I've been MIA from here for a while but am now back. I didn't realize how much I missed all of you until I started reading the posts and responses.

The past year 14 months have been awful for me medically and none of it was because of my MS. I fell at Walmart in July 2010. I went through months of PT for my knee and shoulder and ended up having surgery for my shoulder.

After I recovered from surgery and was doing my PT, I suffered a Bilateral Vertebral Artery Dissection (VAD) (my arteries to the brain were torn). I was so fortunate that the doctors in the ER figured out what it was before I suffered a stroke. I spent five days in the hospital until they got my headache under control. Then they sent me home on blood thinners, pain pills and total rest. Three months later they did another CT and the arteries had healed.

Because of my MS, I had to give up a lot of things, including work. Now I'm limited in what I can do because of the injuries and damage from the fall. I also now have permanent restrictions and had to give up things that I enjoy doing to prevent the VAD from happening again. It's upsetting and frustrating but I have to keep reminding myself that what I can no longer do is small in the whole scheme of life.

So after all this has happened and I think I'm doing good, I found out there is something wrong with my thyroid! They couldn't make a diagnosis and I have to follow back up with the doctor and have another biopsy. It's crazy but for that I'm grateful. I don't know if I can handle another medical problem right now. I just need a break.

I think about all of what I've gone through the past 14 months and realize I'm so lucky that I'm doing as well as I am. I have to remind myself about those that are worse off, suffer more, or don't have the chance to recover from problems. That keeps me from letting all of this get to me.

I do look on the bright side -- at least my MS is stable and for that I am grateful. But I can't help wondering now that all of this has settled down while my MS start to act up? I've been under a lot of stress this past year.

I'm so glad to be back!