My Life with Multiple Sclerosis 013122

Good Morning, Possums, from the Celebrity Suite of the Wyndemere Condominiums on Turtle Creek. Today is Monday, January 31.

Happy belated birthday to:

Stephen Dunn

Steven Schnorbus

Happy Birthday to:

Michele Gough

Alison Sojouner DeYoung

And just like that…the weekend is over.  I took the day off from social media yesterday.  I think I am leaning towards “No Social Media Sundays” with the exception of church. I have to say it was nice.

It’s going to be a cloudy day in Big D today with a decent chance of some rain this afternoon. I have a pretty full schedule as well:  physical therapy, a few meetings, and later this morning I am getting botox inbox of my legs.  We have upped the dose in my left leg, so fingers-crossed I see a difference fairly soon.  The spasticity in that leg is the bigger issue.  It tends to drag later in the day.  

I am not sure my MS targeted my left leg, but it is what it is.  Oh the joys and blessings of multiple sclerosis.

#I_Got_This

#AndyStrong

#MS_Sucks

What’s on your schedule today / this weekend?

Anyhoozle, I hope you all have a wonderful day and whatever you do today and every day, do it with kindness in your heart. The world is full of kind people. If you can’t find one, be one!  And as always:

...wear a mask

...be kind and compassionate to one another

...dance/sing/laugh it out. It might not help but it sure as hell couldn't hurt.

Peace, Love and Blessings to you all.  -AJ

My Life with Multiple Sclerosis 012922

Good Morning, Possums, from the Celebrity Suite of the Wyndemere Condominiums on Turtle Creek. Today is Saturday, January 29.

No birthdays on my calendar today.

And just like that…it’s the weekend.  My memory from yesterday is kind of fuzzy. I went in to get my normal PLEX (plasma exchange) but I was in for so much more.

The port in my chest was no bueno so they did a procedure (I didn’t feel a thing) to clear whatever may be blocking it.  That did not work so, like last week, they did the arm-thing again except this time they used both arms - the left arm was out and the right arm was in.  

I didn’t think about it at the time, but I agree that the stress of the situation wore me out.  As soon as we began, I fell asleep and when I got home, I fell asleep on the couch.  I woke up and made it to bed and woke up around 6am.  That really took a toll me.

However, I do remember seeing all my nurse friends that came by to see me while everything was getting set up:  Christopher, Bridgette, Anthony, Nancy, Mimi, Marty, Laura Leigh - glad they made it by before I passed out.  Those nurses are so nice to me.

Oh the joys and blessings of multiple sclerosis.

It’s going to be a nice day in Dallas today - sunny with a high of 68.  But that’s just a tease before the temps drop.  The low of 28 degrees on Wednesday night with a “wintry mix” in the forecast will have the grocery stores cleaned out and everyone anticipating the power grid failing…….again.  

What’s on your schedule today / this weekend?

Anyhoozle, I hope you all have a wonderful day and whatever you do today and every day, do it with kindness in your heart. The world is full of kind people. If you can’t find one, be one!  And as always:

...wear a mask

...be kind and compassionate to one another

...dance/sing/laugh it out. It might not help but it sure as hell couldn't hurt.

Peace, Love and Blessings to you all.  -AJ

My Life with Multiple Sclerosis 012822

Good Morning, Possums, from the Celebrity Suite of the Wyndemere Condominiums on Turtle Creek. Today is Friday, January 28.

Happy Birthday to:

Rhonda Arms

Ryan Brown

It’s Friday and it’s going to be a sunny day with a high of 54 degrees in Big D. I hear there is a wintry mix (by Dallas standards) in the forecast for next week. I’ll believe it when I see it.

I was doing some light reading last night - well not light and not in a book. I was on my computer diagnosing myself on the interwebs. The Google is great for self-diagnosis, but it drives my neurologist crazy when I do it and then tell her all about it.

Lately I have had a few issues speaking (nothing bad and not all the time - just here and there) and I wanted to see if it was MS related. Well of course it is common in MS patients. It is called Dysarthria. This occurs when the muscles you use for speech are weak or you have difficulty controlling them. Dysarthria often causes slurred or slow speech that can be difficult to understand.

