Summer can be hard on people with disabilities, particularly MS disabilities. So far the summer here has been cool except for a few unspeakably hot days with temps around 100'. There may be more of those days as the summer goes on but for now I'm enjoying days in the 70s and wish I could send them to everyone who is suffering.

I dread the neighborhood fireworks every year. There are houses all around the building I live in and some of the residents in those houses just LOVE their fireworks. Some are so loud that they sound as if they're right under my windows.

Having diminished hearing helps a little but not much. I still feel the jarring impact of the louder explosions and definitely hear them even without the hearing aids.

I almost jump out of my skin with any loud sudden noise.

Cats I've had have gone into hiding at this season, and around here it is a season, not just a day. The fireworks can go on for weeks.

Public fireworks displays can be lovely, and I've been to some of them. They're well regulated, usually away from pets, and everyone hearing the noise is probably there voluntarily. Nobody will get hurt.

But every year there are news stories about somebody who is badly injured by fireworks.