Multiple Tips for Multiple Sclerosis

I haven't written anything about my health stuff in a long time.  Actually, I took a long hiatus from writing partially because of my health stuff.  Things got hard.  Everything is much more under control now with the help of my amazing support system and 132 pills each week.  How do we fight medication side effects??  With MORE medication, of course!  I'm a Western medicine poster child.  I spent a whole dollar on a Monday through Sunday pill organizer at the Dollar Store.  They barely fit, but it was worth all 100 pennies.

I'm definitely feeling back to myself again and have even scraped up time and energy to once again raise funds for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.  My team has raised over $4,000 (AWESOME!!) and I'm thrilled by our 40+ member count so far.  I've even found creative ways to raise funds for this important cause and support businesses I love.  I'm all about dual rewards.  MS Society gets $$ (hopefully to find a cure) and my friends and I get to shop.  Win-win. 

For anyone else battling MS, I have a few fun tips worth sharing.  On Rebif??  A nurse with MS Lifelines called the other day (again) and I finally called her back.  This woman speaks at an even faster clip than I do AND THAT'S SAYING SOMETHING!  I mentioned that shots still hurt badly on my thighs (I gave up on the arms a long time ago).  The nurse told me to try using two hands with the auto-injector.  One hand should push the button to inject and the other should hold the base (against the skin) to avoid pushing the needle in too far.  I've been doing this on all of my injection sites for the past week and it's so much better!  My skin reactions are still pretty gnarly (you're welcome for that 80's flashback), but the profanity has gone from Tarantino script-worthy to just your average sailor.  It still burns after the meds are injected.  What did you expect??

Tip # 2 is really a lifestyle change and may not be appropriate for everyone.  Jason and I drastically changed our diets back in October and started doing the Paleo thing.  It's pretty restrictive and I can honestly say it was brutal for the first few weeks until our bodies adjusted.  But now I never feel gross or bloated and I learned (from an unfortunate eggnog latte craving) that I have a bit of a lactose intolerance and (from every time I OD on dark chocolate chips) that too much sugar gives me a horrid headache.  Now I know.  The rest of the time I feel pretty good.  In fact, I've lost 15 pounds I wasn't trying to lose and I can actually feel my massage therapist working on my legs (vs. the vague pressure I used to feel).

Tip # 3.  Watching Kitchen Nightmares is a little like passing a car accident and trying to look away.  You can't.  This has nothing to do with anything other than the fact that it's hard for me to type and watch television at the same time.  I suppose that's not a tip at all, is it?

I'm glad to be back in the blogging world again.  I'm also glad I don't work for a crazy Italian in a family restaurant deeply in debt.  More importantly, I'm thankful for the amazing support I've received from family and friends in my fight with MS.  Truly, truly blessed.