Well what an exciting walk I had tonight. It was my third walk today. My friends and I were walking on the trail and we were almost done when the little boy that was with us said fire on the lake. Well guess what he was right, dark red flames were bellowing with black smoke. It was a fiberglass boat that is why it was so black. All the other boats were surrounding it and soon the police boat came fly with there lights flashing. Here some kids had completely filled there boat up with gas. The road a couple of miles into the lake and I guess it stopped and they were trying to get it started and it cought on fire some how. Thank goodness they were all OK.
The boat was completely burnt but it still had not sunk when I left which I could not believe it wasn't.
Earlyer today my husband and I went to my daughters and put a Microwave above her stove. We will put white tiles below it and I hand painted lemons on the tiles also, so it should look nice. So when I was at my daughters we took a walk with her dog. That was my second walk I would have walked longer but the dog got tired and we had to go home.
Well that was my day and hope you had a good day to.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Greek Festival
The Greek Festival was fun today they had Gyros sandwiches that are made of lamb and beef blend. They are slices of meat on pita or flat bread with onions and a sour cream cucumber sauce and sliced onions and usually they have a little bit of fresh tomato on them. But not today I don't know why maybe the tomato scare of the salmonella. Or they where being cheap but the were still good. They had Greek baked goods most had honey on them and made with phyllo dough and all kinds of filling. It did wonders for my diet. I will have to walk and walk to work today off at the Greek Festival. This is why I don't loose weight, yesterday I ate half of a cantaloupe I just do not have much self control. Oh well tomorrow is another day.
Oh yes about the baked goods there they had a whole table of them so of course I got all 12 kinds. But I shared them all with my daughter and husband and we got to have a taste of them all when we got home.
They also had marinated pork on a spit and it was seasoned and was so tender and it was served on flat bread. So we shared that sandwich too.
Then they also had smelt that were breaded and deep fat fried. They were good a little fishy tasting but good. My daughter said yuck and would not eat them. She thought they looked like little guppies in our fish tank.
They had fresh squeezed lemon aide and I just drank the bottled water I had brought from home. See how good I was, every little bit helps I guess.
There was a Greek lady there selling pretty jewelry it was very nice and I told here maybe I would have Cruise Party along with her Jewelry. My job is that I sell cruises for all the cruise lines and I am just getting started. So maybe that would work I do have her card and she gave me hers but she is pretty pushy but maybe I need to be more like her. My daughter already thinks I am pushy enough.
It was a great day even if it did rain and hail in the town next to us while we were there we were together. We also stopped by one of my girlfriends that I have known since she was 16. We looked at her flower garden and she gave us some seedling. My daughter is happy to get some of them.
Excersize me and MS 9
Well it has been awhile since I have posted anything. That is because I have been walking three to four miles a day. I walk about one and half miles three times a day. I have been walking for about two weeks know and I am seeing the difference when I look at my cloths and in the mirror. Although I don't know if anyone else can see it. My friend says she can tell across my belly and midriff. So she may be just telling me that but she is pretty truthful so maybe I am. If my scales are not lying I have lost about 5 to 7 pounds. When I walk every day three times a day I really have not been hungry believe it or not. I think it is speeding up my metabolism because when I walked once a day it made me tired but I did not loose. My cancer pills make me so I don't loose weight but the 3 times a day seems to be working. My husband is giving me a little bit of hassle because I leave and go and walk and I am not home to answer the phone for my business and it always seems to ring when I'm not home. But he has had a head ace and trying to do all the work around the house and mowing. He put me a really nice fan up that looks like palm leaves and is cream colored and the ceiling is pine tree green. It is on our car port which is attached to the garage. So it does look really nice and all the neighbor hood ladies really like it.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Multiple Sclerosis-Sol-medrol-Part7
Hi!
I want to tell you That when I got my MRI and all the other test that is when I knew for sure I had MS. They could not tell years ago if you really had MS. Until they found they could see it on the a MRI. So that was all about the time I was diagnosed 15 years ago. I was so lucky to find the right hospital and doctor and the right technology was available for me. And you are lucky because they have learned allot since then.
One medicine they gave me when I was very bad and other things were not working was Solu-Medrol. This helped me so much, after receiving it I thought like one more dose of that I would feel normal once again. But they can only give you it so much so I never thought I was bad enough to get it again. I am keeping that on the back burner because I may need it more later if I get bad.
The neurologist has ordered the medication methylprednisolone----(Solu-Medrol) for treatment of Multiple sclerosis. Methylprednisolone is a potent anti-inflammatory steroid that may improve your symptoms.
