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!

Comments

[Shawna]

I can almost measure my fatigue on the thermometer.

Right by your side... miles away but right with you...

Hugs,
Shawna

[Jennifer of Dog.Yarn.Knit.]

Heat. It sucks that that happens. Summer is not a favorite time of year for my dad. What's kind of funny (funny ironic, not funny ha ha) is a hottub really helps my mom with her health problems. But Dad...not so much.
Keep exercising! That is a great thing you can do to keep your body as strong as can be!

[Catherine]

Hope the cool weather to come helps. I hope you will feel up to making the Walk--Rach & I still hope to make it. I love all the bird photos!

[Alicia]

All I can really think to say...

:huge HUGS: