Carnival of MS Bloggers #47

Welcome to the Carnival of MS Bloggers, a bi-weekly compendium of thoughts and experiences shared by those living with multiple sclerosis.

Poetry, Positivity, and Battles

Haiku - Caretaker Exchange
by Judy of Peace Be With You

I have MS but
My caretaker broke his hand.
I am caretaker.

Marriage vows promised
In sickness, in health, rich, poor
Partnership defined.

I am nurse and cook
Dizzy, foot dragging, stumbling
A delicate act.

Staying Positive is Hard! 
by Maryann of azoyizes and MS

I'm finding it hard to stay positive. Okay, I started Tysabri and I've only had one infusion. I did notice that I had energy, and I still have it, where I didn't have any at all. That's very positive.

However, my neuro increased my Klonopin but I'm still having tremors. He didn't feel that the Tysabri would help the tremors. Sometimes they're mild, but other times my entire body is shaking. It's hard to walk, type, feed myself, write; any type of coordinated activity is hard and sometimes impossible. Add to that, my little finger and ring finger on my left hand are completely numb and have been for about four months now. It's amazing how much harder it is to type with those numb fingers. I know, poor me!!

The muscle spasms in my right leg are worse. My neuro said that he wants to wait and see if the Tysabri will help in that aspect. I'm doing exercises, but sometimes in the middle of the night it gets so bad that I have to get up and walk around until it goes away. Sleeping on my left side has become impossible, because that immediately brings on spasms.

I also told my neuro that I'm worried about my cognition. I'm having a very difficult time remembering things, and these are things I've just heard or said. I'm having a hard time naming items. That got me worried about Alzheimer's, although it doesn't run in my family. That, too, my neuro wants to wait and see if the TY will improvie my memory before he starts running any kind of tests.

On the positive side, we're going to Newport News, VA for two days. We are going to spend one entire day at the Mariner's Museum. This will be one of my highlights as I love sailing ships of any kind, especially the ones from the 1600's. We will be visiting a few other museums in the area...and there is a Trader Joe's in Newport News! I love Trader Joe's, but there isn't one anywhere near where we live. When we lived in Tucson, we went there at least once a month.

After Newport News, we will drive on the bridge over the Chesapeake Bay, stopping at pull-out places to enjoy the bay and the ocean. Then, it's on to my BIL's for some family time.

The day after we return from this trip, I will be getting my second Tysabri infusion.

I'm trying to stay positive, but I find it's much easier to become negative. Maybe it takes too much energy to stay positive?

Haiku - We All Fight Battles 
by Judy of Peace Be With You

No one wants to hear
What is wrong with me today.
We all fight battles.

Mine might seem special.
They are only so to me.
Forgive my weakness.

It’s just that some times,
MS fear seems to trump joy.
My resolve falters.

How I Fight MS 
by Lisa of Brass and Ivory

Today's the big launch of a top secret project which a few other bloggers and myself have been working on for the past couple of months.

How I Fight MS
Five people. One goal:
to live victoriously with MS

I like the concept of living victoriously with MS, because that is what we each strive to do I think. MS is not something we conquer but something with which we can live a positive life.

The other bloggers involved in this project include:
Jen of MS Strength
Julie of Maybe I'm Just Lazy
Kimberly of My Journey with MS
Bill of Plates and Palates

Please tell me what you think. Thanks.


This concludes the 47th edition of the Carnival.

The next Carnival of MS Bloggers will be hosted here on November 5, 2009. Please remember to submit a post (via email) from your blog of which you are particularly proud, or which you simply want to share, by noon on Tuesday, November 3, 2009.

Thank you.

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