Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Swimming....

So, stooopid MS interrupted my swim for the first time! I should be excited that this is the first time in so many swims... But, on my last round of laps my right foot seized up to my knee. Well, that's a little bit of an exaggeration, since it just bent up to my ankle...

I hate spasticity - really, that's my biggest bitch... or, more aptly, it's the part of my MS that makes me it's biggest bitch! When my legs or arms start going - I'm screwed!!! That damn lesion on my C5....

But, I did still have a good swim since it happened in the last 2-3 minutes of my swim. So, I didn't lose that much. Course, I was then royally creeped out when the creepy old man sitting in the hot tub offered to rub my foot - TWICE!

So, I had already spent about 2-3 minutes in the pool trying to rub out the spasm but it had moved to my calf. Now, not only am I pissed about my foot I get to waddle to the hot tub to sink my foot (and only my foot!) in there - very obvious that I was cramped up. He's across the spa from me and asks if I'm okay - no problems there... I looked horrible with my waddle over the hot tub.

BUT, BUTTTTTT, BUTTTTTTT - would you offer to rub a complete stranger's foot?? In the hot tub of the gym??? EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW I was still polite and my inner beauch did not come out. I declined and then he was okay with the chit-chat...

Until, yup - you guessed it!!!! By this time he's moved to my side of the hot tub and he offers again, and just so I know he's serious - he's leaned in and scooted closer. Okay, if I could have run away at that point I would have - but my foot's still turned into my ankle and not wanting to give it up. Again - no bitch, I think because my foot's still got too much of my attention but I say it a little bit more forcefully and I think he's got the hint...

Luckily, within a few more minutes my foot released enough to escape to the women's locker room... Sigh - MS is enough to deal with... why did I have to deal with creepy old guy at gym, too????

Friday, August 14, 2009

Music good for MS?

Have you gotten your Momentum magazine yet? I did and it was so nice to hear... well, you know what I mean. (Warning to shiny thing: anybody know the term for the symptom of when you hear words? I actually tried to google it and it was pretty funny some of the non-related issues that came up...)

The article was "
CAM: Music and the brain may be therapeutic duet" and here it is. Anyways, the issue talks about how music might actually help with brain function. The music stimulates parts of our brains simultaneously and gets a lot of neurons and synapses excited and they start dancing along to the music... Then, that's a good thing because if there's more than one area going at the time...

Keeps our brains good when they need it. We know that our brain needs regular activity to keep it young and healthy. I've been trying to be good and play my brain age game on the DS. That or soduku or scrabble or anything that makes me think (despite trying to refuse to do that away from work).

I have to say that I really liked reading that article because it can justify my music addiction. Yes, I will admit I have a problem. Hey, my name is Holly and I am a music addict. Now, I'm not one of those addicts that'll just jam on anything. No, I have my preferences. My true temptation is not THE Temptations - it's THE Judds - and all those other artists with a twang thang... My faves are Reba, Trisha, Martina, Terri, Wynonna, Gary, Trace, Kenny, those Rascalls, and really I need to stop now because I haven't even gotten to Pat, Bleu, Garth, Hank, Johnny, Patsy, Conway, or so many others... Although, I tend to agree that I have to get to know you a while before I let you get anywhere near my Willie!!!

Okay - deep breath - I'm getting really excited typing over here. Cuz, I don't think you're feeling just how deep my addiction goes. I have an Ipod that I just recently got because my old one, one of the early generation 20GB ones, was full. Yes, you read that right - FULL! I now have the 120GB so that should last me a while. If you have joined that evil, evil, cult known as an Itunes user, you know that they allow you to keep a special tab of those songs that fall under "purchased" - as opposed to some of my other playlists like "Wanna Listen", "Paisley", and TC.

And that "purchased" isle has caused some trouble with me. Again, I have to admit - I have a problem. I know admittance to the problem is half the battle. The other half the battle - well, I said and I had a freakin' problem, didn't I? I will not name the number of songs on my Ipod and I will for sure as hell not tell you how many of those fall under the purchased album. I can tell you, to be fair about my problem and battle with this addiction, that I still have about 200 cd's still to add to my collection... Now, this is old CD's that I've had for a long time and probably about 30 from the merging of my own and my other half's collection...

But, thanks to the latest issue of Momentum magazine, I realize I no longer have a problem. I have a treatment!!! Yes, folks.... I now own the equivalent of a brain TENS unit!!!!!! I just put those electrodes (earbuds) into my ear and select my playlist (how about Just Because) and make sure the volume isn't at 13 year-old level and BOOM! I've got instant brain therapy!! I wonder if all my purchases can be written off as medical expenses now? Seriously, any MS CPA's out there that'll help me out with this one?!??!!

