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About Me
alitax86
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About Me
Initially diagnosed in 1986 with probable MS. Final diagnosis in 1991. I have taken Betaseron, Avonex, and Copaxzone. Now taking Tysabri for about a year. I take Adderall for physical and mental fatigue. Moreover, I take loads of medicine for various symptoms. My fantastic humor has allowed me to face each day with a smile and laugh.
Initially diagnosed in 1986 with probable MS. Final diagnosis in 1991. I have taken Betaseron, Avonex, and Copaxzone. Now taking Tysabri for about a year. I take Adderall for physical and mental fatigue. Moreover, I take loads of medicine for various symptoms. My fantastic humor has allowed me to face each day with a smile and laugh.
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Interests
Making beaded jewelry Reading Arts, Culture, History and Computers
Making beaded jewelry Reading Arts, Culture, History and Computers
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Journal
This entry is private
This entry is private
This entry is private
This entry is private
This entry is private
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Hugbook
Hug
Sometime this year, we taxpayers may again receive an Economic Stimulus payment.
This is a very exciting new program. I will explain it using the Q and A format:
Q. What is an Economic Stimulus payment?
A. It is money that the federal government will send to taxpayers.
Q. Where will the government get this money?
A. From taxpayers.
Q. So the government is giving me back my own money?
A. Only a smidgen.
Q. What is the purpose of this payment?
A. The plan is that you will use the money to purchase a high-definition TV set, thus stimulating the economy.
Q. But isn't that stimulating the economy of China ?
A. Shut up.
Below is some helpful advice on how to best help the US economy by spending your stimulus check wisely:
* If you spend the stimulus money at Wal-Mart, the money will go to China .
* If you spend it on gasoline, your money will go to the Arabs.
* If you purchase a computer, it will go to India .
* If you purchase fruit and vegetables, it will go to Mexico , Honduras and Guatemala .
* If you buy a car, it will go to Japan .
* If you purchase useless stuff, it will go to Taiwan .
* If you pay your credit cards off, or buy stock, it will go to management bonuses and they will hide it offshore.
Instead, keep the money in America by:
1 spending it at yard sales, or
2 going to hockey/ball games, or
3 spending it on prostitutes, or
4 beer or
5 tattoos.
(These are the only American businesses still operating in the US ..)
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I'm going to go to a ball game with a tattooed prostitute that I met at a yard sale, and drink beer! Just call me a patriot.-
Hug
I like cowboy stories
A young cowboy walks into the town cafe. He sits at the counter and notices an old cowboy with his arms folded, staring blankly at a full bowl of chili.
After fifteen minutes of just sitting there staring at it, the young cowboy bravely asked the old cowpoke, "If you ain't gonna eat that, mind if I do?" The older cowboy slowly turns his head toward the young wrangler and in his best cowboy manner says, "Nah, go ahead."
Eagerly, the young cowboy reaches over and slides the bowl over to his place and starts spooning in it with delight. He gets nearly down to the bottom and notices a dead mouse in the chili. The sight was shocking and he immediately barfs up the chili into the bowl.
The old cowboy quietly says, "Yep, that's as far as I got, too." 
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I'm glad you're feeling better - it must have been awful :( I know what you mean about caring for pets more than yourself - I skimp on me, but make sure I feed the birds and my goldfish every day. Haha not exactly cats, but still. Coming onto this site have made me think seriously about actually getting help. I think I will actually do it. Thank you for your support and encouragement.
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Ain't this the truth!!!
When you visit a public bathroom, you usually find a line of women, so you smile politely
and take your place. Once it's your turn, you check for feet under the stall doors. Every stall is occupied.
Finally, a door opens and you dash in, nearly knocking down the woman leaving the stall.
You get in to find the door won't latch. It doesn't matter, the wait has been so long you are about
to wet your pants! The dispenser for the modern 'seat covers' (invented by someone's Mom,
no doubt) is handy, but empty. You would hang your purse on the door hook, if there was one,
but there isn't - so you carefully, but quickly drape it around your neck, (Mom would turn over in
her grave if you put it on the FLOOR!), yank down your pants, and assume 'The Stance'.