The treatment takes place at the Cleve. Clinic Mellen center each day for 1 to 5 days, depending on your treatment plan. I had it for 3 days and the visiting nurses came to my house and gave it to me intravenous. I live one hour from Cleve. so that is why I got to have it at home. The nurse would come give it to me it took about one hour, for three days.
What can you expect the day of your treatment?
---Plan to be at the Mellen Center for about one hour on the day-s- of your treatment. You may receive blood tests before the treatment to monitor your complete blood count, and sodium and potassium levels.
---The nurse will also check your blood pressure and pulse before and after the treatment.
---The medication is given by intravenous drip for 30 to 45 minutes or injected directly int a vein.
---After the treatment, you can return to your normal daily activities, including driving.
---Following the intravenous treatments, you will be asked to take an oral form of a steroid called prednisone. your nurse will give you a written schedule of when and how often to take the medication.
---You may also be given a prescription for a medication to reduce stomach irritation.
What are some possible side effects?
---Stomach irritation such as indigestion and heartburn
---Increased energy, which may result in difficulty sleeping.
---Rapid heartbeat
---Flushing of the face, neck or chest
---Retaining fluid (Avoid table salt and salty foods.)
---Mood changes (euphoria, irritability, nervousness, restlessness)
---Metallic taste in the mouth
---Stretch marks, especially with weight gain
Remember I only had a few of the side effects and I was only on it for 3 days and it helped so much.
Don't let it scare you!!
Insurance coverage USUALLY covers this Cleve. will get it for you if you need it I'm sure.???
I want to tell you That when I got my MRI and all the other test that is when I knew for sure I had MS. They could not tell years ago if you really had MS. Until they found they could see it on the a MRI. So that was all about the time I was diagnosed 15 years ago. I was so lucky to find the right hospital and doctor and the right technology was available for me. And you are lucky because they have learned allot since then.
One medicine they gave me when I was very bad and other things were not working was Solu-Medrol. This helped me so much, after receiving it I thought like one more dose of that I would feel normal once again. But they can only give you it so much so I never thought I was bad enough to get it again. I am keeping that on the back burner because I may need it more later if I get bad.
The neurologist has ordered the medication methylprednisolone----(Solu-Medrol) for treatment of Multiple sclerosis. Methylprednisolone is a potent anti-inflammatory steroid that may improve your symptoms.
The treatment takes place at the Cleve. Clinic Mellen center each day for 1 to 5 days, depending on your treatment plan. I had it for 3 days and the visiting nurses came to my house and gave it to me intravenous. I live one hour from Cleve. so that is why I got to have it at home. The nurse would come give it to me it took about one hour, for three days.
What can you expect the day of your treatment?
---Plan to be at the Mellen Center for about one hour on the day-s- of your treatment. You may receive blood tests before the treatment to monitor your complete blood count, and sodium and potassium levels.
---The nurse will also check your blood pressure and pulse before and after the treatment.
---The medication is given by intravenous drip for 30 to 45 minutes or injected directly int a vein.
---After the treatment, you can return to your normal daily activities, including driving.
---Following the intravenous treatments, you will be asked to take an oral form of a steroid called prednisone. your nurse will give you a written schedule of when and how often to take the medication.
---You may also be given a prescription for a medication to reduce stomach irritation.
What are some possible side effects?
---Stomach irritation such as indigestion and heartburn
---Increased energy, which may result in difficulty sleeping.
---Rapid heartbeat
---Flushing of the face, neck or chest
---Retaining fluid (Avoid table salt and salty foods.)
---Mood changes (euphoria, irritability, nervousness, restlessness)
---Metallic taste in the mouth
---Stretch marks, especially with weight gain
Remember I only had a few of the side effects and I was only on it for 3 days and it helped so much.
Don't let it scare you!!
Insurance coverage USUALLY covers this Cleve. will get it for you if you need it I'm sure.???
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Multiple Sclerosis Betaseron and MRI PART 6
Well I hope I may be helping some one who is reading my blog. I will talk about betaseron which was the first drug shot that I took. I talked about it in my last blog. I was lucky to take it and be aloud to take this drug .
To date more than 70,000 people worldwide have been treated with Beatseron (Interferon beta-1b) for SC Injection. This MS therapy has been shown to reduce the frequency of Ms exacerbation's and as well as offering other benefits.
