Welcome to my
Multiple Sclerosis blog
by Gary Ross
Our purpose is to help create an awareness
about Multiple Sclerosis and to provide an
open forum to discuss issues of and relating to MS.
Multiple Sclerosis blog
by Gary Ross
Our purpose is to help create an awareness
about Multiple Sclerosis and to provide an
open forum to discuss issues of and relating to MS.
My MS Blog: Featured Comments
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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
I have been living with MS for 13 years and have had Lhermitte's on and off during this time. It is caused by a lesion or lesions on your spinal cord. I have two lesions between C3 and C5. There is a theory that when you are having the symptoms, your lesions are flared up and some docs think its best to do a course of Solu-Medrol (steroidal treatment) to shorten this "exacerbation". I find that it goes away with time and my spinal lesions have stayed the same on MRI all these years. I have definitley noticed I get these exacerbations much less frequently since I have been taking Copaxone. This may be hard to believe, but 2010 is a great time to have MS. The advances in drug therapies and research are amazing. Best wishes.
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Hello all. Our friend Todd was gracious enough to share a portion of his story with us. Please feel free to share your thoughts on it. Perhaps this is something we can all relate to.
The Tingle
I awoke several days in a row with a pain at the base of my neck and tingling sensations in my hands (sound familiar?). Of course I was a male in his 30's with that feeling of invincibility; I dismissed it as overworking. I will freely admit I was and still am a workaholic. It was not unusual for me to work 80-100 hours a week. I often wonder if that wasn't my trigger (doc says no). The pains and sensations would not go away so my very smart wife convinced me to go get it looked at. I begrudgingly arrived and waited what I thought was too long (he was worth it), now after about 15 minutes in his office he looked at me and suspected MS. What a shock! I thought I would hear about a pinched nerve and that I should get some rest. I was convinced as I left the office he was overreacting.
Crappy Morning
I awoke a mere 7 days later unable to walk straight and I threw up every time I made the attempt. My wife called me out of work, and then called an ambulance. I had never before called out of work (I'm a workaholic remember), so she knew something bad was going on. Smart woman because within a short period of time I could not walk at all and at about the 4 hour point most of my systems were beginning to shut down.
Scary Hospital Stay
They quickly admitted me to a room from ER. The docs started a battery of tests looking for things like cancer or brain tumors and other nasty stuff. They obviously knew something I didn't. I later learned that MS does not usually present like this. I was unlucky to have my first good sized lesion on a nerve center that sent crazy signals to all sorts of places in my body. I couldn't see, walk, eat or any number of bodily functions I would rather not mention. It was decided after my spinal scan that they said was lit up like a Christmas tree (that's the phrase that was bandied about) that I needed a spinal tap. Spinal taps are scary enough but I was rather run down, and I don't even remember the procedure.
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The effect of doing something to help others is overwhelming, last week I started a group on facebook, asking people to donate $1 for every mile I finish in the OKC Marathon. Now I have MS too, so this will be no easy task by any means. Heck it wouldn't be easy even if I didn't have MS. This goal of mine is for 5280 people, I am always thinking about it, so I'm not thinking about what my problems are work, home, family... as you know the list goes on and on. no matter how I feel, thinking of doing this makes me happy. Well until I start the marathon, then pain will be the only thing on my mind... that is until I drum, the fact that ever step I take up raise money for the MS Society. That and rounding that final corner to the finish line!
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Hi Gary and gang,
Happy Groundhog Day! It can be a turning point for us, as well as for the weather. Some of us may think of it as just a silly day, and we might not even know what it really means, to be totally honest.
I honestly believe that the weather and changing seasons can contribute to how we feel, esp those of us who deal with chronic issues on a regular basis; and esp those that encompass any sort of routine pain.
The truth of the matter is that winter is the most difficult time of the year, and especially now, in the post holiday season. The weather can affect how we feel physically; and how we feel physically can affect how we feel emotionally. Consequently, a person with any sort of long term or chronic illness is always prone to loneliness, isolation and depression, or any combination of the three. All the more reason to reach out to those who cope with any sort of illness - whether through a blog, email or by phone.
One specific issue that MS patients sometimes deal with, as mentioned in this article is the pseudobulbar affect (PBA). This is a condition that can cause random bouts of extreme emotional outbursts, such as laughing or crying without an obvious trigger. While I don't personally have MS, someone in my life deals with it, someone I love with all my heart and care about a great deal.
While he currently doesn't deal with major challenges of MS on a daily basis, I personally think he is dealing with some emotional issues, yet he doesn't seem to want to admit it or open up about it.
I myself deal with a number of chronic issues, of which depression is one, and has been a part of my existence for a long time. I also have studied psychology, so I know all too well the signs that indicate someone is going through some sort of depression.
I don't know what I can do for this person whom I care about so much. All I want is to be there for him, make him happy and do what I can to make his life better by being a part of it. Can anyone shed some light on this for me? I'd sure appreciate it.
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