Tricia, it was difficult in the beginning when I gave up my car. One, because I can still drive when my vision is good. Two, because even though I rarely went anywhere anyway I always had the option to go if I wanted to. Now, I just can't. I can use DS's cars when I need to go somewhere but I feel like I'm being an inconvenience.

I've gotten used to being home most of the time. It doesn't bother me anymore. On days I do go somewhere it wears me out! Being alone doesn't bother me, either. In fact, most of the time I prefer it. But I do love having my kids around.

It was just too expensive for me to keep a car and all of the expenses that go along with it. As rarely as I drive it just wasn't practical. But, I've learned how to stretch a dollar and some good budgeting practices while being on SSDI. Everytime I hear on the news that they're planning to cut more out of the SS budget it scares me.

I'm pretty sure my gait looks weirder than it feels :p :p.

My gait is kinda like a penguin walking. I saw some penguins on the National Geographic channel the other day and my first thought was "gosh, I walk like they do"! :o

My gait changes.:confused: My gait is bouncy sometimes. Other times, I think I look wobbly. Then other times, it's more of a limp. But, then again, I have never seen myself walk so I guess this is just how I feel when I walk and what I think I look like. The bouncy gait I know I have as both DDs have commented on it. The drunk gait I know I have and so does some of the bushes I've fallen in to. LOL

Wow...this is like "insights for MS peeps"...

I am mad at my neuro. I went in a couple of weeks ago, because my legs are so bad...the right one isn't walking right, the foot is goofy when I walk. He did notice that change.
But I have had so much pain when I walk for awhile, so much trouble with arm weakness...and all he did was "See you in six months."

So I am taking my care into my own hands. My requip isn't working as well again. In the past, I would call him, and he would take me off of it for two weeks and put me on gabapentin. I hate going off of requip. It is nerve-racking because my legs are jumpy almost all night the first two nights. So now I am just adding gabapentin to the requip the way my old neuro did. I don't have to go through withdrawal, and I feel better immediately.

I am not going to call him any more when something new crops up. Why bother, when he doesn't do anything different? It's an hour drive one way, then I wait for an hour because he talks so much he's an hour behind, and then I get no changes in treatment.

I have a definite prejudice against the medical profession.:mad:

How am I feeling? I need a root canal and could not get an appointment with the specialist until August 4th.:eek:

Don't feel bad, Debbie. I had the same exact experience on Monday. :mad: I asked for PT but he said it wouldn't help. :rolleyes: My left leg is being all gimpy and I'm not walking correctly. This makes my hips and lower back hurt.

Other than the icky weather, my weak legs, achy breaky joints, the fact that I can't seem to get enough sleep, my age and the dam MS, I'm just fine, TYVM..:D

its very humid here this morning, but I walked anyway. Quickly went blind, but kept on trudging. im pooped! I need some time to recover from that. Humidity is my enemy. I am going to shower, and let the DH cook me an egg. Then I need to go do errands.

Today, I am trying something different. Since mornings have been rough on me, I usually shower in the afternoon. But, I noticed that on the days that I take my shower in the morning, I seem to do better all around. So, I showered this morning in hopes of a better day. I dragged my shaky legs in to the shower and made myself do it. I have fallen too many times in the shower lately so I wanted to get it done before DBF left for work. I'll let you all know how the experiment goes. The only down side of this, when I take my shower in the afternoon/evening it cools me down and relaxes the muscles. I guess I could still do that as well.

The hug is still here. I know I should be flattered that it loves me so much it wants to just hug me all day 24/7, 365 days of the year. But I am not flattered. :D Ice is in order for the day as well. I may even call my massage therapist and see if she can come today instead of tomorrow. I know she gets up real early but I'm waiting until 8 to give her a call. She lives a couple of streets away from me. I didn't know that when I first called her. These massages have been helping me so much!!!

The heat and humidity have taken away some of my focus, concentration, and motivation, to an extent. So, today I am going to try to push through that and find some detailed work to do. That basically means, detailed design work.

Off to a better day today and learning new ways to deal with some of the loneliness I have been feeling lately. :(:o

I have noticed that I'm experiencing double vision vertically every other day or so for an hour or more...neuro asked about it and I told him about it, but I also said it doesn't last for more than a few hours. I do feel nervous about this relatively new thing, tho...don't mess with my vision, MS!!:mad:

I feel worried. Worried about the SS situation that's looming out there. I hate it when some politician says "we don't know whether August benefits will be paid or not" and then moves on to another topic like it's not that important.