Sunday, August 2, 2009

I've got a new toy!!!...

And it's sooooo awesome!! I got a new stove!! It's soooo pretty!!! It's a gas range with 5 burners - with the 5th center burner that's long. I'm soooo happy!!!

We had friends over last night and grilled steaks and I baked beer bread and peach cobbler and they both turned out wonderful!! And, that's using verbal feedback from the people who ate it!! LOL I also used the top burners to whip up some mashed potatoes and saute'd bell peppers. YUMMERS!

Now, the reason we (well, need to be honest - I) decided to finally break down and buy the new stove was because the old one was finally breaking down! We were having to use a lighter to light the burners because the igniters built in were no longer working. That's not a deal-breaker... Annoying but completely able to work with it. But when it started to mess with my brownie-making capabilities because the heating was so uneven and not maintaining temperature - NU UH!!

Two weeks ago the other half put up a ceiling fan in the kitchen for me to reduce heat. Well, turned out we might not have needed that - seems our old stove was unable to maintain heat because it was letting most of it out!!! We all know how MS and heat love each other - so anything requiring me to be over/next to the stove for a little while was not a good combo. The new stove keeps all the heat where it belongs - in the stove!

My honey kept laughing at me because I just kept making yippee noises as I went about making my bread and desserts. Hey, it's the little things in life - I love my new stove!!

We've had a good weekend. Hung out with the neighbors quite a bit. One of the best silver linings from Hurricane Ike was the new friends we've made in all of our neighbors. Seriously, we would wave and exchange polite conversation with everyone in the cul de sac. But, now - beers and sarcasm and fun!! We all ended up in chairs in one our neighbor's front yards with all the kiddos running around and laughing and talking. Coversation is not a problem! And, last night we had people from all but 1 of the houses (8 total) sitting in J's front yard. And, as much as we'd love to have the complete circle - no one's missing that one house... I'm sure they're nice people but they have not tried to get to know people at all - even during and after the hurricane when we were all sharing extension cords and ice and grills and propane and feeding everyone - they never came outside!!!!

We're in a major drought down here in SE Texas. We're like 7-8 inches below where we normally are for the year in rainfall. It really bites!! We've all just accepted the brown spots in the yard - we can only water so much!! And, even thought August in Texas is normally hot as hell - it's even more than normal! I have been indoors even more than normal because of the heat. I've only worn my cooling vest once - just because I have not been going outside.

And, you'd think without any rain we'd have less mosquitos. True - to an extent. Course, I was enjoying my cold Blue Moon(s) and hardly noticed the damn nuissances biting me until the next day. Now - my legs and feet are covered. How the hell did they get underneath my foot? I actually have a bite on the underside of my arch on my right foot??!?!?! I never knew how much my tizanidine would help my legs deal with too many mosquito bites!! AHAHHAHAH

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Do I have MS?...

That was one of the results of a search query that my other half did this past Saturday. There was a reason we were doing a search, though... and it was funny little endeavor for the evening...

So, I'm just chillin out and laying on my side on the couch. My honey was at the other end relaxin. We just put a movie on when my phone beeps that I have a text message. I grab my phone to look at it - and I can't see it.

Well, that's not a truly accurate description - I could see that there were words on a white background on my phone but there was this lightening bolt shooting across my eye and vision field. And, anytime I moved my head the bolt moved with me. As I kept blinking and shaking my head, thinking maybe I had my head tilted a little off or my eye was just a little dry - nope. The bolt was there the entire time.

I looked up towards anything on the wall or away from the tv. Now, the bolt was joined by a ripple moving through anything I attempted to focus on - with the emphasis on "attempted to"... So, we go to the handy-dandy google search on lightening bolt in the eye. One of the first things that popped up was a "Do I have MS?" title to a link to a post on WebMD.com. We cracked up!!! We were laughing very hard.... I'm sorry - ENNNGGHGGGHGH - no whammy no whammy no whammy - do not pass go and do not collect $200 - I already have MS!!

I hollered at my doc friend - no biggie just holler at me so we can laugh at this new MS symptom. Well, we actually did find something that fit on WebMD. Basically, my eye had a little "migraine" and decided to take a break from normal functioning. It lasted right about 20 minutes and it was gone. I had a bit of a headache later that night that tylenol was able to quash. I don't remember the exact term that we found but it was basically an eye headache - apprently it can also be a pre-cursor to a migraine so I was a little worried about that.

