Hello 2010!

by Jane D.
(Southern Indiana)

Hello 2010

Oh, which day is good for an update? None, I suppose, so I'll jump in anyway. This winter...about like everyone else's I expect. We're not used to much snow here in southern Indiana, but this year is an exception as we've had plenty. Not that I've been out in it other than in the drive to hastily get in the car. But our grown son contracted a cold which meant Bill and I awakened on the same day with it too.

Was it immediate or did it take a couple days before the wheezing started? It was a hard cold for both of us and a week later I was no better so I had to get a chest X-ray to rule out pneumonia. I was Ok there, but I definitely had bronchitis, and the new MS junk like the week of a static-y nerve feeling in my hip every three seconds for two weeks (so far), extreme weakness in my lower legs when I awakened in the middle of the night, and general malaise. My GP put me on pred for two weeks, tapered. Plus there was that one day where I had numbness even in my face which used to be the last place it came. I had more sensory junk than I've had and more period other than walking difficulties, for maybe fifteen years.

I turn 61 in a few days and I guess that's my middle-age present--same as last year. The nerves in my right hand got an extra strain and were most uncomfortable and "nervy" for a full week before they settled down. But they have, and just as of today and a week of a hot steam vaporizer-ing, (learned when the kids were little that a cool mist causes trigem like effects with me) maybe as of today I'm better?

Four months of not being able to get rid of the bronchitis last winter has had me freaked. Mucinex has been a major friend which I didn't have last year. Heck, I'm always hopeful whether there is hope anywhere around or not. I'm still using a walker in the house sometimes-my cane-or the chair-rails and walls and furniture all the time, so I really don't want another set-back. I'll stay in the house another month of dreary days so long as that cold air doesn't trigger more asthma. I'm living with the Pro-Air and Advair inhalers.

I'm finally pretty well over my left rotator cuff operation which was in September...just a bit of residual pain. natch. I've found I have gout in my toes and ankles so far, yet another notation on my charts. Allopurinal for the rest of my life added to my arsenal of meds.

Well, this is an update. And I'll be checking in to give the final word on the bronchitis since it was such a problem last year. Maybe I'll get lucky. The sun is out for the first time in forever today. My best to my fellow MSers.

Love, Jane