However, as I kept reading (and to make MS fun), I could also develop something called FAS - Foreign Accent Syndrome. This is a speech disorder which leads listeners to perceive the patient as having a foreign accent. It has been recognized in people with MS.

I practiced my accents last night. I can do British, French and Canadian……badly and that’s about it. LOL! Next Christmas, I am going home with a bad British accent. LMAO

Oh, the blessings of MS! It keeps on giving!

Today doesn’t look too bad. A few meetings this morning and then it is off to the UT Southwestern Spa and Resort for my plasma exchange and dressing change on my port. I have no plans for the weekend. Then on Monday, I am getting Botox in both of my legs. It never ends, does it?

What’s on your schedule today / this weekend?

Anyhoozle, I hope you all have a wonderful day and whatever you do today and every day, do it with kindness in your heart. The world is full of kind people. If you can’t find one, be one! And as always:

...wear a mask

...be kind and compassionate to one another

...dance/sing/laugh it out. It might not help but it sure as hell couldn't hurt.

Peace, Love and Blessings to you all. -AJ 

My Life with Multiple Sclerosis 012722

Good Morning, Possums, from the Celebrity Suite of the Wyndemere Condominiums on Turtle Creek. Today is Thursday, January 27.

Happy Birthday to:

Bunny Whitesides

Craig R Wilkinson

It’s Friday Eve. Today is going to be a partly cloudy day with a high of 54 degrees. We are so close to the weekend.

Last night I watched an old episode of Project Runway. I used to love watching that show. I loved watching the designers under the crunch of limited time, materials, and budget, create beautiful garments literally from thin air. A favorite episode challenged the designers to create outfits for Paralympians which made me wonder: what are all my MS Warriors wearing?

There are days when I can get ready pretty easily. There have also been days where it is a struggle to get my pants on and/or my shoes. Tying my shoes or buttoning my shirts can literally send me into a frenzied, cussing rage that would make sailors blush. Every single day is different. It took me a while, but I figured out it is all about adaptive clothing.

Adaptive clothing is mostly found online and usually cost more (as it should because of all the extra money we have lying around from all the doctors appointments we don’t have and specialty medicine we don’t have to take).

Adaptive clothes eliminate irritating tags, provides ample stretch and give, uses breathable fabrics and replaces the buttons with velcro and magnets for closures.

Like me, many people with MS can’t handle extreme heat and humidity so cooling garments can help us maintain normal core body temperature. Clothes designed to help keep you cool include vests, headbands, torso wraps and wrist or ankle cuffs - and this is just the tip of the iceberg.

I just thought it was interesting that there is a whole market of clothing for people like me - people with MS. When I get dressed, I have wondered if anyone else struggles as I do. Now I know I am not the only one. As awful as it sounds, it is a bit comforting.

Who knew?

Just a few meetings today and volunteering at the clinic this afternoon evening and physical therapy at 5:45am - in 45 minutes.

Anyhoozle, I hope you all have a wonderful day and whatever you do today and every day, do it with kindness in your heart. The world is full of kind people. If you can’t find one, be one! And as always:

...wear a mask

...be kind and compassionate to one another

...dance/sing/laugh it out. It might not help but it sure as hell couldn't hurt.

Peace, Love and Blessings to you all. -AJ

My Life with Multiple Sclerosis 012622

Good Morning, Possums, from the Celebrity Suite of the Wyndemere Condominiums on Turtle Creek. Today is Wednesday, January 26.

Happy Birthday to:

Bryan Barela

Jeff Covell

It’s going to be a sunny, yet chilly, day in Dallas with a high of 49 degrees. And it’s Hump Day. We made it half way through the week. I am pretty excited about that. I’d be more excited if it was Friday. But come to think of it, the majority of my meetings are today. I have PT, meetings and volunteering at the clinic tomorrow. And Friday morning, I have meetings followed by plasma exchange. Mondays I have nothing. Is Monday my new Friday?

Mom and Dad are coming out for a week in February. It’s the same time/week they came out last year which is the same time we had snowpocalypse last year and the power grid failure. I had just moved in here. They got out of Dallas and back to SC and I stayed with some friends who still had power. Obviously, I’m not hoping for a repeat of that. Fingers-crossed!