I do have a history of migraines but hadn't had one in a while (2 years). And, we had tickets to Phantom of the Opera the next day with 3 other couples. I was a little tired the next day but I wonder if it would have been better to not have done anything the next day. I did not sleep at all on Sunday night and did try to go into work on Monday morning... Got all dressed and drove in - althought I was falling asleep while driving in. I got up to the office and literally had to put my head down on my desk because I could not keep my eyes open.

After 45 mins I went and told the boss I felt like hell and he confirmed I looked the part as well... I came home and slept, literally, all but a total of 3 hours for the next 18 hours. I woke up to go to the ladies room at 1245 and 430 - the other half woke me up at 6 to eat a little bit and then I was back in bed at 730 - and was alseep by 8 and slept until the alarm went off this morning. I have to admit - I have been tired and I've felt that MS fatigue - but, to borrow a fellow blogher's phrase - this was my first experience with train-wreck fatigue that was not associated with a fever or flare.

I could NOT keep my freakin' eyes open. I had no problem sleeping last night despite sleeping all freakin day. Today, a little tired but no more than normal. Had a very interesting meeting. I don't speak computer but I know how antiquated our system is for record management. So, the city has accepted the bidder for our new system and they're beginning to create it and our meeting with all the different divisions of our department. Today was our division - and I was ordered to attend. I thought it would be in all zeros and ones but it was actually in English.

I'll be invited back to play with it as they modify and make things right... should be fun! Course, I'll have to stay awake in the meetings!!! AHAHHAHAHAHHAHA That's what they make route44 sonic drinks for!

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

So you think you can....

Dance is sooooo awesome!!!

I just wish I could move like that... It would be awesome to just have Mia Michaels choreograph a number for me. Course, she'd have to forget how she's worked with all those amazing dancers that could move and twist and turn and DANCE! LOL

If you don't know the show or don't think you'd like it... Check out this Emmy-winning performance that Mia Michaels won a couple of years ago... I have to admit I'm against any/all reality tv. I don't make fun of anybody that does - it's just that I get too much reality at work so I don't like to watch it at home. Now, I have to admit to laughing my arse off at tru tv's worlds stupidest criminals show.

Now, that is some hilarous stuff!! I call it job security! But, getting back to what little point I have... So You Think You Can Dance is sooooo awesome!! I'm watching it as I type and have to admit to being distracted quite a bit. Especially since Ellen's on it tonight. Another funny person!!

Course, I've also been a bit distracted lately by a new little symptom that is a little annoying. And, I'm not really sure it's even a symptom or not. Probably so, just because any little piece of shit thing that goes "wrong" with the body - gotta be the MS. Like every House episode - MS has gotta come up at some point...

My legs itch. They really itch. They itch to the point of hurts. They itch to the point of me scratching til the legs turn red - probably from the blood, but who knows. : ] Kidding - a bit. And, why the hell does a heating pad work to tame some of our symptoms, when heat is the worst thing for us??

Seriously, I'm a big fan of irony but that's not really funny. Know what's been getting the itchies to calm down? Epson salt baths - warm to hot baths. Really?!?!?! Heating pad - turned up at least to medium or it doesn't work... *sigh* I've just been laughing at my legs like I laugh at all the other ironic pieces and bits of this wonderfully crappy disease.

I have to admit today turned out to be better than I thought it was going to be. I woke up all flushed and hot and sweaty but no fever. Okay - shower helped that feel better. Driving into work, my hands kept tingling off and on and fingers were going numb off and on. No big deal because the whole thing wasn't going off/on... Can make driving my standard a little bit interesting, but I've got a really big knob on it - It's very cool cuz it's actually an actual MLB baseball!!! And, now that I've had it on there a while it's all dirty and looks like a baseball should - all mucked up!!

Oh well... I was too tired to do my swim on Tuesday so I'm really going to want to end up at the gym tomorrow. I have to go out to the academy and edumacate some wanna-bes and that usually runs a little bit long, so we'll see.... Okay - the dancing is getting too distracting. Off to finish the show!!!

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

I got the coolest...

new toy!!! I used it on my swim yesterday. And, now, I'm a little more sore than normal since I swam a little faster than normal and a little longer...

I got a gadget that lets me swim while listening to my ipod!! I'm sooooo stoked!! And, the ear phones work as ear plugs so I wasn't dealing with some vertigo issues afterwards due to water in the ear. And, before you go being all helpful with suggesting normal ear plugs or a swim cap - hate hate hate HATE those things. I'd rather have a bit of hair in my face than deal with a dang cap.

