Carnival of MS Bloggers #133

Welcome to the Carnival of MS Bloggers, a bi-weekly compendium of thoughts and experiences shared by those living with multiple sclerosis.


Can A Cold Day In Hell Be Possible?
from Paul Pelland's Endless Road Tour

I’ve been told to go to Hell so many times, you’d think I’d own a time-share there.

Like most people diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, I fear going to Hell mainly because I can’t tolerate the heat here on Earth.

Temperature effect on patients with Multiple Sclerosis is called Uhthoff’s phenomenon, first described in 1890, by Dr. Wilhelm Uhthoff.  An elevated core body temperature, even as slight as one-quarter to one-half of a degree can further impair the ability of  already compromised nerves to conduct electrical impulses, resulting in temporary worsening of MS symptoms. Core temperature can rise with hot weather, exercise or activity (vacuuming, ironing, grocery shopping, doing the dishes, folding laundry or watching Grey’s Anatomy are big triggers for me), sunbathing, hot baths, emotions, stress, fever or illness, catching on fire, or anything associated with raising the core body temperature.

The heat  stops the nerve fibers from working properly, especially if the nerve or myelin insulation has been damaged.  The nerves are supposed to allow the brain to send messages to other parts of the body.  Remember, in Multiple Sclerosis, the insulation or myelin sheath and the nerve it protects have been chewed away leaving scar tissue. At normal body temperature, a message barely gets through the damage pathway, and when heated up, the message will almost certainly fail to make it through. Therefore, symptoms usually get worse. If my head had fuses or circuit breakers, when I overheat, they would trip or blow. Cooling down resets my circuit breaker. This is usually not a sign of new damaged areas, and is just a temporary problem. By cooling down the core temperature, this temporary worsening of symptoms goes away.  These temporary attacks by heat as well as similar ones brought on by fatigue are called pseudo-exacerbations.

By now you can see why staying cool for me and others with MS is extremely important. My issues are mostly cognitive, and a hot headed biker who doesn’t know his own name, or has trouble remembering if he should put his feet down at a red-light or not, might be a quite dangerous.

Staying cool, and controlling my core temperature while riding means staying alive.

The word cool has been used to describe many different things over the past few decades.

70′s

In the seventies, you were cool if you said, “Dig it”, wore earth or platform shoes, bell-bottoms or anything tie-dye.  You were cool if you had a muscle car with an eight track player and CB radio. Cool was Smokey and the Bandit, The Fonz, Rocky Horror, Atari, pet rocks, lava lamps, Walkman radios and streaking.

You were cool if you listened to Aerosmith,  Alice Cooper, Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Billy Joel, Elton John, Led Zeppelin, John Lennon, Pink Floyd, Bob Seger, Bruce Springsteen, or The Who.

80′s

In the eighties, cool was chewing globs of Hubba Bubba bubble gum with a Mohawk, Rubik’s cubes, big hair, leg warmers, sweat bands, parachute pants, NIKE’s,  black Reeboks, or tucking your 501 Levis into the tops of your unlaced Timberland Boots. You were cool if you had a camcorder, played video games (Nintendo, Pac Man, Game Boy), or used the phrases, “Where’s the beef”, “PSYCHE”, “NOT” or sang the Funky Called Madina.  Cool were the California Raisins, skate boarding, baby on board signs and pretending to, ”Just say no”.

Arsenio Hall, David Hasselhoff, Erik Estrada, Gary Coleman, Heather Locklear, Andrew Dice Clay, Bobcat Goldthwaite, Eddie Murphy and Sam Kenison were cool. Cable was in full swing, MTV was a mega hit. Slam dancing, lambada, vogueing and break dancing were cool. Records were shattered by the sales of CD’s. The bigger the ghetto box, the better.  ”Is that a car phone antenna?” COOL! 

 90′s

In the Nineties, cool was Tae-bo, in-line skates,  tattoos and body piercings, Fresh Prince of Bel Air, rat tails  and AOL chatrooms. The cool actors were Michael Douglas, Joe Pesci, Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise, Sigourney Weaver, Meg Ryan, and Michelle Pfeiffer. You were cool if you could dance the Macarena without spilling your beer. Grunge was cool and Gangsta too.

The cool music artists were Mariah Carey, Boyz II Men,  Selena, Hootie & the Blowfish, Alanis Morisette, Janet Jackson, Garth Brooks, Celine Dion, Madonna and the Spice Girls.

00′s

What is cool is forever changing and  staying on top of what is in and what is out, what is hot and what is not, becomes less important to most of us the older we get.  I have no idea what was cool in the 2K’s, I guess being cool doesn’t really matter to me anymore, except when I’m riding.

I Really Want to be a Cool Biker

Bikers may be considered cool, but a running motorcycle is very HOT.  How hot? Open the hood of your running car in the summer and sit on the engine. I don’t care how fast your spouse drives around, your ass and thighs are going to burn.  Even riders without MS need to stay hydrated and cool. Here is a great read from the IRONBUTT magazine  regarding riding in hot weather.