However, the Friday of their visit they will get to accompany me to Plasma Exchange and witness the weekly blessings MS has bestowed upon me. I think everyone should go at least once.

Anyhoozle, I hope you all have a wonderful day and whatever you do today and every day, do it with kindness in your heart. The world is full of kind people. If you can’t find one, be one! And as always:

...wear a mask

...be kind and compassionate to one another

...dance/sing/laugh it out. It might not help but it sure as hell couldn't hurt.

Peace, Love and Blessings to you all. -AJ 

My Life with Multiple Sclerosis 012522

Good Morning, Possums, from the Celebrity Suite of the Wyndemere Condominiums on Turtle Creek. Today is Tuesday, January 25.

Happy Birthday to:

Jeff Green

Well, this week is off and running. It’s going to be a sunny day in Big D with a high of 58 degrees. I only have a few meetings at work today so I am hoping for another productive day.

I had some really bizarre dreams last night. I would love to blame it on my MS or my MS medication, but I can’t. I think it has everything to do with what I watched on television before I went to bed. I watched an episode of each of the following:

Ozark (Netflix)

The Righteous Gemstones (HBO)

And Just Like That…(HBO Max)

Yellowjackets (Showtime)

While I highly recommend each of them, don’t watch an episode of each one and count on having pleasant dreams. Maybe it’s just me. Even though they are quite entertaining, they are not what I would call ‘Happy’ shows. They are all messed up and it is FANTASTIC!

Anyhoozle, I hope you all have a wonderful day and whatever you do today and every day, do it with kindness in your heart. The world is full of kind people. If you can’t find one, be one! And as always:

...wear a mask

...be kind and compassionate to one another

...dance/sing/laugh it out. It might not help but it sure as hell couldn't hurt.

Peace, Love and Blessings to you all. -AJ

My Life with Multiple Sclerosis 012422

Good Morning, Possums, from the Celebrity Suite of the Wyndemere Condominiums on Turtle Creek. Today is Monday, January 24.

Happy Birthday to:

Annie Scott

Beth Sherer Durham

Eric Rewilak

Richard Buchanan

And just like that…the weekend is over and it is time to kick off another work week. It’s going to be a partly cloudy day in Big D with a high of (near) 60 degrees.

I did not post yesterday. I took a day off from social media to clear my head and prepare for the week. It was quite an eventful weekend starting with PLEX on Friday afternoon and purchasing a wheelchair on Saturday. I know that does not sound like a lot but it was a bit exhausting. My longer-than-usual PLEX on Friday really wiped me out. And “Operation Wheelchair” was an event all itself. Purchasing it was easy-peasy. I had two of my Besties go with me which made it easier. While I do not need it all of the time - in my condo I use my walker - but going out and about the chair is better. Especially now, with the temperatures dropping, my legs get very tight and non-functional. MS and cold weather DO NOT mix well together.

Getting around was fairly easy and also somewhat frustrating. Even from my one day using the chair, I quickly discovered it’s a whole new world down here. I wondered if I had permanently been in a chair at a younger age - if MS had made itself known earlier in my life - if it would be easier for me to get around in this contraption. I was thinking I am in an ‘old dog, new tricks’ kind of situation. I came to the conclusion ‘probably not.’ There are still so many places that are not accessible or easily accessible. I am/was amazed.

However, I am thankful I can still get around - walker, chair or whatever mode of transportation the event and day calls for. I have been blessed with MS but where my blessings abound is in the love I have and receive to/from my family and friends both near and far. That is what gives me the strength and determination (along with being stubborn and fairly hard-headed and OCD) to make it to the next day.

I have NO MEETINGS today. What’s on your schedule today?

Anyhoozle, I hope you all have a wonderful day and whatever you do today and every day, do it with kindness in your heart. The world is full of kind people. If you can’t find one, be one! And as always:

...wear a mask

...be kind and compassionate to one another

...dance/sing/laugh it out. It might not help but it sure as hell couldn't hurt.