Betaseron is injected under the skin every other day and has been shown to be safe in long term clinical studies. Significant side effects including flu like symptoms, menstrual disorders, and injection site reactions (redness, swelling, and blue-black discoloration) have been reported. I put Ice on and take Tylenol if needed. Serious adverse events include depression, suicide, and injection site necrosis which is breakdown of the skin. You need to rotate areas of injection with each dose. This is very important it will get worse if you don't . Remember they have to tell you everything that could possibly happen like any medicine even if it happen only one out of a million people. I am glad that they did not scare me off and I took the medicine and only had a few side affects.
I am going threw pain and hardening of the injection sights right now. I have been taking shots for 15 years. And I NEVER miss a shot. So the are telling me other things to do till the first of Aug. and at that time they will give me an MRI and compare it to the one I had three years ago. So I will tell you what happens in Aug.
Most of the side effects associated with Betaseron use can be managed easily. Flu-like symptoms (fever, chills muscle aches, sweating) decreased significantly with time on treatment. I had all these symptoms but it was not that bad and I Never missed a shot. I always think about what could happen if I don't take the shot. Go sit at Cleveland Clinic and watch the people that come in during a morning and that is enough to make me take my shot. I have done so good and I am so grateful to the Cleveland Clinic and God.
They will give you many test to rule out everything else that it might be and that is good. That is another reason I am glad I went to the clinic they do this in a short amount of time in just days or a few weeks and they figure out what is wrong with you. Because many problems can have the same symptoms, they rule out Lyme disease, Parkinson's there are allot of them. They are all autoimmune diseases. That is why if you give to a charity like aids, or what ever they help MS. They will check your spinal fluid they can tell if you have MS in some people. Men seem to get it in the spinal fluid. More women have MS than men so I've been told. But it is good they give you all these test so you can hurry up and get diagnosed and don't fool around for months or years using up valuable time that you could be getting the help you need before you get worse.
MRI- Magnetic resonance imaging has proven to be of great value to researchers who want to learn about the efficacy and safety of new MS treatments. It is a safe and painless procedure that is used routinely to provide objective, measurable information about the brain.
MRI is an important addition to evaluation methods also.
MRI is considered a useful way to visualize the changes in brain tissue that may account for some of the typical signs and symptoms of relapsing-remitting MS.
This will help you understand terms related to MRI technology.
Lesion: A patch of inflamed tissue in the central nervous system-also referred to as plaque.
Recurrent lesion: A lesion that appears at the same site at which an earlier lesion had disappeared.
Enlarging lesion: A lesion showing a significant increase in size from a lesion that had previous
seemed to be stable.
Active lesion : Any new or enlarging lesion seen on consecutive unenhanced scans, as well as those seen as enhanced lesions.
Enhanced lesions: Lesions seen with the aid of agents that create more contrast in MR images.
Active scan: Any MRI scan showing a new, recurrent, or enlarging lesion.
Disease activity: Measured by the number of active scans and appearances of new lesions.
Lesion load: The total volume of lesions as measured by MRI
To date more than 70,000 people worldwide have been treated with Beatseron (Interferon beta-1b) for SC Injection. This MS therapy has been shown to reduce the frequency of Ms exacerbation's and as well as offering other benefits.
Betaseron is injected under the skin every other day and has been shown to be safe in long term clinical studies. Significant side effects including flu like symptoms, menstrual disorders, and injection site reactions (redness, swelling, and blue-black discoloration) have been reported. I put Ice on and take Tylenol if needed. Serious adverse events include depression, suicide, and injection site necrosis which is breakdown of the skin. You need to rotate areas of injection with each dose. This is very important it will get worse if you don't . Remember they have to tell you everything that could possibly happen like any medicine even if it happen only one out of a million people. I am glad that they did not scare me off and I took the medicine and only had a few side affects.
I am going threw pain and hardening of the injection sights right now. I have been taking shots for 15 years. And I NEVER miss a shot. So the are telling me other things to do till the first of Aug. and at that time they will give me an MRI and compare it to the one I had three years ago. So I will tell you what happens in Aug.
Most of the side effects associated with Betaseron use can be managed easily. Flu-like symptoms (fever, chills muscle aches, sweating) decreased significantly with time on treatment. I had all these symptoms but it was not that bad and I Never missed a shot. I always think about what could happen if I don't take the shot. Go sit at Cleveland Clinic and watch the people that come in during a morning and that is enough to make me take my shot. I have done so good and I am so grateful to the Cleveland Clinic and God.
