walk is around the corner! If you haven't already, check out my page at the MS Society website and please consider walking with us and/or donating to the cause!

Goldfinch of the Day

Who? Me?

I really like this photo larger -like this one.