I haven't tried one in years but I just remember all the pulling and UGH! Course, I do not have a sensitive head anymore so I really should... : p~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (that's the smiley equivalent of going SPTHHHHHHHHHHH)

I had a really good swim! Course, some scwiggly little troll jumped in my lane in the middle of a lap without warning with 2, I repeat freakin' 2 open lanes!!! I was even on the opposite side from the stepped entrance!!!!!! Course, i just grapped my water bottle and jumped over to the middle lane. And, then.... she was maybe in the pool for 10 minutes. Hey, I'm all for doing anything - absolutely anything, even if it's 5 minutes - to get a workout and movement in. But she stayed at one end and I have no clue what she was doing and THERE WERE 2 OPEN LANES!!!! So, I was in the pool for 2 more rounds (4 more songs with a small rest in between so probably around 15-20 minutes) more.

She was in the hot tub when I was leaving - which then brought about my jealous green envy for the fact that she got to get in and enjoy that heated tub of bubbles and I can only look and maybe stick my calves in every now and then. So, I tried to make nice kharma and look over and sorta do that head-bob-semi-smile-eye-contact that sorta says "hey" in a gym setting that's not scary or creepy, ya know? I musta put too much eye contact or scary into it though - I think I scared the crap outta her. Not only did she drop her eye-contact but she physically moved further into the hot tub away from me...

Okay, seriously - I can be scary. I can get very very scary - and then I can hit that holy hell that makes you reach for rosary beads even if your Jewish, ya know? Anyways, I only use that last one at work and I've never had to go 2-very's on anything outside of work so I don't know... I mean - I'd probably look a tad scary if I had the swim-cap on... *shrug* I don't think she was old enough to drink yet, so maybe I've reached that age where I now scare people between a certain age demographic... Little ones like me cuz I'll be a silly person around them. That weird pre-teen and early teenagers like me cuz I do have a few good jokes that are suitable for them and I actually talk to them instead of at them! My teenage niece seems to like me and all my friends' teenage kids remember my name out of all of the others (and I don't where a bikini when I swim- so that's saying something!!)

But, I remember being that awkward young adult that was too old to be a teenager but "wise" adults scared me a little bit - how do I talk to them and relate to them when I still wanna think about scoring some alcohol but also want to have philosophical discussions about the big man/woman controlling the universe and where dippin' dots came from... We'll see. IF she jumps in my lane again then it just means she got a hold of some bad hydro. IF she gets into one of the empty lanes - well, I'll try not to scare her next time.

Wow - didn't know where the hell this was going and didn't realize that little girl had made an impact on the dura mater but it did. Work is work. Life is wonderful and all is good. Screw everything else, right?? : ]


Sunday, July 12, 2009

Sundays would be better....

if they didn't lead right into Mondays and a return to work! HAHAHAHA

I love my job so it's just a matter of having to follow a set of rules to earn money and benefits and hopefully be able to retire to a house near the water while I'm still able to cast a line...

I know my life would be different if I'd just win a major lottery with at least 4 million. I see 2 problems to this happening, though. 1 - you have to PLAY the lottery to be able to win it!! AHAHAHAH 2 1- ever seen all those documentaries about those people that do win the lottery? They don't fare too well, do they?

I'm able to enjoy things right where I'm at so I'm not bitching or whining - Isn't more than enough financial security something that one always dreams about having?

My left arm decided to play nice with the rest of my body by the next morning. Course, the day after one of those body temper-tantrums, whatever part of the body that decided to do their own thing... pretty sore. Luckily I didn't have to do a lot of typing the following day at work so it got rested.

Course, work was really messed up after some co-workers emptied a good doctor's house, clinics, and storage unit and I'm helping them go through it all... If I didn't believe in evil before my job, I certainly would now. There's no way other than to believe in evil after seeing some of the things I've seen. Course, I also believe in all the good that is out there and that is primarily where my heart and soul take up residence because I still believe in constant laughter and smiles and all that is wonderful.

My next mission, which I have chosen to accept, is to find myself a new stove. The one I have right now is on it's last legs. It's having it's own moments of MS sympathy pains with me... It's flames don't always fire right (I have to use a lighter to get the burners to work) and sometimes it doesn't distribute heat in a good manner (brownies taking over an hour to make - not cool when you're in steroid crave mode!!) . I know what I want I just gotta find the one that's in my price range. Then, I'll allow the old one to proceed to the stove other-world.