[Erin524]

Just got back to my regular doctors office. He's giving me a small taper dose of steroids. Smaller than the usual ones that I usually get. I think this one starts out at 40 mg for so many days, then tapering like steroid tapers usually do.

Finally somebody who seemed like he was actually trying to help.

That doctor's dad has MS, and I think sometimes he understands things going on with me a little better than a lot of other doctors do. Like he has more empathy.

I finally got to think him for the wonderful job that he and his nurses did getting me the IV steroids back in April for my Optic neuritis. Told him that it was like one in the afternoon when I finally got in touch with them and they got me in to get the IV steroids within two hours. On a Friday! Told him I was really impressed with that.

I'm just waiting for the pharmacy to get my steroids. Now I have to figure out something to eat with the steroids. I haven't been that hungry. Maybe with steroids not being hungry won't be a problem. I just hope it helps with my hands and the numbness everything that I've got cause there are things I need to be able to do with my hands. Not being able to do those things is disturbing. People who've had hand numbness might understand the hidden subtext that I'm trying not to say, regarding why I want to be able to use my hands.

The doctors also checking me for an infection so I might be getting antibiotics. Yay. I just hope I start to feel better, since even before I went numb, I wasn't feeling good at all.

Hopefully my neurologist won't be annoyed that regular doctor gave me steroids. I see the neurologist on Monday.

I just want to be able to type again because the dictation software while it's cool and very useful is really annoying. I have to keep correcting it because sometimes it doesn't get every word I want correctly. Thinking about starting a Twitter account that I will probably title "fun with Apple dictation".

Then I'll just speak gibberish into my iPad and tweet it. Half the time the words I have to edit out of the dictation are swear words that I didn't actually say. Apparently my iPad has a potty mouth. I'm not sure exactly how it's hearing the swear words coming out of my mouth when I didn't say them. Oh well, at least it's fun to use. I really have to make sure that I proofread every thing I dictate.

[ANNagain]

Erin,

I know this feeling of getting the steroids. You don't want them but getting them represents hope that you will get better and soon.

Best to you,
ANN

[Erin524]

For little while after taking the steroids I think I had a little placebo like effect, because my right hand started to tingle a little less annoyingly then it had been.

Unfortunately that only lasted about 20 minutes. Then I went outside and nearly fell down when my hand missed the railing. I guess my proprioception is screwed up. Hopefully I'll get out of this before I break a bone or fall down.

[Kitty]

Be careful. Steroids do a real number on your bones and make fractures much more possible. They are a double edged sword.

[Lynn]

Hi Erin - so glad that you are able to do something about this. Hoping that it works super well for you. Are you sure you didn't add a mind reading app to your iPad? Maybe you were thinking the naughty words out of sheer frustration