hey sandy,

i'm so glad that jim is doing well. have you guys thought about seeing a registered dietician? i was surprised how much the woman i saw knew and she made some great suggestions.

sorry about your mom. i suppose it would be her dr with the family that would make the decision to have her cared for. you'd also have to take over her finances. it's a lot of work no matter how you cut it.

the ortho wants me to see the neuro again soon so i'll bring up the tremors. i've had them a long time, right from when i was dx'd. but, know they're more noticiable. i've lost strength in my hands and they jerk a bit. i can still hold a cup of coffee but have to take my hand off the mouse because it jerks around.
oh well, that's MS for ya.

hi troops,

hope you're all doing well and wishing you a happy and relaxing wk/e.

things are pretty stable here. did i tell you all that i had my annual mammo and i was clean. so onward and forward for another yr.

i think i found a synogoue (darn, can't spell it right) to go to. i'll see how i like it. they have fri nite services and sat am services so i'm going tomorrow.
the Rabbi is a holocaust survivor so i can't wait to meet him. what an honor, for me anyway. he said the congregation is rather elderly so i'm sure they're looking for young blood.

my hand tremors and shakes are a bit worse and i'm really noticing it more.
and, i'm still having Lt arm/hand sx's...i think from the disc. i see the neuro again early aug and get his opinion on the new mri. then i go back to the surgeon to discuss all the results. i hate going from dr to dr but at least everyone seems good here and i'm getting hooked up to specialists.

have a good wk/e all.

some news...

i finally heard from the FL medical advisory board about my license.
i can drive if i pass the vision test; and an "extended driving test". maybe we'll have to drive down to miami. who knows?

i have to bring a driver with me in case i fail. i just can't imagine that happening. i have been waiting 13 wks to hear the verdict on the papers i submitted the end of april.

wish me luck. i have to do it by 8/17 but i'm not waiting that long.
i hope i can make this appt in the am before my legs get too tired for the day.

i'll let you know...

congrats to me! i passed my FL driving test. i had to run "the course" 3 + times. it took 50 min's! then it took another 1 1/2hrs to get the paperwork done and get the plate. i was SO ready to leave that place. on top of that it was $465. outrageous! then they're going to make me do it again in 2 yrs. umfff

and, i'm going to have to do the c-spine surgery. my C-5 & C-6 disc is bad. it's compressing my spinal cord. both the neurologist and the surgeon concur. i see the surgeon next wk. i wouldn't be surprised if i had it this month.

i'm really nervous about the collar. how does anyone sleep with that thing on?
he's going to keep me overnight. i hate hospitals. both docs think that my leg problems may be helped by releasing the pressure on the cord. i saw the mri and it didn't look good.

i'll keep you posted.

Judy, I'll pray the surgery goes well.

I cannot believe they charge that much for a DL?! Glad you passed though!

thanks sandy,

i hope you and jim are doing well.

hi all,

just to let you know i may not be on much.
my coccyx pain is bad and i can't sit at my computer much.
this is driving me crazy but no one has a solution that helps.

i'm also doing a lot to be cleared medically for the surgery.
it's too bad that new drs don't much believe what you tell them. they want the tests current to them. what a waste of $. i may start putting my foot down, or arguing a case because i will start to see the bills come in.

hope you're all doing ok.

hello everyone,

a lot has and is going on. it turns out my pre-op clearance for the c-spine surgery is taking a life on its own. had the labs and urine. that said i had some kidney damage. so i went for a repeat and it's wnl (within normal limits).

had a chest x-ray which was fine. heart size wnl.
showed some scoliosis. then they ordered a bone scan. never mind i had one a yr ago, wnl. they want to see for themselves. it was wnl and showed my arthritis.

so then they sent me for a cardiology consult. so now i'm getting an ultrasound of my carotids and a renal US (ultrasound). then i had a stress test. that was all done today. tomorrow i go in for extremity US's and an echo, which i also had in the past 5 yrs. but, again, they wanted a new one.

God only knows how much this is all going to cost me in co-pays which of course havn't rolled in yet.

next wk i find out all the results. i'm taking a pad of paper, and a friend. i'll let you know how it all works out.

my coccyx pain has been intolerable. i can hardly sit at all. i got it injected last fri and the pain was terrible over the wk/e. it's easing up.

well, that's enuf for now. umfph.

Hey Judy...sounds like alot going on...whew!

Im glad the tailbone is feeling better...I remember when I broke mine
during childbirth. It was not fun at all.

Im down 65 pounds...whew, its only taken me a year and a half.
I really would have thought it would help my foot and hip problems
but not yet. I would like to lose another 20 pounds. These last
pounds are really coming off slooooooooowly.

I have two sons in college now, my dd just started middle school and
the baby is in second grade....how did they all grow up so fast?!!!!

Good luck with the surgery and all the testing. My df is having his hip
replaced and the preop stuff is very intense!

Big hugs and best wishes to you Judy!!!!

hi sox,

that is absolutely fantastic about your wt loss!!!!!
i'm so happy for you. i'm sending healing wishes to you for your dad that all goes well and he recovers quickly.

kids do grow up fast don't they? you should post a pic sometime. i'd love to see your family.

i see the pulmonologist fri and get the cardiac results the middle of next wk.
my cousins near clearwater invited me to come for thanksgiving but i don't want to committ til all this plus the surgery is over. i may not make it this yr cause if i wait too long i won't get a flight out. oh well. one thing at a time.

i got scared "straight" about my wt. when my dr said i had some kidney damage i pictured myself on dialysis. from that day on i've straightened up my eating tremendously. i've had NO sweets. some no sugar added products but nothing else. i've lost 5 lbs too.

i think every problem i have goes back to my weight. i could probably come off most of my meds if i took the wt equation out of my life. maybe i'll be "the animal" once again, eh cindy?