Wednesday, September 23, 2009

To the Shuk's and Aqua Therapy

Tomorrow is my first day of physical therapy. We're starting off with aqua therapy in the shallow end of the pool because I'm still experiencing the MS hug. My consult with the physical therapist was Tuesday and although the therapy looks promising his thoughts weren't. He told me I want to look into getting hand controls for my car in the event that I may never be able to drive again in the traditional manner. Are you kidding me? First off, I hear it's expensive and secondly, what, what, what? I'm sorry sir but I have more hope than that. It is getting a little tiring depending on other people to take me here and there though. I miss the freedom of hopping into my car and driving off into the sunset if the mood strikes me. Life with MS, I will never get used to this.

I also have an appointment with the Shuk's PA tomorrow and we're supposed to reevaluate how I'm doing and whether I will be able to go back to work on the 1st. I'm a little apprehensive about going back, I just wish I had a little bit more time to do some more physical therapy first. In the house I'm okay walking a little bit without my walker, although I'm still a bit clumsy on my feet but walking more than 10 feet and my legs are dragging behind me, I can't breath and I just want to take a nap. The fatigue is going to kill me. My dad is going to the appointment with me tomorrow and I might ask him to sit in the waiting room because I'm afraid I won't be honest with the Taft if he's there. I'm afraid he'll be ashamed of me if I tell the doctor I need more time before I'm ready. It's bad enough that I had to up my baclofen because the spasms are so bad when I wake up in the morning.

I've barely left the house since I got out of the hospital. The first day I was free I ran some errands with Kristen but since then I've really only gone to the Christmas Tree Shop twice (to pick up a couple sets of curtains since my neighbor's grandkids have taken to peeking through the sheers in my living room) and spent two days hanging out on Kristen's couch so I haven't really had the opportunity to gauge how I'm really feeling.

TMI time! I'm still having issues with constipation, which is another thing I will have to address when I meet with Taft tomorrow. It's an embarrassing issue and I hate having to bring it up with him but I've read the complications online and it's a bit scary. I used to be pretty regular, up to twice a day, now I'm lucky if I go once every four days. I feel like I'm incredibly bloated and it's an awful feeling. Blah. We'll see what he has to say. Sorry if that grosses anyone out, just trying to keep it real. Besides, my hope is that this blog may be helpful to someone else who may be newly diagnosed and not really sure what to expect. I know what that's like, being frightened and not really sure if what you were feeling or going through is because of the MS. Just so you know, you aren't alone. <3

Tomorrow I wind down to three prednisone pills a day and I'm feeling like I'm not where I should be at this point. Usually by this time I'm dancing around, feeling full of energy and almost back to my old self. Not this time. More and more I'm beginning to feel that most of these symptoms will be permanent. I know it's because of the location of the lesions this time but it absolutely sucks! I want to feel normal again. I want the MS hug to go away and I want to be able to walk. When I was out in public the other day some little boy laughed at me because I walk funny and I'm using a walker. I had to resist the urge to find the boys mother and slap her silly for not teaching her child not to laugh at the disabled. I can't say my feelings were hurt, because they weren't, I know children are cruel, I just thought it was inappropriate. I see people who stare and give me weird looks but I don't take it to heart. People gawk at what they don't understand. If this disease has taught me anything is it's okay to cry, it's okay to feel sorry for yourself, at first, but eventually you have to wake yourself up and be strong because it's the only way you are going to get better!

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