MS

When I first got my diagnosis of, MS, like many, I thought it a death sentence....it is not, actually, it is a relief. Al those years of knowing something just wasn't right, all those strangenesses (ok so I know that isn't a word...deal with it, it *should* be), and suddenly I have a reason for it all. Fist thing, I went on the drugs they tout..Rebif, an inection...self imposed no less...3x a week. Rebif costs about $150 US per shot, and I was also on Neurontin. Well, I went off both the same day...after I threatened to end my life... you see, the Neurontin made me think strange and bad thoughts, an the Rebif made me want to act on them. My Father was a suicide, I know what it does to the surviving family....and I would Never do that to my family...Bu after spending the night in the ER I called my Neurologist (who usually has a 2-3 month waiting list but miraculosly got me in the next day) he took me off both meds as of right now and put me on Copaxone. Now...Copaxone is a daily shot....also done at home...and those shots hurt!!!! The Rebif felt like injecting something acidy, but the Copaxone left a painful lump at the injection site that sometimes took over a week to go away...and since it is a daily thing, anf you are supposed to rotate injection sites, some sites are not useable even after a week...so I ended up with lumps all over my belly, legs, hips and arms. When we moved back from NY to WV, it took awhile to get my Insurance straightened out and tranferred, so I ran out of Copaxone. And I could not afford the $1,500+ to get more. So I went off it. And you know what? No changes. The only difference is a bit more fatigue and no nasty lumps. My Right hand sometimes goes a bit numb/tingly, but if I shake it and rub it, that goes away. The soles of my feet are also sometimes numb, bu that is not a change from when I was on the meds...actually, my MS hug has gone away....
Now, for y'all who do not know what an MS hug is,and believe it or not I had to explain this to the Neurologist, too, it is like someone very strong coming up behind you and grabbing you around the waist and squeezing. And not letting go. And when I went off the shots, they let go. So then, as I was still waiting for my insurance to get to a Dr here in WV, I ran out of all the other perscriptions...and as I did, I just plain stopped taking them....all 16 of them. Yes, I was on 16 different perscriptons!! And some of them, like celebrex and ibuprophen, have since been found to be bad...very bad...
So I decided to go the natural path, and studies, and researched, and so far, so good. I am taking Vit C, E, B-complex, B12, Flaxseed oil, Oil of Evening Primrose, Omega oils, Ginko, Bilberry, Calcium w/D, a multi-vitamin, I am also starting Cat's Claw and Green Tea. I also cook with Olive Oil and/or real butter And I eat at least 1 yogurt a day,and take a daily meal-replacent shake, and use lots of garlic when I cook. I try to cook with real food, not processed stuff...Friend Dodee took me to the store today, I spent quite a bit, and 90% of it went into the fridge or the freezer...she was amazed. Sardines are also awesome...whether you like them or not they are SO good for you...I eat mine with salsa and saltines. Hot salsa. I also eat hot peppers. The Capsaicin dulls pain. The beer dulls the pain from the hot peppers...
And Yes, I have started "toking". The pot really helps. Now, mind you, I do not do it very often, and Never in Robbin's presence. For one thing, I suffer from SO much fatigue, that even if/when I have the energy to cook I usually do not have the energy to eat. So I toke, and get an appetite, and eat. It also relives a lot of the pain. Illegal? Yeah, I know. It should not be. Not medically, anyway. I was never a pothead. Never even tried it.And now that my order of Cat's Claw has arrived, I probably will not have to anymore, since Cat's claw is good for pain. Alcohol was my "drug of choice" When I was younger, scotch was my friend. After years, I guess I developed a resistance. Finally, I went to wine and beer...now, a scotch would put me under the table in no time flat...I'd be flat...(Ok well, rounded but horizontal). I just cannot tolerate it anymore. But I can have a beer or two...and I do....now don't freak from this next...but I take my pills with beer. If I try to take them with anything else, I choke...and spew. There is something "wrong" with my throat...might be an MS thing, might be just my own strangeness, but if I try to take even an aspirin with water or anything other then beer, it gets caught in my throat...beer has just the correct amount of carbonation (you would not believe how long it took me to remember that word) (more about the "word search" in my head later...) to be able to swallow the pills. Some people judge me harshly about this. Oh well, they are welcome to walk a mile in my Birks...Even tonight Rob had to stand by helplessly as I choked on pills...because even with the carbonation sometimes they get stuck in my throat and there is nothing anyone can do, he stands by and holds me as I make horrid noises and spew into the sink trying to dislodge the offending pill...the worst has been the Omega-3 capsules...full of a very, and I mean VERY nasty fish oil...they stick, and being gelatin burst fairly easily. and the oil goes down into the throat and UP into the taste buds...Oh Gawds is that NASTY!!!! As it is, right now I have a Vit C pill stuck..waiting for it to dissolve enough to dislodge...
Well I guess that's enough eyestrain for now...