Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Heat inside and out... not good, but cold...


Many of us with Multiple Sclerosis are heat sensitive and I am also cold sensitive; spasms appear to be triggered either way. Some may say, okay you are screwed. But no, not really, a temperature of around seventy-five to seventy-seven seems to be just right for me. I used to love to cook and of course when you have company for dinner; one most likely would use their oven to prepare things like a turkey? And that is what I did for Thanksgiving and to my chagrin I did my nasty gyrating dance in the presence of our adult-children and I think they may have been frightened even at their mature ages, of over forty. It’s nothing graceful or attractive and my best moves are long gone, but alas I have mentioned it many times before. Prior to that when they would come down we would all go out to dinner, but trying to be the gal I used to be I decided to do my old-self best…BIG Mistake. When our son returned for his additional visit after he and his gal had been on a cruise to Central America and Mexico we celebrated a belated Hanukkah and Christmas, but this time we adjusted our air-conditioner earlier before anything happened and consequently it did not and Mom made dinner once again. Too hot outside, I just wear my cooling vest, too cold and I put on layers… you get the idea. Tonight, I know it’s early for all of you but we eat at five P.M. yep like an early-bird special if you went out, retired and all, hmm? And fancy gal here used the oven again for Coq au Vin for those who may not realize what I just said; it’s simply braised chicken in wine sauce with mushrooms etc. Started on top of the stove but finished in the oven…OOPS! Small home, heats up fast, but be happy don’t worry, Hubby knows the drill and he lowered the thermostat, and yes, we are back on with air-conditioning here in PARADISE, since it was another eighty plus day with low humidity, in February! Outside but not inside! Once you get the hang of your triggers for some things it’s not too difficult to nip the problem in the bud. Although, at times and I am more than sure this has happened to others of us with MS, you miscalculate with going from the air-conditioned home to the air-conditioned car and then into the air-conditioned store but the distance from the handicap parking spot to the storefront are a greater distance than the distance from the inside of the house to the garage… and YEP, you are SCREWED! Should have worn that lovely Khaki vest… although it makes me look fatter, like an obese survivalist, ha! Other times things go awry are when stores at the registers do not have proper air circulation like that one time in Beall’s Outlet, boy was that embarrassing… in my scooter then and my hip caused an extreme straightening and then a twisting move as if trying to come off… no one wanted to help me, who could blame them, they all pretended not to be looking, but if anyone knows that you can feel those stares as if they were palatable burns into your soul, I do, and I am sure many with similar stories can relate. You know, to tell you the truth, if I saw that I don’t honestly know what I would do either, but I do know from having it happen to me there’s not a whole lot you can do, except give me a cool drink, a cooling vest or lower the thermostat, i.e. if the air is on; the opposite is true if the heat is on! And you think you’re confused; imagine me… still learning the ropes after all these years. Gosh, how I do love this time together…I have gone on way too long on this topic. Today, once again I found out that an old friend passed away, who I have not seen in years. Sadly, we had both been too ill to get together and for that I am so sorry. We did try a few times she had moved back here from Indiana, but she either had family coming down or was too exhausted, and I definitely did not want to cause her anymore problems and so we did communicate online with Facebook periodically or through emails… and yet it was never the same as seeing each other in person… Linda died a few years after her one son this past Thursday January 29th, her remaining family is another son and daughter with two children that were her lifeline for oh so long to go on, her husband Richard was her joy and support too as well as those adult children… and loving extended family… what a legacy of love that lady left in her wake…she was an educator and author/writer, more importantly she was a mother and grandmother and wife, who encouraged us all to be the best in whatever we have done or will do in out futures, and to never ever give up no matter what, Linda was a trouper till the end, God Bless you dear lady as your family has said now you no longer have to deal with that ghastly pain! You will be sorely missed by all who knew you. Sixty-five is way too young for this. On that note of note, allow me to be the first to wish you all a very happy good night and to remind all of you to count all of your blessings and share all your overages with you know who and we will too! And please be here or be square, ya hear?!

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