Tag Archives: MS World Organization

What This Winter Has Afforded Me

Feeding Time at Horowitz Hacienda in the Pines
Feeding Time at Horowitz Hacienda in the Pines

Looking,

out  windows,

of  the house.

 

Many feet of snow,

above the bumper of the blue car enveloped,

looking like a softly white puffy cotton cloud.

 

Outline of  pottery,

frogs,

barely showing through.

 

Earthen color,

reminder,

of  warmer days.

 

Foliage of Blue Holly,

and Climbing English Ivy,

eaten by a family of  hungry deer.

 

Icicles hanging from the roof,

a skating rink,

at the bottom of the stairs.

 

A time for being,

inside,

enjoying winter’s hibernation.

 

Furry dog,

who snuggles,

licks my face.

 

Taps me,

to tell me,

let  her out.

 

Will soon be,

glad to have,

her coat of fur removed.

 

Slinky soft cat,

who sits atop,

a pillow near my head.

 

Nuzzling,

for me to scratch,

behind her ears.

 

Arousing me,

to get up,

and let her out the door.

 

Sometimes, too,

hiding,

shadow in the room.

 

Waiting,

to spring forth,

upon the unsuspecting sadie dog.

 

The two of you having become good friends,

sitting side by side, and kissing,

makes us smile.

 

Creating art,

and time to explore,

the artist in me.

 

Daily meditation,

conversations,

and feeling love,

of family and friends.

 

What is such a mystery, Mother Earth,

underneath,

the mounds of snow.

 

The colors of the tree bark,

changing during winter’s season,

colors of sap appearing to flow.

 

Buds on trees,

i’ve seen,

a swelling.

 

Autumn leaves,

blanketing,

the flower beds.

 

Snowdrops, Crocus, and Hyacinths

will be the very firsts,

we see of spring.

After Surgery as a New Endometrial (Uterine) Cancer Survivor

I am one week out from surgery and feeling great.  This doesn’t mean that I’m going out dancing or doing acrobatics, lol, it means I feel as though I’m having a good recovery and I feel blessed. That fist night after surgery surely is the hardest. The pain is so grueling, the details need not be described, any post surgical patient knows what I’m talking about. I’d had surgery before, as an in-patient, fifty years earlier, and I knew I would tough this first night out,  this body having grown and weathered many seasons.  After I woke up from surgery, I remember seeing Norman (my husband) and a good lifelong family friend of ours who was keeping him company.  I remember speaking with my sister and another good lifelong family friend of ours who was staying with Francine and caring for her.  My husband stayed through the evening to see to it that I was comfortable and that I had what I needed, which was mostly apple juice and water.  I was heavily medicated.  I sent him home to get some rest.  How does one find a comfortable position during that first night, so many things have changed, a mattress that keeps pumping and changing position, and leg pumps to help with circulation. My left and right legs feeling so different from the Multiple Sclerosis, and this heightened sensation of numbness and heaviness in my right leg with the changing pressure of the pumping.  Nurses taking the time to find what would work, and using pillows, and rolling blankets, bringing extra pillows and blankets, to cushion  around my body, head and neck, stomach, waist, back, hips, legs, to help me lean into my side and give me cushioned support, comforting me after the Hysterectomy and with my symptoms from MS. There truly is something very special about those in whose care we are during that time. I am so grateful for the comfort brought to me during all those hours.

World Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Day 2014 – One Day I Wish For A Cure

We’re not quite into the summertime heat here in New York.  These past couple days have been a reminder of what’s yet to come.

Summertime brings thoughts and pleasant memories of travels and visits with family and friends, vacationing, beaches, pools, outdoor concerts, automobile races, ballgames, volleyball, walking, even a bit of hiking.  During the summer season now, the thought of heat, and Heat Sensitivity being one of the MS symptoms I experience, summertime, along with its many pleasantries, for me is also a season of even greater MS Challenges.

Daily activities become affected, sometimes symptoms change, affected differently in each season, and in differing climates worldwide.  Summertime for me the most challenging, I can’t help but wonder how friends with MS worldwide are affected.

The following are some things I do to beat the heat.  I have my ceiling fans circulating and cooling the air.  Individual room air conditioners are an option at our home for me.  I make sure to keep ice packs in the freezer.  They’re great for cooling my core, back, neck, and head… and YES, I remember the recommendations for applying ice for only 20 minutes on.

To stay hydrated I drink plenty of water, and keep ice on hand too.  I often let ice cubes or crushed ice, melt in my mouth, it’s very refreshing and helps in cooling.

Yesterday afternoon I took a cool shower.  Showering and washing my hair just before leaving the house helps me feel a bit cooler before getting out into the heat.

There are companies that offer cooling vests and accessories and if these are of interest, then you might also want to check for additional information by contacting your local chapter of The National Multiple Sclerosis Society or the nearest MS World Organization.

In going places and doing things, there are different types of access issues faced by individuals with MS, around the world, everything from access to treatments and services to mobility and leisure.

Current medication and treatments, where available, have been developed and manufactured in a number of countries.  Copaxone is the medication I take.  Teva Pharmaceuticals is the developer and manufacturer of Copaxone.  Teva Pharmaceuticals is in Israel.

A cure can come from any country or countries working together.   I Believe A Cure is Possible through Research and Collaboration Worldwide.

One Day I Wish For A Cure.

What part of the world do you live in?  What do you do to beat the heat?