They will give you many test to rule out everything else that it might be and that is good. That is another reason I am glad I went to the clinic they do this in a short amount of time in just days or a few weeks and they figure out what is wrong with you. Because many problems can have the same symptoms, they rule out Lyme disease, Parkinson's there are allot of them. They are all autoimmune diseases. That is why if you give to a charity like aids, or what ever they help MS. They will check your spinal fluid they can tell if you have MS in some people. Men seem to get it in the spinal fluid. More women have MS than men so I've been told. But it is good they give you all these test so you can hurry up and get diagnosed and don't fool around for months or years using up valuable time that you could be getting the help you need before you get worse.
MRI- Magnetic resonance imaging has proven to be of great value to researchers who want to learn about the efficacy and safety of new MS treatments. It is a safe and painless procedure that is used routinely to provide objective, measurable information about the brain.
MRI is an important addition to evaluation methods also.
MRI is considered a useful way to visualize the changes in brain tissue that may account for some of the typical signs and symptoms of relapsing-remitting MS.
This will help you understand terms related to MRI technology.
Lesion: A patch of inflamed tissue in the central nervous system-also referred to as plaque.
Recurrent lesion: A lesion that appears at the same site at which an earlier lesion had disappeared.
Enlarging lesion: A lesion showing a significant increase in size from a lesion that had previous
seemed to be stable.
Active lesion : Any new or enlarging lesion seen on consecutive unenhanced scans, as well as those seen as enhanced lesions.
Enhanced lesions: Lesions seen with the aid of agents that create more contrast in MR images.
Active scan: Any MRI scan showing a new, recurrent, or enlarging lesion.
Disease activity: Measured by the number of active scans and appearances of new lesions.
Lesion load: The total volume of lesions as measured by MRI
Multiple Sclerosis What is it Part 5
I think I took for granted every one knows what MS is. Well most people are confused. I was diagnosed 15 years ago so it is easy for me at this point to think about it. So I will explain about it the best I can.
Multiple Sclerosis is a chronic disease of the central nervous system (the brain and the spinal cord). It affects about 400,ooo people in United states today. MS causes breakdown of the myelin sheath that normally surrounds and protects nerve fibers in the central nervous system(or CNS). The under lying nerve fiber can also be damaged. Look at it this way it is like an electrical cord there is the out side layer and the inner layer. When this cord gets a nick in it the signal can't get threw. This can happen any where in the body. One day your foot has a problem the next time something else may happen. Sometimes people think you are a hypochondriac. And sometimes you think what the heck is wrong with me. Or you may be limping our your left side is weak. It may be bad for a while and then it is ok again. That is because your nerve gets, I call it a nick in it and and the signal does not get threw. This covering is called myelin. The scars form where good myelin used to be. They slow down or stop the messages. Multiple sclerosis really means many scars. And then it may heal and you are alright again. Symptoms of MS range from occasional numbness and tingling to fatigue, muscle spasms, poor bladder control, poor vision, paralysis and more. MS can also affect the ability to remember, solve problems , or concentrate. MS symptoms may come and go, or become permanent.
Commonly, MS is a "relapsing-remitting" disease. There are flare-ups, called exacerbation's or relapses. when symptoms become much worse, followed by remissions or recovery when symptoms lessen. Recovery may may be partial or complete.
Relapses happen most frequently at the beginning of the disease and then the rate declines. For most people a more steadily progressive form of the disease with fewer or no relapses eventually begins. The progression or worsening usually occurs slowly over months or years. All forms of MS may stabilize at any time.
There are "disease-modifying" medications that can put the brakes on relapsing forms of MS and slow down its progress. One is the Betaseron that I have been telling you about. But none of them cure MS. These drugs are the first medications ever shown to affect the underlying disease process. In most cases the sooner MS is treated with one of these disease -modifying drugs the better.
Multiple Sclerosis is a chronic disease of the central nervous system (the brain and the spinal cord). It affects about 400,ooo people in United states today. MS causes breakdown of the myelin sheath that normally surrounds and protects nerve fibers in the central nervous system(or CNS). The under lying nerve fiber can also be damaged. Look at it this way it is like an electrical cord there is the out side layer and the inner layer. When this cord gets a nick in it the signal can't get threw. This can happen any where in the body. One day your foot has a problem the next time something else may happen. Sometimes people think you are a hypochondriac. And sometimes you think what the heck is wrong with me. Or you may be limping our your left side is weak. It may be bad for a while and then it is ok again. That is because your nerve gets, I call it a nick in it and and the signal does not get threw. This covering is called myelin. The scars form where good myelin used to be. They slow down or stop the messages. Multiple sclerosis really means many scars. And then it may heal and you are alright again. Symptoms of MS range from occasional numbness and tingling to fatigue, muscle spasms, poor bladder control, poor vision, paralysis and more. MS can also affect the ability to remember, solve problems , or concentrate. MS symptoms may come and go, or become permanent.
