Dear Starznight,

Thanks for this tread. I am so happy to have stumbled upon it and the reply posts you have received. I don't have MS, but would like to chime in, too.

I was very glad to hear that I am not the only one that tends to ignore the hair growing on my lower legs until it finally gets to us. I have blonde hair so it does not show much unless the light hits it a certain way. I try to shave my legs (from the knees down) before my doc appts., especially since they are always checking my legs for edema.

My story is a little like Kitty's. I was trying to shave me legs before my doc appt. and I took a huge chunk out of my leg just above my ankle. Blood was everywhere and just kept flowing. (I am on blood thinners, several, for cardiac issues.) Like Kitty, pressure was not stopping it. Also, like Kitty, my bandage materials were not nearby. (I keep them in the kitchen since that is where MOST need seems to arise.) I, too, did not want to bleed all over the house in an attempt to get to them. Ever try to walk while holding compression on your ankle? NOT an easy task to say the least.

I was also trying to beat the clock to get to my appt. on time. Good thing I allow HOURS for getting ready as I am very slow in getting around these days and need very frequent rest breaks. After a LONG time of compression, I finally put a washcloth over the wound and tied a bath towel around it to hold it in place in order to get to my bandage supplies without leaving a trail of blood. I also put another towel on the floor and slide the towel with one foot to catch any blood that flowed from beneath my make shift temporary bandage. Once I finally got it properly bandaged, I got ready and off to the doctor I went.

Once in the exam room, my doc immediately noticed the bandage wrapped around my ankle area. He asked what happened. Well, I told him, I did not want to come see him with hairy legs and I cut it shaving. His response was immediate and he said, "So, you came to see me with a bloody mess instead?" We both had a good laugh. He has a super sense of humor and is so funny. Of course, his curiosity as to the damage I had done, required him to remove my bandage and it WAS a bloody mess. He "doctored" me up (pun intended) and placed a new bandage on it. He also said I had done a REALLY good job of carving out a chunk from my leg.

I no longer shave on the day I go see him. I try to shave the day before, just in case.

I have tried using an electric razor but it is just not the same clean shave. I do use that sometimes between doc visits just for me.