Sure hope so Erin. Can't hurt to try.

With love, Erika

I tried the Bioness L300 today. On my right leg that has the drop foot.

It works, and it was very comfortable. I liked it. The guy told me where to go to try the Walkaide tho, so I'm going to call there and see what I have to do to try that.

The only thing about the Bioness that bothered me, was that I now know that some of the walking issues that I've been having are coming from my OTHER LEG.

I went walking around their little track area, and while my right leg seemed to be doing fine with the Bioness on it, the left leg kept throwing me off. The guy told me my leg was scissoring and trying to cross in front of my other leg. It was really really <bad swear word> annoying.

It was also pointed out to me that both of my knees are hyperextending.

So, while I liked how the Bioness worked and felt, I was really kind of disturbed that it seems my other leg is having issues, and the problems in that leg seem to be coming from higher up the leg. (where the leg meets the hip)

Kind of depressed about that now. I just don't know what they would do to help that.

I am kind of hoping that all this stuff is coming from being somewhat low on the b12. I know I shouldn't put any hope into that. It's kind of not realistic to hope that a little b12 will help things get better. Because apparently nothing ever gets better. Stuff only gets worse.

It surely is great, Erin, to find the B12 deficiency and begin to treat it!

Because I have Polycythemia Vera, I have a high B12 score. I forget exactly what it is: 1250, or something like that. It goes with the territory and no one told me why. Do I not absorb what i consume, and it floats around in the blood? I have no idea.

When i was much younger I had to have B12 shots because I was anemic from a too heavy monthly period. I could not take iron (that was explained on later diagnosis) but B12 snapped me out of anemia.

Apparently I have INO (INTERNUCLEAR OPHTHALMOPLEGIA). When I went to the Neuro on Tuesday I thought I was having an ON relapse. He did all sorts of eye tests with his light pen and decided it was INO caused by a lesion on my brain stem.

I go for an MRI on Tuesday and, based on what he sees on that, he will decide if IVSM will help. I'm counting on being able to have it.

My insurance (Humana) has a $175 deductible that I must pay in order to have the MRI. I'll just have to bite the bullet and pay it.....something else will have to either be late or go unpaid. This "fixed income" stuff can be a pain sometimes but I'm very grateful for what I do get.

My balance is shot. I cannot walk any distance without having my rollator to hold onto. It's like my eyes have permanent Nystagmus. Constantly jumping around and moving back and forth. The only relief I get is when I close my eyes.

Ah, well......it has to get better. I can think of much worse things to have. My sister started to tell me that she didn't think it was fair.....why you....blah, blah, blah. I said to stop! Why NOT me? Who would she rather have this? I believe there is a reason for everything. I know many won't agree with me but that's just my reasoning.

Well, it still sucks Kell..

But, Sally, if it didn't we would all fall off!!

Sure hope that you get something that works for that, and soon, Kelly .
With love, Erika

still having a lot of issues with the walking. It's been kind of causing me problems with doing things like taking a shower, or going to the store with my parents. Walking around the house. I'm pretty sure this is a new flare.

just called the neuro, and he called me back pretty quickly. He told me to try to get thru the weekend and to call my regular doctor and see if I can get some IV steroids. He did tell me to try to hold off on the steroids if I can. I don't like steroids at all, even if they do sometimes help. Not sure if I'm going to beg for the steroids or not.

He also told me that I should have my regular doctor check me to see if my body even metabolizes b12.

I just looked up to see how many milligrams are in the b12 I'm taking. It's 2500mcg (micrograms?) That's 2.5 milligrams. So, I've upped it. Been reading that 5 milligrams is where a lot of doctors start people on the sublinguals. So, I take one in the morning on an empty stomach, and then another one in the evening, hopefully around an hour or two after eating. Maybe a little longer after eating. (read it's better on an empty stomach). I feel a little bit better. Not feeling as physically sick and weak. Basically just weak. I wonder how long it takes for the b12 to get up to 600 in my bloodstream from the 252 it was.

I think I found a new physiatrist. I don't see him till the middle of March, but when I told the neuro about it just now, he said he knows him and that he's a really good physiatrist. Said he's really nice and is very good at what he does. I hope so. I need a doctor that's nice. My old physiatrist is nice too, but a bit abrupt at times. (old physiatrist was also my mom's physiatrist when she had West Nile. He did good stuff for my mom) Plus he is further away than this new guy will be, so maybe this new guy will work out better for the logistics of just getting in to see the guy.


I'm just so exhausted by everything happening now. Starting to wish I knew what causes MS and could go back in time to somehow stop myself from getting it. (wouldn't that be nice if we could do that?)

hey! I've got a date tomorrow, as long as we don't have a snowpocalypse tonight. yay! Hope I can make it thru the date without falling asleep.

I'm actually looking forward to my MRI on Tues. My vision is getting worse by the day and, unless I wear my glasses all the time, I can't focus. I can watch TV if I sit very still and be on the computer as long as I sit very still.

It's supposed to be a beautiful warm day and my DS and DIL are coming over to do a grocery store run for me. I wish I could go, too, but I know better. Those lights and the movement around me would not be good. I'll have a nice visit with them and maybe get a treat or two from the store!

My gripe today is, the weather...AGAIN!! It's snowing and icing to beat the band,
out there and it's keeping my Family from our visit and grocery shopping..EEK &
ARGH!!

Shut up Kell...LOL!! Oh, and hope you feel better soon.