In this position your aging, toneless thigh muscles begin to shake. You'd love to sit down,
but you certainly hadn't taken time to wipe the seat or lay toilet paper on it, so you hold 'The Stance.’
To take your mind off your trembling thighs, you reach for what you discover to be the empty
toilet paper dispenser. In your mind, you can hear your mother's voice saying, 'Honey,
if you had tried to clean the seat, you would have KNOWN there was no toilet paper!’
Your thighs shake more.
You remember the tiny tissue that you blew your nose on yesterday - the one that's still in your purse.
(Oh yeah, the purse around your neck, that now, you have to hold up trying not to strangle yourself
at the same time). That would have to do. You crumple it in the puffiest way possible.
It's still smaller than your thumbnail.
Someone pushes your door open because the latch doesn't work. The door hits your purse,
which is hanging around your neck in front of your chest, and you and your purse topple backward
against the tank of the toilet. 'Occupied!' you scream, as you reach for the door, dropping your precious,
tiny, crumpled tissue in a puddle on the floor, lose your footing altogether, and slide down directly
onto the TOILET SEAT. It is wet of course. You bolt up, knowing all too well that it's too late.
Your bare bottom has made contact with every imaginable germ and life form on the uncovered
seat because YOU never laid down toilet paper - not that there was any, even if you had taken
time to try. You know that your mother would be utterly appalled if she knew, because, you're certain
her bare bottom never touched a public toilet seat because, frankly, dear, 'You just don't KNOW
what kind of diseases you could get.
By this time, the automatic sensor on the back of the toilet is so confused that it flushes,
propelling a stream of water like a fire hose against the inside of the bowl that sprays a
fine mist of water that covers your butt and runs down your legs and into your shoes.
The flush somehow sucks everything down with such force that you grab onto the
empty toilet paper dispenser for fear of being dragged in too.
At this point, you give up. You're soaked by the spewing water and the wet toilet seat.
You're exhausted. You try to wipe with a gum wrapper you found in your pocket and then
slink out inconspicuously to the sinks. You can't figure out how to operate the faucets with
the automatic sensors, so you wipe your hands with spit and a dry paper towel and
walk past the line of women still waiting.
You are no longer able to smile politely to them. A kind soul at the very end of the line points
out a piece of toilet paper trailing from your shoe. (Where was that when you NEEDED it??)
You yank the paper from your shoe, plunk it in the woman's hand and tell her warmly,
'Here, you just might need this.’
As you exit, you spot your hubby, who has long since entered, used, and
left the men's restroom. Annoyed, he asks, 'What took you so long and
why is your purse hanging around your neck?'
This is dedicated to women everywhere who deal with public restrooms
(rest??? you've GOT to be kidding!!). It finally explains to the men what really does take
us so long. It also answers their other commonly asked questions about why women
go to the restroom in pairs. It's so the other gal can hold the door, hang onto your purse
and hand you Kleenex under the door!
This HAD to be written by a woman! No one else could describe it so accurately!
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Support Groups
Close Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
: Seconday Progressive MSInitially diagnosed in 1986 while in the Navy stationed in Scotland. Symptoms included numbness in the trunk and legs. Lasted several months, went away, and my second relapse occurred approximately six months later. My lower legs were numb. Because I did not have a definite diagnosis (MRI machines were rare in Scotland in the mid-80's), I was required to participate in physical fitness examinations. Today, I am proud to say I ran my 1.5 miles on numb legs in 10 minutes. I look healthy and present very well, yet as many with MS know, this can be deceiving. The most debilitating of my symptoms are mental and physical fatigue, vertigo, and ataxia. I retired in 2006 from the private sector and struggling to frame a new life. Currently, researching areas for retirement with cooler summers.
