Blog Entry dated 1/28/09 6:53 PM

Today was a bit of an MS day.  My fault exactly.  I sipped a bit too much whiskey last night then got up and rode four horses.  Not the healthiest or wisest approach. Time to settle down now. 

Went and saw Doubt today.  Incredibly tight in all aspects.  Dug it.  Tried Benjamin Button yesterday. Wanted to like it.  But it didn't do it for me.

Tomorrow I'm heading up for some wine tasting in Santa Ynez.  Taking a day off the horses for which my body will greatly appreciate. 

The cool thing is I got to ride Mac today. He's my type of horse.  Just dig that little fellow... 

I can feel the inflamation in my legs as I sit here.  And it's not from the laptop.  I am inflamed.  I double dosed my shentrition with aloe and had some good ice water, but I'm inflamed. Probably doing permanent damage to my nerves.  Time for water and tea.  maybe and Ibu though they are not my favorite.  But it's better than letting my body heat up too much. That can't be good for it. 

Am off to watch some Family Guy.  Sleep well and here's to another day closer in finding feasible solutions for multiple sclerosis.

Shot me a hummin' bird the other day

My favorite place to hear music: Cuthbert Ampitheater

Blog Entry dated 1/23/09 1:27 PM

Can't feel my finger tips.  Definitely the MS.  Could be the rain and soggy riding I did but that was all good.  The riding is critical for my health.   Been thinking a bit about MS today.  Just read an article about a new medicine by Biogen that might help rebuild the damage done to the nerves with MS.  I still think prevention is the best solution.  Forget the western medicines that cover up the symptoms.  Listen to your symptoms and obey your mind, body and soul!  We all need the western medicines to help us feel better.  But we shouldn't hide our symptoms to the point of not noticing them.  They are red flags.  Whoa, slow down. Take care of yourself.  now!  

 

Yesterday I couldn't ride.  If the British were coming I guess I could have gotten on, but I had to choose not to because I had a charlie-horse cramp in my right leg for two hours.  Talk about painful.  My fault - big day before.  Rode 3.5 (one was a pony).  Worked, meetings, cooked for a dinner party and entertained.  I was wiped out.  Too much for this little girl.  Today I rode two.  In the rain.  It was nice. Soggy but nice. My muscles are getting taxed to an acceptable level. Last night I had several tangerines.  And decaf green tea.  And whiskey.   This morning was green ShenTrition, Apple, Banana, Juice and Coffee.  I have my weaknesses.  I try for decaf but live with others so the community pot is often half-caf.  I can feel if I've had too much caffeine. I heat up like a radiator with a broken thermostat.  Today I can handle a little caffeine.  I got chilled to the bone.  Not an often feeling for someone with MS.  My body is so unaccustomed to being cold that it doesn't know how to exist. It tenses up, aches for a bath.

 

My right ankle is sore but that's not from the MS. The pain from MS is different. My ankles is swollen and bruised - from being banged around with stirrups and skimpy boots. And by stretching some taffy tight muscles and tendons.  I found some polo boots I might get. Been using jodphur boots and half-chaps. I feel like I could use a bit more support. I don't have a loud leg but I do make good use of them. 

 

OK - I'm testing Contribute.  So we'll see if this works.  Then I can add it to my list as I twitter, fb, and plink my way thru life...  

Another day with Multiple Sclerosis

I rode three and half today. one was about 12 hands so I only considered it a half. Penny the Pony. They were all fun.

I rested long last night. Something about Multiple Sclerosis - you must manage every aspect of your energy. I was tired yesterday. Really worn out. Light meal, light protein. A warm salt bath. Bed and a good night sleep. I could feel my lifeline burning. Too much. Needed to slow down.

Felt rested today. The sore muscles are giving way. Strangely I'm sore in my lower back. That is new to me. Understandably so as the riding is using long lost movements.

I doubled up on my ShenTrition today. Actually I have been triple dosing some days. Taking an apple with me in the morning. Cooling, healing foods. Soups, Fruit, Cooked veggies, proteins, comples carbs. A nice mix of healthy, flavorful and colorful foods.

I know that I would probably be much healthier if I was more strict with eating mung beans and not drinking whiskey. But, the thing is, I lived like that for awhile. Now I don't mean to be reckless but I enjoy some festivities in my life. Quality of life. Sanity. For me.

With that in mind, is it time for my whiskey yet? no...much more work to be done.

Blog Entry dated 1/21/09 3:36 PM

My laptop is doing the most annoying thing. Somehow it thinks that Times New Roman is some other, artsy funky font I downloaded for a project.  Just something else to figure out. 

