It's been awhile, over the past month a few things have happened. Our golf tournament was a HUGE success, we made over $4,000 which considering we didn't do as much as we had anticipated and the fact that the weather wasn't great I was excited. Actually, thrilled, once the forecast started showing rain I was devastated because I assumed it would be a blow out and no one would show. Well, it did rain, not horrible, but a steady drizzle yet we had pretty much everyone show up! I was amazed when people started showing up it also made me feel good because I know they were there to support me and MS.
Several people ask about the money, we don't need financial assistance right now so the money goes directly to the National MS Society Louisiana Chapter. The MS Society is a HUGE resource for people with MS, whether newly diagnosed or someone who has been living with it. I'll admit at first I didn't want to deal with it, but after coming to terms with the disease I agreed to at least go to the MS walk. Our first walk was in March 2011 and I really didn't expect much. Actually I only expected it to be my family and a few friends, but it turned out to be several friends. Well, the competitive nature in me had to go back the next year and do better. Now, we not only raise money for the society, but help with the walk! (Which the cutest t-shirt/team spirit was our idea...and we won!) Anyway, the money the society raises goes to a variety of places. They give some money to the MS programs in Louisiana, which is something I just recently learned but is amazing! Individuals who need help with medicine, tests, wheelchairs, or other assistant devices to make their lives easier can sometimes qualify for help from the society. Plus, nationally the society helps fund research studies/trials for MS.
Bridget and I are also going to volunteer at the 2012 Renaissance Party which is another fundraiser for MS. We wanted to see what it's all about, so we decided what better way than to volunteer to help for the event! That's in a few weeks so hopefully it'll be fun. Also, the MS Walk site should be up and running soon which means we'll get to start registering people to join our team! This year the MS Walk is February 23, which is earlier than usual, but hopefully we'll have good weather! It actually works out though since Easter is late and close to when the walk is usually held.
October has been a crazy month for so many reasons! The Botox injections I got in my back in July started to wear off, so that meant the pain come back. Then, if having the pain come back wasn't enough, the illnesses spreading like wild fire came to visit. So I was fighting that for a little over a week, and the cold weather didn't help me at all! It did throw off my appointment with the hematologist too because she's a hematologist/oncologist so we called and decided it would be best for me not to go since I was sick. I truly didn't want to get anyone else sick, especially someone whose immune system is weaker than mine. So in the next month or so I have to make that appointment again to check my iron, B12, vitamin D, and all my platelets, blood counts. Hopefully my iron is still good, it's been almost two years since I had to get iron infusions and that's not fun!
But, the past two days have been productive. Monday I went to the pain doctor and got more Botox. This time it was much easier, I'm not sure if it was because I was prepared or what but I had minimal flu-like symptoms. I made a point to take a little flu/cold medicine right after the Botox and then yesterday AM I took a little more to avoid it from getting worse. It takes a few days to fully take into effect, but we're in the right direction. Also, after talking to the doctor, he made a point to make sure my next Botox injection is in exactly 3 months which I'm very thankful about! Being the little girl that hated needles and would try to talk my way out of getting a shot/IV/anything with a needle (and sometimes being successful), I never thought I'd say this but during the Botox part of me wished I could do it myself! I guess after two years of giving myself shots daily (sometimes two a day), I like to be in control of it. Plus, I am the type that likes to go fast and get it over with. During the process the injection/needle didn't bother me but the Botox burns so I just wanted it to go super fast.
Yesterday I went to my neurologist, which was uneventful for the most part (which I'm NOT complaining about!). The main issue we discussed was my muscle spasms, tremors, spasticity in my hands and legs, which was good because before it was always pain. But, apparently tremors in the hands and muscle spasms in the legs are caused by the spinal lesions. They could be from the lesions I have in my C-spine (neck) which have been there since I was diagnosed with MS two years ago, or it could possibly be new lesions in the spine. She said that sometimes the spinal lesions cause spasticity to get worse over time even though there are no new lesions, which is good. Basically, all this just means they will look closely at the spine during my next MRI in January. Since it's been almost two years since I've had an MRI on my T-spine (upper back) they are going to do that in January as well. The first time they did the T-spine I didn't have any lesions which is good, but that was in March 2011. If there are no lesions on the t-spine this time she said she just wants to do the MRI every other year there. This means that my MRI will probably be between 2-2.5 hours, but I guess we'll just grin and bear it because it was that or break it up to two days which may be worse since they use contrast which has to be given via IV (which even though it doesn't bother me as much, they still have issues finding veins so I'd rather just do that once).
Right now that's pretty much it except that I finally submitted my application to go back to school. Although, I took the easy way out and decided to just get an add-on certification instead of getting my masters. It is a lot faster and is 5 classes that all relate to special education rather than taking extra classes. Then, after that I can decide if I want to pursue a masters degree. Then, I can get my additional certification in special education and a masters in something else. So we will see what the future holds. I did get my way though, I only applied to LSU which is funny because when I started asking around about getting a special education certification EVERYONE said UNO was the only Louisiana college to offer it. Being the LSU alumni that I am and wanted to go back there I e-mailed the professor I had for the special education course I took and she gave me the information on who to contact. I actually had several conversations with that professor before any of the other universities replied.