SS Disability is my payckeck. I worked for many years and paid into SS for just as many. It just makes me mad that these elected officials act like this is just another kink in the chain. :mad: I guess once they are depending on these benefits for their survival things will change.

I'm so sorry you're worrying, Kelly :hug:. It is completely unfair to do this to people who have paid into this system and now can't depend on it.

I guess come August, many of us on SS will be living in tents on the White House lawn. :p Ok seriously, I too am very concerned. I haven't read the news today but it completely freaks me out. I don't know how they can do that to so many people. I would like to think that us Baby Boomers will stand up and NOT let that happen to us. (Well, I'm at the tail end of the Baby Boomers, 1964.) So many of us in that category are or will be retiring. I wonder if they are trying to head off the cost of giving SS to that large of a group.:confused::eek::(:mad:

BTW - How many of us will then head to our state's economic department for assistance? This will certainly place a burden on state funds and thus, drain the state's budget.
I worry about all the elderly and disabled that are not able to work and not able to supplement their income, myself included. I'm just having a tough that the leader's of this country can do that in good conscience. It blows my mind. That's like firing anyone who is elderly or disabled. That's like someone coming in and taking away your retirement. Hey, that's Enron!!! They're pulling an Enron us!!! :p Only, the amount of people that will be effected is far greater than those effected by Enron.:(

Debbie, the heat can cause that dbl vision, but, if I were you, I'd see my optho to make sure.:hug:

Kelly, It's just the Right, putting on it's scare tactics, for the election year..:rolleyes: :mad:

Well, all I can do is try to prepare as best I can. I'm not one of those who has 6 months of living expenses in savings. I don't know too many people who do! :rolleyes: I'm trying not to spend a dime that I don't have to. I really should adopt that way of living all the time....and in a way I do.....but I always know that even if I get to $0 during the month the second Wednesday of the next month always comes around. Who wants to share a tent with me?! :p

A tent in Georgia, or a tent in Vermont? :D

I want a tent in GA in the winter time and a tent in NH in the summer. ;)

This whole thing freaks me out. We want to buy another house, but we feel frozen in fear till the next two weeks pass and we figure out how much of a hit we will take. Will we be homeless? or will we be at the food bank? The last time things fell my IRA really took a beating! I lost about 60% of that portfolio. slowly I recovred about 75% of what I lost, but I am still in the down catagory, and if things are going sideways I cant afford the hit. Im already using teabags twice! reusing tin foil and rinsing out plastic bags. I have cancelled things like netflix, Hulu and the online game I played (well, I cant see to play it anyway) but I am cutting way back getting ready to be hit again.

My left leg is buzzy and dragging today and my left eye isnt happy. Such is the life of an MS girl. bleck! :(

I'm feeling nice and cool. I'm at DD21's apartment sitting in a/c and it's awesome!!! :p Tkrik is a happy girl right now. MS symptoms are at a minimum, I got my feet up on the couch, my ice water right next to me, and, get this one, she has CABLE TV. I feel like I won the lottery today.:p

We were lucky that when we were aorking that we had a retirement plan that somehow they made a deal for 4 1/2%. We have had this account for a good while. So it is growing nicely. We have another that is a 4 1/2% and another that is annuity. Then we both have our pension from the hospital and our SS checks, his SS and mine SSD. We haven't had to dip into our retirment plans yet and I hope it's a long time before we do.

UGH! what a day! DH is doing his colonoscopy today, so that means yesterday was tons of fun. I kept having to force him to drink. The hard part is over and at noon today he will be out and clean. I admit that I am more than a bit tired from the nursing.

My son is coming back home today to live after his huge truck wreck and his huge backfire with his sticky headed g/f. busy busy.

I am achy, stiff, and my eyes are swollen today. its going to be a long day.

I hope everyone else is feeling great.

:(:Sinking: This is how I'm feeling today and everyday lately. My quality of life is going right down the "hopper" and I don't see any way of stopping the slide. Hope you're all doing better.....guess this is what happens after dealing with this horrible disease thirty-five years.:eek::eek::eek:

(((((Judy2)))))...My dear friend, I am so sorry you are in such a bad place right now. I wish there was something I could do to help you feel better.

What do your Docs say? Have they given up on you? If so I suggest that you start fresh with a new, *gun ho* Doc/Neuro, who will work aggressively to help stop your pain and progression.

I am and we are here for you. Rant and biotch away. We'll listen and join you.

