Sunday, September 7, 2008

Missing makes it so; sorry that's wishing makes it so, but we will be missed too! And all about me!

First of all happy news for south west Florida... Hurricane Ike is heading due west of us and we are no longer in the cone of uncertainty or anywhere near those spaghetti plots! Hurray!

Now about me, I thought with this newest free non weather space I would describe how my days/nights really are.
Friends and family do occasionally ask, and so here goes...
Pain is not a constant but a daily presence, and yes I have a few complaints from not being able to find a comfortable position to sleep in.
I do use a cane, not because it is fashionable, although that hasn't been since the turn of the century, the one before last I think. I do have four in different colors and designs to match different outfits; but they're use is really due to my MS. I have what is a symptom of the disease MS it is called Ataxia, a balance disorder.
It can be all on its own or in cahoots with the MS, and I drop things periodically as well.
Used to drop my cigarettes, and that's one of the reasons I quit two years ago nearly burnt the house down, an exaggeration, actually I put another distressed mark on our distressed table, and most of the glasses I use are actually plastic, but on occasion I have broken even them.
My bodily plumbing is not working at all right so I have to wear special undergarments. The nicest way that I thought I could put it.
I have what I fondly call the nummies, where parts of my body, mostly my legs go numb periodically, arms do it too on occasion, sometimes my face.
And then there is the muscle spasms which occur in all different locations, my back, stomach, thighs, arms or any major muscle group, at the most inopportune times, while swimming, sitting, walking or whatever. Fun, fun, fun!
That takes care of the MS.

Now for the seven types of arthritis that I have out of the 100 that exist...Fibromyalgia, a total pain and muscle disorder that is systemic, but seems to be helped with regular exercise. I was a guinea pig at one time for docs at the university, and was on many different types of meds. Everything from El dopa used in Parkinson's, to Prozac an anti-depressive to Ritalin used for hyper activity, even Magnesium shots, etc. Now I take nothing for it and it works fine.
Then there is my Sojourn’s Syndrome which causes dry eye, and other dryness in different parts of the body, I guess that’s the nicest way to describe that.
My eyes were the worst, actually I need drops to maintain proper tear balance, but really I need eye surgery. I backed off of it years ago. Since you are awake for it and you can see the doctor coming at you with the instruments. It helped me to stop wearing my contact lenses, but boy was that hard beauty wise. I had been wearing them on and off for over forty years.
And I have already had 13 surgeries, but they gave anesthesia for them.
Next I guess is Osteoarthritis of my back, which I guess can also be called Spondylosis, or degenerative spine disease. It is a normal part of aging.
Then I have basilar joint disease of the hands/thumbs, one was fixed but the other needs to be. It is small joint replacement and takes four months from surgery, splint (until incision heals), and cast (six weeks) to occupational therapy (two months) onto complete healing. I have already had the left thumb done, but the right needs it, and I am right handed, thus my reasoning for the delay.
Another type is cervical stenosis, which is a narrowing in the spinal neck region, and if severe enough can cause quadriplegia.
I also have osteopenia the pre cursor to osteoporosis.
Last but not least is the most common, bursitis in my shoulders and hips.
That’s the one that seems to be interfering with my sleep and any exercise program I need to accomplish.
Listen to your body is what I was taught to teach, and unfortunately mine’s been yelling STOP!
But I did make it into the pool today, and it was delightful.
Walking will be on the agenda at the end of this month I do hope that the cooler weather will cooperate.
None of any of these problems will kill me in the near future, but I must confess are annoying just the same.

Thanks for letting me vent and clear any questions anyone out there may have since I do mention my ills on occasion.
I hope that was informative.

Good night to all and to all sleep tight, nah relax those muscles; too tight will hurt! LOL

PS Happy 10th Birthday today GOOGLE!

Which way will the war go?

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