Treatments
- Adderall Working / Worked
- Taking for physical and mental fatigue. This has helped me greatly. A warning however. Do not make the mistake of taking Adderall with Predisone. I did not know better and although I did not suffer from ill effects I became SUPERWOMAN. I could not stay still. I carried huge boxes on my back to the basement. When I told my doctor she nearly fainted. I did not make that mistake again. Yes I got a lot of work done but not a good combination.
- Avonex Not Working
- I think I was accidentally given sugar water. Avonex did not work for me at all. I suffered a horrible relapse resulting in hospital for 5 days on IV steroids. Took another 45 days to recover, yet I was never the same after this relapse. Was on it for approx 2 years, then started taking Copaxone.
- Baclofen Not Working
- Another medicine I was on during the early 90's. I did not think it helped much.
- Betaseron Working / Worked
- This was my first disease-modifying medicine. It worked very well for me until my body developed anti-bodies to it after about 5 years. Some of my symptoms actually disappeared while on Betaseron. Switched to Avonex.
- Copaxone Somewhat Helpful
- Worked only minimally. Suffered from horrible bouts of Vertigo. I started on Tysabri and have not had an episode since.
- Neurontin Working / Worked
- Worked when I had to take it. No longer needed.
- Physical Exercise Working / Worked
- Water Therapy is the best physical therapy for me. I have a treadmill at home along with some light weights. Walking on the treadmill seems to be what I call the "lazy man's" exercise. Put one foot in front of the other.
- Physical Therapy Working / Worked
- I prefer water physical therapy over land. You can do almost anything in the water... strength training, cardio, gait and balance. I love being in the water.
- Prednisone Working / Worked
- Although I had my first MS symptoms in 1986, I did not take steroids until 2001 when I was in the hospital for a bad relapse. It worked, but the side effects take a while to get through. I no longer take this because of the contraindication with Tysabri. I let it wash out of my system for about 4 months before starting Tysabri.
- Provigil Not Working
- Did not work for me. I was on it for about a month.
- Symmetrel Not Working
- I was on this years ago. It did not work for me. I have not taken it since the early 90's.
Close Depression
Type: Clinical (Major) DepressionWhen received DX of major depression, I commented that I did not know I was depressed. Well, after taking an SSRI for approx 3 months, I noticed I had my first happy thoughts. I was 37. I did not know what I did not know. Very insightful.
Treatments
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Working / Worked
- Have a treat therapist. I go in and out of therapy as needed. This type of therapy works for me.
- Elavil Somewhat Helpful
- Was on for a very short time. Helped with insomnia.
- Meditation Working / Worked
- Helped with insomnia and stress. Especially helpful after exercising.
- Paxil Somewhat Helpful
- I gained weight with this little pill. A tight dress on Thursday that fit perfectly well on Tuesday is not eating too many donuts.
- Positive Thinking Working / Worked
- I have a wicked sense of humor. Having multiple sclerosis with the Depression has made me a talented comedian. Often people laugh at casual comments I make. My world view has changed, and humor has been a major coping mechanism.
- Prozac Working / Worked
- For me, the best stuff on the market.
- Psychotherapy Working / Worked
- Wellbutrin Somewhat Helpful
- I discovered I laughed more while on this drug, but it failed when I had a prolonged depressive episode. Prozac bought me back.
- Writing Working / Worked
- Physical Exercise Working / Worked
- Any physical activity. I have a treadmill and think it is about the easiest workout one can do. Put one foot in front of another. I do not even have to think. I put on my Ipod and listen to audibooks or music.
Open Health Care Reform
I have Multiple Sclerosis and want to keep as informed as possible.
Treatments
- Adderall Working / Worked
- I would not function if not for this medicine.
- Prozac Working / Worked
- I consider this drug and Adderall my first line of defense upon waking in the morning.
- Psychotherapy Too Soon to Tell
- Just starting. I feel better but not sure where this is going
- Clonazepam Working / Worked
- Promethazine Working / Worked
- When I have an attack of Vertigo I immediately rest. This is one of three drugs I take. This one only when feeling nauseous.
Open Veterans
I retired from the Navy in 1995 for reasons of disability. I have Multiple Sclerosis. Want to communicate with other vets.