As someone who rides with full gear (see my last post here), riding suit, boots, gloves, full face helmet, anytime the weather gets above 75 degrees, I have to be careful. If I get stuck in traffic at any temperature above 40 degrees, it could begin to effect my symptoms. For quite a while I have been using a little trick  when the temperature creeps up and my memory starts to go to mush.  When I am not looking, I switch the ambient temperature reading on my dashboard to Celsius. Instant cooling! It seems to work for a while, but lately I’ve been catching myself doing it.  Another trick I learned years ago was to toss my helmet in the ICE cooler outside gas or convenience stores when I stop for a break. Ten minutes on ice really can help out for a while, but not sure what my sweat dripping, bug splattered brain bucket does to the ice in the cooler.

Riding a million miles, I really needed to find a better system.

There are many commercial options for staying cool. I have tried many different types of passive or phase-change cooling garments like ties and vests, the type you soak in cold water, or that use frozen cold packs, but as I tend to ride many hours at a time, They just didn’t work. I need a product that would last for many hours on end, without a lot of fuss or maintenance.

I think if BMW twins can finally be allowed to get a liquid cooling system, by Jack, I should be able to get one too.  COOLSHIRT is the world leader in personal cooling, offering systems tailored for emergency personnel, industrial applications, athletes, race car drivers, pilots, motorcyclists and surgeons.  Their therapeutic division Miller Therapeutic Cooling Products, was one of my very first sponsors and will indeed help me reach my million miles for MS. I received a COOLSHIRT  personal cooling system recently and as it is winter, have had  a little difficulty giving it a real test.  The idea is a fairly common one, cold liquid circulating around a hot surface, removing the heat from the surface and flowing back to the cooling source.  All of our cars use a radiator, and the COOLSHIRT system functions very similar. The system contained a 24 qt cooler with a circulating pump, insulated hoses with automatic shut off, and quick release connectors to an anti-microbial moisture wicking compression shirt. The shirt has 50 feet of medical grade tubing sewn right into it.  Here is a video  from Modern Marvels on the History Channel. For motorcyclists, they have fanny pack systems, backpack systems, smaller thermos systems, as well as a 12 or 24 qt system like mine. I picked the bigger cooler because I will have plenty of room for it on my touring bikes, and when filled with block ice, it should give me 6+ hours of relief. Until they have an affordable bike system that  that doesn’t require ice, this is my best option. I’m sure I will add to this after the summer season, but I just had to test it out!

Here is my system.

And on the bike, the testing really wasn’t fair, I did stay very cool though, I didn’t even have to turn it on.

I felt as though ice runneth through my veins,  even though I never put ice in the cooler. This winter is really getting long. I believe Winter is just a season created entirely by big box stores to sell more ice melt and shovels. I thanked the officer for the escort home, and promised to check the weather forcast next time.

I thought long and hard how I could simulate riding in hot weather, and holy blazing saddles, I had a a great idea. In order to really test the system, I needed to get HOT.

My first brilliant idea was to sit and type this post in front of our home’s heat source, a Jotul wood stove. The stove temperature reached 500 degrees, and I sat for half an hour in front of it before noticing my boot sole melting. I used a 12 volt power source to run the cooler, and had a bag of ice and water in it. Fully suited up, I never overheated or felt my symptoms were getting worse. It kept my core cool, and the ice was not even melted during the short test.

Brilliant idea #2 for simulating getting over heated involved waiting until the lifeguard was no longer on duty, and possibly a couple of Sam Adams. At 103 degrees, a hot tub clearly would simulate a hot motorcycle ride, wouldn’t it?

I also had to wait until my neighbor went to work, as explaining why I was in their hot tub at all, would have been hard enough.

Despite this brilliantly JENIUS idea of how to test the cooling system, the hot tub test was a semi epic fail, due to not remembering to hook-up the cooling system prior to the conclusion of the test  as well as destroying my notepad with all my observations which was in my hip pocket. I spent over an hour just covering up the melted snow prints that suspiciously led back to my house.

Brilliant idea #3 would involve not only a heat test but also a stress test with full cardiac work-up. I did wait until the Aerostich suit was dry, but the boots were still a bit squishy. This was fool proof and possible fully legal. The system was running with ice cubes and water, I suited up and hit the treadmill. In normal exercise attire, I usually can jog a mile or two before really getting overheated.  In full heavy riding gear, I should have lasted about one minute before summoning the EMT’s. I strapped my emergency contact information onto my dog, and went at it.


I was able to jog as much as I do in shorts and sneakers before taking a break, and that was quite amazing! If you have never seen a Pug applause with joy you have not witnessed a happy dog. The COOLSHIRT system will be a great addition to my summer riding and as long as I get ice before I have reached the point I need to cool down, I should be ok. Knowing the ice will last for many hours in the large cooler lets me plan ahead.

I decided to continue, to see how far I could push myself. (This is sign #1 my cognition was getting affected by my exercising, I lose the ability to make sound  decisions)  I blame the dog for not stopping me sooner. I eventually get fatigued and my body temperature did slightly increase and I began to lose my balance.  The rest is pretty easy to guess!