Peace, Love and Blessings to you all. -AJ 

My Life with Multiple Sclerosis 012122

Good Morning, Possums, from the Celebrity Suite of the Wyndemere Condominiums on Turtle Creek. Today is Saturday, January 22. Happy Birthday to: Benjamin Egbert Tammy Roberts And just like that…it’s the weekend! I never thought it would get here and it is cold outside; 28 degrees now but it’s going to be sunny today and warm up to a blistering 49 degrees. It was a long four-day work week and it ended with a longer than usual plasma exchange. My body did not want to cooperate yesterday, rather the port in my chest, so they had to drill another hole in my arm (they didn’t really drill a hole in my arm). So the blood came out of my arm and into the giant slurpee machine and back in through my chest. I couldn’t move my arm for three hours; a fitting end to the work week. I don’t know what it was but it really wiped me out - more so than usual. I remember talk of going in/out of a vein in my arm every week and removing the port in my chest. That would be fine with me but I am going to wait and discuss it with my Neurologist. To be continued.

The blessings of MS abound. LOL Now on with the weekend. I had an all day Church Board / Board of Trustees Retreat / Meeting scheduled for today but it has been postponed and my Saturday has freed up. I think today I may get my chair. Being out and about - volunteering and at the theater Thursday and even yesterday going to PLEX - the walker just wasn’t cutting it. Around the house, my walker is fine and maybe at events here and there, but for now, I’m going to need a chair. TBD... What’s on your schedule today? Anyhoozle, I hope you all have a wonderful day and whatever you do today and every day, do it with kindness in your heart. The world is full of kind people. If you can’t find one, be one! And as always: ...wear a mask ...be kind and compassionate to one another ...dance/sing/laugh it out. It might not help but it sure as hell couldn't hurt. Peace, Love and Blessings to you all. -AJ

My Life with Multiple Sclerosis 012122

Good Morning, Possums, from the Celebrity Suite of the Wyndemere Condominiums on Turtle Creek. Today is Friday, January 21.

No birthdays on my calendar today.

And just like that…it’s Friday…..FINALLY! I never thought it would get here - but let’s stick a pin in that and back up a tiny bit.  

I was so looking forward to going to the theater last night.  I haven’t been since August which is rare for me.  Typically, if I am not volunteering at a show at the AT&T Performing Arts Center, I am attending a show at Dallas Summer Musicals.  Last year, or pre-COVID (who can remember when that was), the two organizations decided to quit competing to get the best Broadway touring productions and share a few shows.  To my delight, Hadestown, the Musical is one they were sharing.  It won eight Tony Awards including Best Musical and it received rave reviews, not only from the critics, but from friends as well.

My friends and I arrived at the performing arts center, got princess parking and made our way inside in time for a cocktail and a bathroom stop before the curtain call.  I greeted a few friends (people I volunteer with) as we found our seats and settled in for what was going to be a night of pure entertainment that has been absent from my life for a very long time.

The band began to play.  The talent made their entrances onto the stage and I sat back in my seat for what would be two and a half of the most boring hours of my life.  Clearly my taste and some of my friends taste and the New York critics taste are polar opposite when it comes to evaluating the music, plot, costumes, set design and nearly everything else about this show.  

My disappointment in this show rivals only that of the Tony Award winning The Band’s Visit, a musical I saw two years ago;  another 104 minutes of my life I will never get back.  I actually thought about getting up and going to wait in the lobby until it was over.  Counting the ceiling tiles and enjoying another cocktail sounded more appealing than sitting there for the rest of that show.  But I remained in my seat and gave it every chance I possibly could.  Being with my friends was great but the show just didn’t do it for me.

However, while I am of the opinion (and it’s just my opinion only) that most everything about this show is negligible, there is life on stage.  The performers - every single one of them (including the band) - could sing and play their instruments with the best of them.  I just couldn’t buy what they were singing and playing, but that’s just me.  

The next Broadway touring production is Jesus Christ Superstar.  Stay tuned…

Back to Friday - it’s cold in Big D today.  MS does not like cold weather.  My walking is a little off.  But I only have one meeting this morning, my housekeeper is here cleaning and I have PLEX this afternoon.  Not a bad Friday!

What’s on your schedule today?  

Anyhoozle, I hope you all have a wonderful day and whatever you do today and every day, do it with kindness in your heart. The world is full of kind people. If you can’t find one, be one!  And as always:

...wear a mask

...be kind and compassionate to one another

...dance/sing/laugh it out. It might not help but it sure as hell couldn't hurt.