BTW, I'm 70 and had my first MS symptoms at 24..:eek::eek: I'm not getting around any better than you, but I don't have the chronic pain you have had to deal with.:mad:

Love, Sally

:hug: Judy :hug:

I'm feeling cooler today!! :D We have cloudy, drizzly, overcast skies and much, much cooler temps. In fact, my A/C is getting a nice little break and I haven't had to turn on my ceiling fans today. Yipee!!

:hug: Judy...pain is the worst of my sxs...makes me want to seek out that new Dr. Kevorkian I heard about...:(

Sal, I get double vision when I'm in the nice cooled house...in the winter, summer, whenever. It troubles me because of the increased frequency. I'm going to see my neuro at a lecture next week and tell him again about it. He did ask me about it last month when I saw him because I'd complained about it, but I think since it only lasts for a few hours he wasn't very concerned. Just try getting around when it's happening, though:mad:

I wish he'd prescribe narcotics for this pain...stupid spasms:mad:

@ Judy :hug:

Received the results of colonoscopy biopsy. Now I have a dx of active colitis:(.

@ barb :hug:

High 80s to mid 90s from today thru next Sat at least.:eek:...and I'm feeling the pressure. The humidity is high today, it's probably gonna rain. Not a great MS day/week for me.:mad:

I will keep up my stretches and mild exercises and try to keep doing it throughtout the day, as I mostly sit on my rear:D, because I must!!!

Dej, I'm convinced that your DH is trying to kill you and you have a deathwish.:D Too much is too much...Be careful sweety..:hug:

Barb, well that just sucks.. Do you have to add a new med now or what?:hug:

I think we should build a tent city in Blessing's backyard..:cool::D

I'm loving the cooler temps (it's cooler here than at Dej's!!) but the humidity and barometric pressure is killin' me! My left leg has a mind of it's own. :mad: Wish it'd go clean the bathroom if it's got to be so active. :rolleyes:

The heat returns next week. 95 by Wednesday. So I'm going to enjoy this break....even if it includes rain and clouds. :)

Is it winter yet?:( That's how I'm feeling today. It's supposed to be almost 110 today. I will be hibernating in the a/c room once I get my project pieces all coordinated and pulled together.

Higher temps mean, MS symptoms will start popping up. So far today, it's just my usual "friendly":rolleyes: hug. It's a little more huggy today than some days.

Ok, heading to Kelly's pool party . . .:D

I was feeling really grumpy last night. But today I am more in a whatever mood. I went out and bought a new tv for my living room. The one I was using was about 10 years old. So I am moving into a new era with a flat screen tv.

Sally, Yes, I have to submit a "sample" for analysis and the doctor sent me a prescription for a new med. Hopefully, I do not have to take it forever. although he put 2 refills on the script:rolleyes:.

Going over to Kelly's party to hopefully cool down.

Having some momentary self-pity, trying to hold steady until it passes. It always does.

For various reasons, I haven't seen my college-age granddaughter for several weeks...she called me, excited that she has an opportunity to be about a half hour away tomorrow (she doesn't have a car) and extended an invitation for me to join her at the lake, meet her new fella, scarf down a hamburger.

Nothing like a slap in the face from Reality to rock your day. It's going to be late in the afternoon, when I'm already circling the drain. It's going to be in the upper 80's. The camp is down a grassy slope from the driveway (I'll need assistance at best). I've been having tummy troubles. And so on, ad infinitum.

Will I go? I'll sure try. You make adjustments. It's just that you never know when MS is going to smack you suddenly and hard with a reminder of what life's about these days. Stink.

Being just a half hr away, it sure would be thoughtful if she could find a way to visit you. If it were me, I'd have to miss it.:(

I hope the little dear finds a way to visit you while she's so close, if not, she's outta the will..:D

LOL, Sally, but she's my only grandchild, I love her to pieces, and she could throw cow manure fastballs at me and I wouldn't write her out of my will!

By all means, all I have to do is say "I don't think I can do it", and they'll change their plans, leave a couple of hours early, etc. It just gets to me sometimes when I'm in lala-land, happily pretending I'm (almost) "normal", and it comes out of nowhere, WHAP!!

Pretty good I suppose....Fatigue in the hot weather sucks and lil forgetfull.

Stil riding my bike all over the place..

Can't complain I guess.

I'm tired today. I didn't nap yesterday and ended up staying up until 11 or so last night playing Phase 10 with DD19. (I beat her by the way.:p) A good nap is in order for today.

T/H = 90/90, but, not feeling too bad?? The A/C must be doing it's duty..:) This is a nasty MS summer..:eek:

It was also a nasty MS winter;).

Especially when the ice storm knocked out the electricity for a week..:eek: Burrrrrrrr!