 

Riding has been a great move for me.  Getting that blood flowing. And I'm really sweating.  Today was humid.  I had a polo shirt on under a light breathable windbreaker and I soaked it good.  I think this is good for MS. We're told to stay away from the heat (I don't necessarily agree). I don't have the guts to mt. bike these trails around here anymore and what else, running?  body too beat up.  Swimming?  The smell of chlorine was ok for the first few years.  I like my senior sniff and strolls with the hound dog. In fact I think it's good for me to slow down.  The riding revs me up. The strolls slow me down.  and I did AIM on Monday.  my version of Yoga - Attentive Integrative Movement.  Love it. I could feel the gerbils escaping from my body as it turned into the liquidy gel it should be. 

 

I wish I would hear from the Montel Williams MS Foundation.  There is much that I want to share about my experiences with the situation in order to help others.  Watch this spot...

MS Girl

FarmGirl we started out as. MS Girl we've branched into. The fact is, MS doesn't have to be the life sentence many think it is. A consideration of fates that never crossed my mind. If it wasn't killing me, it sure as hell wasnt taking me down this sissy-ass way.

Come on. We are so much stronger than our disease. We just need to work together and find our strengths, our weakness, and use our hearts and minds to heal us all the way around!

When we find solutions for MS it's for all of mankind. Any inflammatory or auto-immune disease is going to benefit from our research and studies.

Let's go, and gather as much information we can about this disease.

I will meet you back here when we have some good stuff to share.

Join us and share your thoughts!

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) - Malfunction of Systems!

MS is a malfunction of symptions, there is no doubt. when it hits me it messes with my thermostat. Hot, Cold, who knows. I can often heat a 9'x9' tent, family of four, at no charge. I'm a radiator on fire. I try to eat accordingly. Mung beans, fruit, cooling foods, aloe, I get it, but come on! sometimes one just wants some cheezy nachos strips and a beer. Help me now MS girl!

Day #2 - Most embarrassing MS moment

The titles will immediately change as I don't remember things after #2. But here we go. MS can really suck at times. Oh man. Most embarrassing moment? Imagine loss of blatter control, menstration and a board meeting. Despite the fact you were wearing a very chic, NoHo outfit and stacked boots... Had to excuse myself from that one.

But then as soon as I say this, another moment hits, "moshy pit head" as I called it. I couldn't remember ten seconds from the moment. I would feed the dog. Then feed her again. And again. And....again. Family thought it was funny. Poor ol' hound dog had to go on a diet...

so much about this disease. Or "mal-function" as I call it.

Mutliple Sclerosis (MS) as seen a different way

Welcome to the start of what will most likely be a random stream of consciousness from me about my experiences with multiple sclerosis (MS). Folks have asked for a book, suggested a blog, and here we go.

I haven't much control over my right ring finger right now making typing accurately a bit more of a challenge. And there went the wave of the little left finger about to go. I deserve it. Made some big life changes and didn't adjust my diet until yesterday.

I started riding horses again. It's been fifteen years. That's a whole nother story for a later time. Today it's about right now. Feeling inflamed. My adrenal glands worked over time while I was riding. It was such a thrill to be back riding. To be moving. I did quite a bit of white water kayaking and mt. biking when I wasn't riding. Always, I had movement. But not lately. Some walking here and there.

I've been building up with some movement as I cycle train on my bike but my balance isn't as such to feel confident on the road/hills around here. The riding is instinctual for me. And the need for it in my life is driving me beyond my MS boundaries. So I need to adjust my lifestyle accordingly.

Yesterday I rode three. I was flushed for hours. I had to catch my breath on several occasions. I'm out of shape. it felt incredible. Had to fight myself to commit to no riding on Sundays so I have a full day off. But yesterday, rode three. Then enjoyed a couple of beers during the beautiful sunset and chatted with friends online. Topped the night off with a "hot noddy" of dandelion root tea and makers mark bourbon. And I apologize up front for all of you bourbon enthusiasts out there for the mutilation of your lovely product, I just often don't need that much heat.

Between the increase in adrenal activity from riding, the increase from coffee that morning and the alcohol in the evening, it's no wonder my body was craving cooked vegetables and fruit for dinner. I prefer cooked vegetables when my body is feeling sensitive as it's easier for the body to absorb the nutrients.

Then this morning, after my inflaming coffee habit, I noticed a small outbreak of psoriasis. Eeeek! That is complete sign of a push on the MS. So I immediately made a noni-cooler: ShenTrition (look it up - another story but it rocks!), Aloe Vera juice (Trader Joes) and chill water.

I drank my noni-cooler while on an extremely slow sniff and stroll with Ellie, the ol' hound dog of yore. Then, after returning home and doing some chores, I enjoyed another noni-cooler. it was time to double down!

My right hand is beginning to cramp. A sign to get off the computer. Until another day folks...

There is so much I want to share. That I need to share about this disease. I have yet to meet a doctor that understands it in it's entirety. Whatever your beliefe is of Western or Eastern medicine. Native amercan herbal treatments, whatever! It's a mix of everything. It's a life change. A life style adjustment. It's a forced retirement from who you knew yourself to be. If you have faith and patience, trust me on this. The retirement is worth it. The changes are worth it. You will fight them as I did and as I continue to. But the rogress is enlightening to the soul.