Category Archives: MS related
MS spasticity problems
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I was going to write about our freakish pre-Halloween snowstorm, but since two a.m. yesterday morning DH has been having some dire spasticity problems. He went down on the bedroom floor and once I got him into the bed, I knew I was up for the duration. I’ve had very little sleep since our party.
DH collapsed onto the bathroom floor again later yesterday morning he’d gone in there without a cane, calling me, or any other means of support.
My back is out from all the bending to fill short people’s Trick or Treat bags, there was no way I could get him up. G and her hubby weren’t home so I couldn’t ask them. I pounded on the next door neighbor’s door and soon Carlos was over to aid DH in getting back into his bed.
I put the walker by the bed so when DH made another run to the bathroom he had a better way to get there. He was NOT pleased about needing the walker.
The next time he remembered to call for me and I went up to be with him while he went from the bedroom to the bathroom and back again. Success! The walker worked in getting him back and forth without incident. Now maybe I can get some sleep.
It was probably the best day for this to happen since we had all that snow and no need to go anywhere.
Posted in MS related
Tags: Author, Bones, Bull Terriers, Caregiver, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Post A Day 2011
If one health scare around here isn’t enough….
Posted by doggonedmysteries
DH is having a problem with a new symptom. for the second time in a month his right leg has locked up. He can’t bend it for several hours and has a great deal of trouble walking when this happens.
I’m glad he has an appointment coming up with his neurologist so we can discuss this with her. This is a new thing for him and is scary for both of us. We had enough scares this past month.
Posted in MS related
Tags: Author, Bones, Bull Terriers, Caregiver, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Multiple Sclerosis, Post A Day 2011, Writer
Frustrated, yes.
Posted by doggonedmysteries
The most frustrating thing is dealing with the low energy. I do half of what I’d normally do and am looking for a nap. Somehow the idea of doing a sink full of dishes and collapsing from exhaustion afterwards makes me crazier than the idea that I won’t be painting my house any time soon.
The idea of not being to weed the gardens in a few hours frustrates the hell out of me.
Amidst all the frustration, I find that I do not suffer from one thing that worried my doctor. I’m not depressed. I’ve managed to find the humor in the situation.
The fact that I’ve been relegated to sitting on my butt has DH moving around more is rather amusing.
Posted in Heart Attack, Misc, MS related
Tags: Author, Bones, Bull Terriers, Caregiver, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Multiple Sclerosis, Post A Day 2011, Writer
There are bad days and there are good days
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Some days, I find myself terrified out of my wits when I see DH having trouble getting around. Yesterday was one of those days. More hot weather had his MS in an uproar after he was only outside for a little while.
When he can barely walk from one end of the room to the other, tears make my vision swim. My heart weighs heavy in my chest as I watch him struggle to stand upright. I can hear my brain screaming, “I can’t do this.” Then my heart speaks up and says, “You love him. Yes you can.” Yes, I can do this. No matter what my fears, I can overcome them and be here for him.
I’ve learned only to offer my help when he is at his worst. Any other time, he growls at me. I know he doesn’t mean to be such a bear but sometimes it’s his only defense against feeling helpless.
Then there are those special days when I wander downstairs from an inadequate night’s sleep to find he’s poured my coffee and he has it fixed exactly the way I like it. Then he smiles at me and I fall in love with him all over again. We can do this no matter what his MS throws at us.
Posted in MS related
Tags: Bones, Caregiver, Disability, Doggoned, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Post A Day, Post A Day 2011, Writer, Writing
Wait, he is hurrying as fast as he can
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Someone rang our doorbell at eight in the morning yesterday. Since I’d only gone to bed two hours before that I didn’t hear it. Most importantly, it seems that people don’t understand that it takes DH some time to get to the door especially if he’s upstairs. He’s no Speedy Gonzalez, due to his MS the man moves at a turtle’s pace.
By the time DH got to the door, the bell ringer was long gone. How much sense does it take to realize that we are home when both our cars are in the driveway? Is patience in such short supply that the person had to rush off? Nothing ticks DH off more than to rush to the door only to find the person gone. Mind you, his rushing is similar to a snail on crack but that can’t be helped.
I hate to think I have to post a sign saying, ‘person answering the door is slow…please have patience.’
Posted in MS related
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Post A Day, Post A Day 2011, Writer, Writing
DH needs to relearn how to relax
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Staying up to make sure DH is awake and out to his MRI appointments this morning. His new neurologist feels that he needs them since it’s been a while since he had any done. His first one is scheduled for 8 a.m. and the second for nine. He had trouble sleeping since he knew he HAD to get up. I hope the MRIs prove helpful.
Yesterday he forgot his morning medications and had trouble walking as a result. He told me that once he remembered to take them it wasn’t long before his gait improved.
Saturday, fishing season begins here and I hope to have both of our licenses soon after so I can get him out of the house. He needs fresh air, sunshine, and something to do that he enjoys. He needs to relax. I can set him up at a decent fishing spot, take a power walk, and then join him. I’m picturing many picnics beside the rivers in our future. This is something we haven’t had time to do over the last three years with his mother’s poor health.
Posted in MS related
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Post A Day, Post A Day 2011, Writer, Writing
March is National Multiple Sclerosis Education and Awareness Month
Posted by doggonedmysteries
My husband was a police officer forced into an early retirement because he has Multiple Sclerosis. He was a police tactical firearms instructor and is a great and willing resource for me. He always encourages me to keep writing. We will celebrate our thirty-eighth anniversary in July of this year. His MS has gone from relapsing remitting to secondary progressive. Although walking is difficult for him, he still tries to do some of the yard work, thank heavens for riding mowers.