Commonly, MS is a "relapsing-remitting" disease. There are flare-ups, called exacerbation's or relapses. when symptoms become much worse, followed by remissions or recovery when symptoms lessen. Recovery may may be partial or complete.
Relapses happen most frequently at the beginning of the disease and then the rate declines. For most people a more steadily progressive form of the disease with fewer or no relapses eventually begins. The progression or worsening usually occurs slowly over months or years. All forms of MS may stabilize at any time.
There are "disease-modifying" medications that can put the brakes on relapsing forms of MS and slow down its progress. One is the Betaseron that I have been telling you about. But none of them cure MS. These drugs are the first medications ever shown to affect the underlying disease process. In most cases the sooner MS is treated with one of these disease -modifying drugs the better.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Multiple Sclerosis Part 4
Well here is more on MS. On my last Blog I talked about what is orphan drug. I think they call it that until all the research is done, the medicine is very expensive. Then it is still high until the research is paid for. Betaseron cost me 998.00 per month. Which my insurance payed for. Don't worry if you don't have money they go by what you are able to pay. When the drug research is paid for the price goes down I guess.
Betaseron therapy can result in fewer symptoms. People who took the recommended dose of Betaseron over a two-year period experienced a 31% annual reduction in symptoms.
Betaseron is generally well tolerated but side effects do occur, mainly at the beginning of therapy. These side effects can me managed easily. The most common include.
Irritations such as redness, swelling, itching, and pain at the injection sites
Flue like symptoms such as fever, chills, sweating, and malaise
Fatigue of muscle aches
Side effects are easier to accept when you understand the long term benefits of Betaseron and side effects typically decrease. In most people , these discomforts gradually disappear within one to three months.
You can take Tylenol or put Ice on the injection site I always take it at night and then I sleep thr through the symptoms.
When you know the good things the medicens will do it is worth all of it.
There is a 24 hour Hot line to ask questions about information about what to expect from Betaseron 1-800-788-1467
I did very well on betaseron for many years and so glad I took it. Please do not be afraid.
It is a shot you take three times a week.
There is many medicines to take for MS that was was not available years ago.
The most important thing is do what they tell you.
Never miss your shot
I stay away from things that I know bother me
Some of them I have found
Stay away from paint and varnish fumes symptoms I had was in my feet the bottom felt like I was walking on rocks and after many weeks it felt like wet sand paper I still feel the wet sand for at least the last 15 years. I just ignore it It is just wet sand know much better than rocks.!!!!
Hair spray and Hair dye bothers me some times
Hot humid weather symptom of this can be Diarrhea
This is just a few of the things that can happen but allot go away and some things don't .
That is why you take the medicine every day.
Do not Miss it ever I don't!!!!!!!!!!!!
and I am doing very good
Betaseron therapy can result in fewer symptoms. People who took the recommended dose of Betaseron over a two-year period experienced a 31% annual reduction in symptoms.
Betaseron is generally well tolerated but side effects do occur, mainly at the beginning of therapy. These side effects can me managed easily. The most common include.
Irritations such as redness, swelling, itching, and pain at the injection sites
Flue like symptoms such as fever, chills, sweating, and malaise
Fatigue of muscle aches
Side effects are easier to accept when you understand the long term benefits of Betaseron and side effects typically decrease. In most people , these discomforts gradually disappear within one to three months.
You can take Tylenol or put Ice on the injection site I always take it at night and then I sleep thr through the symptoms.
When you know the good things the medicens will do it is worth all of it.
There is a 24 hour Hot line to ask questions about information about what to expect from Betaseron 1-800-788-1467
I did very well on betaseron for many years and so glad I took it. Please do not be afraid.
It is a shot you take three times a week.
There is many medicines to take for MS that was was not available years ago.
The most important thing is do what they tell you.
Never miss your shot
I stay away from things that I know bother me
Some of them I have found
Stay away from paint and varnish fumes symptoms I had was in my feet the bottom felt like I was walking on rocks and after many weeks it felt like wet sand paper I still feel the wet sand for at least the last 15 years. I just ignore it It is just wet sand know much better than rocks.!!!!
Hair spray and Hair dye bothers me some times
Hot humid weather symptom of this can be Diarrhea
This is just a few of the things that can happen but allot go away and some things don't .
That is why you take the medicine every day.
Do not Miss it ever I don't!!!!!!!!!!!!
and I am doing very good
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