Peace, Love and Blessings to you all.  -AJ 

My Life with Multiple Sclerosis 012022

Good Morning, Possums, from the Celebrity Suite of the Wyndemere Condominiums on Turtle Creek. Today is Thursday, January 20.

Happy Birthday to:

Adrienne Mckeown

Dimitri Harris

Marilyn Davis

Tim Sweeney

And just like that…it’s Friday eve. It’s currently a balmy 27 degrees outside with a high today of 37. Yes, Winter has returned for a few days, but fret you not. It’s just a business trip and she’ll be gone by Saturday. However, she brought her business partner, the Wind, with her. She’s cold and bitter and makes it feel about 10 degrees cooler than it actually is. Hate her!

So, it’s Thursday - my third day of work this week and I feel like I have been working since Thursday of last week. No matter - there’s only one meeting on my calendar today, plus physical therapy. Later this afternoon, I’ll be volunteering at the clinic followed by a return to the theater.

Tonight we see Hadestown, the Musical. It won a bazillion Tony awards and I have heard nothing but good things about it. I’m going with Shannon Brown, Timothy Thomas and my best gal pal, Sallie Ann Plaxico. Time to break out the winter hat, gloves and the mask.

My MS still seems to be behaving and under control. I still get a few tingles and numbness here and there, but that is manageable and expected. I can’t decide whether to be excited about it being under control or on guard for fear it’s planning some sort of sneak attack. I think I shall proceed with cautious optimism.

What’s on your schedule today?

Anyhoozle, I hope you all have a wonderful day and whatever you do today and every day, do it with kindness in your heart. The world is full of kind people. If you can’t find one, be one! And as always:

...wear a mask

...be kind and compassionate to one another

...dance/sing/laugh it out. It might not help but it sure as hell couldn't hurt.

Peace, Love and Blessings to you all. -AJ

My Life with Multiple Sclerosis 011922

Good Morning, Possums, from the Celebrity Suite of the Wyndemere Condominiums on Turtle Creek. Today is Wednesday, January 19.

No birthdays on my calendar today.

Happy Hump Day! We made it half way through the week. Yes, like a lot of people, I have worked a total of one day so far this week and it already feels like it should be Friday. As I stated yesterday, Monday holidays are deceivingly evil - to me anyway. Mind you, I am not complaining - OK I am probably complaining a little bit. Having a Monday holiday is fantastic and I am grateful for the paid time off, but the rest of the week seems soooooooooooooooo long. OK - I am done with that.

It’s going to be a partly cloudy day in Big D today with a high of 58 and at that point, Winter is making a return trip to Texas. The high tomorrow is 37 degrees. We have had it pretty easy so far - no sleet, no snow, no freezing temperatures and surprisingly enough, the power grid is still up and running. OK, I’m done with that too.

MS has been a pain in my ass - but since June 2021, it’s been a pain in both cheeks - well actually in my left foot. I have only been able to wear sandals because it has been so swollen. It was, no kidding, a cankle. (Sidebar - I love wearing socks and sandals). However, my stay at the UT Southwestern Spa and Resort in December remedied that now it looks like a (mostly) normal foot - no more cankle.

Yesterday, my friend, Carol Margo Stanners, brought over many pairs of shoes she had purchased and we had a shoe fashion show. These shoes fit my slightly swollen foot and were easy (for me) to put on and best of all they weren’t sandals (even though socks and sandals is my favorite foot attire).

Thank you, Carol Margo Stanners. You are an angel and a wonderful friend. I just wish I had a picture of you jumping on my mother’s shoulder’s in the Caribbean as hundreds of sting rays swam harmlessly around us. I have met and had lengthy conversations with my favorite performer, Judy Kuhn. But if I had a picture of that, I could die a happy man. You are a wonderful friend and I love you very much. Thank you!

What’s on your schedule today?

Anyhoozle, I hope you all have a wonderful day and whatever you do today and every day, do it with kindness in your heart. The world is full of kind people. If you can’t find one, be one! And as always:

...wear a mask

...be kind and compassionate to one another

...dance/sing/laugh it out. It might not help but it sure as hell couldn't hurt.

Peace, Love and Blessings to you all. -AJ