He had Relapsing-Remitting MS (RRMS) for a long time. His diagnosis changed several years ago to Secondary-Progressive MS (SPMS).
This is Bayer Health’s description of Secondary-Progressive MS (SPMS). In SPMS, symptoms worsen more steadily over time, with or without the occurrence of relapses and remissions. Before disease-modifying therapies became available, historical studies indicated that about 50% of people with RRMS progressed to SPMS approximately 10 years after their first diagnosis. Long-term data are not yet available to determine if treatment significantly delays this transition
(The picture of him at the top of this post is a few years old.)
Posted in MS related, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Post A Day, Post A Day 2011, Writer, Writing
Life in the slow lane
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Winter makes us all move at a snail’s pace but for DH it’s his MS that does it. Over the last several years, I’ve watched him slow down more and more. He’s old before his time. We try to keep a sense of humor about it but I can see how devastating the change is on him.
We do joke about how the dogs take advantage of him. They often devil him knowing that they are faster than he is and can stay J U S T out of his reach. They enjoy playing moving roadblocks with him too. It’s not one of his favorite doggy games. If they could figure out how to hide his canes, they’d do that too for devilment. BTs are loads of humor and mischief rolled into pig headed, muscle bound packages.
We didn’t get to go fishing last season because his mother required a constant watch. Maybe this coming season we will go again. I think it will do him good. There’s nothing as relaxing as sitting alongside a riverbank and occasionally catching something. We find a spot and stick to it. There’s no racing up and down the river for us.
For now, we’ll keep taking life slow and easy as it comes and step aside for the speed demons. There’s less traffic in our lane.
Posted in MS related
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Post A Day, Writer, Writing
Recaps and updates
Posted by doggonedmysteries
DH’s mother isn’t doing well. Most days she doesn’t recognize him. The stress has caused some problems with his MS. The other day when he woke he had trouble getting out of bed and walking. The same thing happened today.
DH has new neurologist and she’s sending him to a rehab center for aqua-therapy. I think he might benefit greatly from it.
Since I’m writing this at two a.m. Gavin hasn’t been to the vet yet. He goes at three in the afternoon. I’ll probably post about his visit there tomorrow.
All that heavy rain and strong winds not only caused me problems with my server but our roof leak came back. It only leaks when it rains and the winds are over 25 mph. The wind hit gusts of over 45 mph. The leak was very small this time, thank goodness. Our roofer has tried to stop the leak for years. His offices are two doors down from us and since he did the main repair work years ago, he’s been trying to stop the leak free of charge for years.
Posted in Dog related, Misc, MS related, Weather related
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
There’s a rubber room out there with my name on it
Posted by doggonedmysteries
DH’s mother is back in the hospital. This is not good for him. His stress level is through the roof. I try to make certain that things at home run smoothly and do my best not to ask him for anything right now.
It isn’t easy since the pond is filling with leaves, even though I skim it every day. I can’t put the netting to keep the leaves out on it alone. Heck, there are so many leaves in the yard, it’ll take me at least a month to rake them all and there are still tons on our trees. The kitchen lights need replacing—I hate climbing ladders.
There’s been another death in the family. We won’t go there.
My car’s inspection cost us a small fortune on Friday. Patty is acting out of character and I’m wondering if we’re in for another vet run.
“Hello, is this the Peaceful Valley Funny Farm? I was wondering if I could make a reservation.”
“What sort of accommodations were you looking for?”
“Do you have any spare rubber rooms?”
Posted in Misc, MS related
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
Another Ampyra post
Posted by doggonedmysteries
DH was born in this town. He might’ve been born in the house we live in had his mother not insisted on going for a walk after dinner one night fifty-seven years ago. It turns out she went into labor about a half a block from the hospital. Had they been closer to home she probably would’ve dropped him on the front steps while his father got the car started. Even though DH was her first (and only) child, she wasn’t in labor for very long. As it was, she barely made it into the hospital before he made his appearance.
Yes, it seems that DH has always been in a hurry. This is probably why his MS tends to frustrate him so much at times. He had to slow down to a three-legged creep. That is until recently.
He’s on Ampyra and it has improved his walking. He’s not back to full sprint capabilities but he is walking better. He’s even walking without his cane occasionally and that’s something he hasn’t done for a few years. Even the dogs have noticed a difference. He’s not riding on his scooter and running them. They walk.
Posted in MS related
Tags: 4-Aminopyridine, Acorda Therapeutics, Ampyra, Author, Biogen Idec, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
One month on Ampyra
Posted by doggonedmysteries
DH has been on Ampyra a little over a month now and there is a definite improvement in his walking. The other day he even said he felt he walked better. Thing is I noticed the improvement before he did, but then I watch him.
It’s been quite a spell since he’s forgotten to grab his cane upon leaving the house. He forgot it two days ago when he went over to his mother’s house for lunch. Yep, I’d say there’s been a good deal of improvement. The upturn in his walking does pose a few problems like him pushing himself too hard and over doing it.
I’m not saying he hasn’t had a couple of bad days because with hot days nothing helps. However, it’s been a long time since he worked on his truck and he did just that yesterday.
He’s been lucky not to have any side effects so far, and if he has had any, he hasn’t mentioned them to me.
Posted in MS related
Tags: 4-Aminopyridine, Acorda Therapeutics, Ampyra, Author, Biogen Idec, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
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