Friday February 21, 2020

Happy 25th Birthday Dylan!

  The Brain

Today is a beautiful cool but sunny day after many days of rain. It's my nephew Dylan's 25th birthday and it's FRIDAY! Monday was President's Day so school was out and it made for a short work week but with nasty weather, it's seemed like forever getting to today...

   Today, I would like to talk to about BRAIN DAYS... What are Brain days? Just ask anyone with MS, they'll tell you but the thing about MS is, there's no two stories alike. MS affects everyone differently. I know medically, they say the brain doesn't feel but swear, mine does. Sometimes it's like it hurts deep down inside my brain and sometimes it feel like it gets hot, especially when I get stressed. My brain days consist of a day of confusion, blankness, doubt, forgetfulness, zero attention span and I have the feeling that I just don't care. Usually, these days are obvious shortly after waking up. I'm learning these are the days that I coast... I don't do any more than necessary. Sometimes, this feeling last for hours but then again, it can last for days at a time. I guess I could say, it's kind of like a mini vacation because I don't do much and the good thing is I don't even stress about it; I forget the things I need to do anyway! 

   MS affects cognitive functions as well as physical mobility. For some, it's one or the other. For some. it's both. I suffer from both at time. The cause of MS is unknown so, it always leaves me asking the question, WHY? Growing up, I played different sports, was always very active and even as an adult; I like doing things outdoors and always staying busy. Even mentally, I'm always thinking... My mind seldom rests, so it's hard to sleep at times and that's tiresome when your body lays but the mind races for hours when it also should be resting! 

   Sleep... It's the most essential thing I can do. When I'm tired, my brain is the first to show the effects as I can't think straight and I know I must rest. When I get run down I sleep 10-12 hours at a time for days in a row. It's kind of like recharging a battery. After a few days of recharge, I'm good to go again! The lesson here is... Listen to your body when it's telling you something.   

   "A Mind is A Terrible Thing To Waste"

Friday February 7, 2020  
RED FRIDAY ~ Remember Everyone Deployed

   Have you ever though about the effects the weather has on your health? Living with Multiple Sclerosis, the weather conditions can have a grave effect on us. Some are cold sensitive some are heat sensitive and the lucky ones are not effected by either. Heat-Intolerance can affect the brain and the decision-making process. The Winter weather can aggravate fatigue and spasticity but it is mostly problematic. For myself, living in the Southern region in North Alabama, the summertime can be very difficult due to the hot temperatures but mostly because of the extreme humidity. I do love the summer and outdoor activities but on bad days it literally shuts my body down. What do I mean by "shuts me down"? Have you ever experienced something shorting out, like electrical things. Sometimes sparks fly, sometimes the gadget just doesn't charge properly or just doesn't work like it should. Well... It's the same for me in the heat. My body just doesn't work correctly. My legs feel like limp noodles and my brain feels like jello. I've learned to be protective and just stay indoors where is cooler. 
   Spasticity is a word that is often used in the world of MS. What does it mean? Spasticity is a condition in which certain muscles are continuously contracted. This contraction causes stiffness or tightness of the muscles and can interfere with normal movement, speech and gait. Spasticity is usually caused by damage to the portion of the brain or spinal cord that controls voluntary movement. 
   For me personally, spasticity is a medium symptom that affected me more in the heat, meanwhile, the fatigue is a major problem that affects me daily and brain fog affects me quite often. 
   I've researched places to live and I've decided that Beaufort, NC is the best place for me due to the milder climate year-around. Link to a little piece of coastal heaven... https://www.southernliving.com/souths-best/beaufort-nc Some other things to consider when choosing the location for your forever home is; cost of living, treatment facilities, family assistance and housing/living assistance. This, I will be researching and will touch on soon.