In conclusion, when getting hot or overheated would normally prevent you or I from taking part in something we enjoy, there is an assistive technology solution. An active cooling system.  Check it out.

However, now that I am COOL once again, the rules have changed so……..

Give me a damn hand-basket,

I now have no fear of going to Hell!

Ride safe, and keep cool!
Longhaulpaul

This concludes the 133rd edition of the Carnival.  The next Carnival of MS Bloggers will be hosted here on February 28, 2013. Please remember to submit a post (via email) from your blog of which you are particularly proud, or which you simply want to share, by noon on Tuesday, February 26, 2013.

Comments for this post.

Carnival of MS Bloggers #114

Welcome to the Carnival of MS Bloggers, a bi-weekly compendium of thoughts and experiences shared by those living with multiple sclerosis.

Powerful Food, Pseudoexacerbations, and B/B Dysfunction

Unmentionable Bits

by Webster of halt stop forget relax

I imagine that many of you with MS deal with the dreaded B&B issue; not the second B - Bladder - which gets lots of attention. We either pee too often, or not enough, or get UTIs all the time, or wet our bed, or our pads, or ourselves. But the first B - Bowel - is the one that rarely gets talked about, and when it does get talked (or written about in neat little pamphlets explaining the various symptoms of MS that may affect us) it leans toward one end of the spectrum -- constipation. Oh, the dreaded bloating and feeling that you have to take a dump, but you just can't.

It doesn't tell you that constipation can be so bad that you need to see a gastroenterologist to find ways to manage it. Like taking doses of various meds, laxatives, eat more fiber, or even using your fingers to pry the stool from you. Oh happy, oh joy. Of course, you know you might be able to go if you just drank enough water to wash things out, but when you do that you can't control the other B [Bladder] (see paragraph one.)

It also doesn't tell you about the other problem: incontinence. Yes, that kind of incontinence. Going without warning wherever you might be. I have known someone to whom that happened - in a high end department store, no less. The sales clerks were very kind to her and led her to a private bathroom so she could clean up, and brought her a change of clothes. Yes, they were very kind indeed. She never set foot in that store again.

They don't mention that in those pamphlets. N'uh uh. And another woman told me that she was in a mall when it happened to her; suddenly it started running down her leg. She said she never wanted to be a runner, but she did that day. She was mortified, and lucky too, in a way, because though  she left a trail of sorts, it just led to an empty parking spot. She retained her anonymity, at least.

What if the problem you have is that you can't feel when you have to go until, well, until it's actually TIME TO GO? And what if that happens when you're in the middle of a dream that starts telling you to get to a bathroom ... any bathroom ... like right now? And you wake up in a stupor, and you can barely move your legs because the blankets were a little too warm and you try to stand up, and you can't? You try and you try and you keep falling back onto the bed, and you start going and you know you can't control it? What do you do? This is no nightmare; well, yes it is, it is a nightmare, and this nightmare is part of MS. This is what happened to me the night before last.

So I look around to see what I have nearby that might save the situation. I find one of those thin blue plastic absorbent lined pads that they use at every urologist appt. [Don't mock me- I think it's foolish to  let all that Dr. office stuff go to waste - so I bring it home; you never know when it might come in handy] This seemed like the perfect thing to use it for - to catch my poop unmentionable bits so they didn't get all over my sheets. I turned to lay on my side and managed to get it beneath and behind me. My sheets were saved; I just lost my dignity as I had to call my husband to help at that point. I had no TP. I couldn't clean myself. I still couldn't stand. I was exhausted. I just wanted to cry but couldn't thanks to my antidepressant.

I needed more sleep, so after DH cleaned things up (he's so good, he takes these things in stride), I took a long nap, after which I was able to (barely) stand, at least enough to use a walker to go to the bathroom, take a shower and get dressed.

MS just keeps getting better and better. I know; you don't have to say it, I was happy to share.

[Here is more information regarding bowel dysfunction.]

Kale, the New Frontier

by Yvonne Sousa

Kale is the new black

I cannot put it off any longer. For almost forty years I have been shirking my vegetable consuming responsibilities and now it is time to face them. Don’t get me wrong, I would try to lean towards healthy eating often enough. If I decided to treat myself with a bit of fudge I always went for the pumpkin or cranberry variety to get some of my fruit requirement in.

When picking out ice cream flavor I would choose a vanilla base- vanilla being a type of bean. If went out to eat and was asked which side I would like with my entrée I would pick the French fries to get potatoes (a veggie after all) in with the meal. And, of course, I never held the lettuce, onion, or tomato on my burger. The pickles I would toss aside, you can only go so far on the health kick.

But for some reason all of the hard work above was not enough. Apparently I needed to take a more thorough and active stance on eating vegetables in their natural form. I have been told that they are a necessary part of the diet and eating more of them will help my health and my BMI. But as someone who has taken great pains to avoid them whenever possible, where to begin?

I like the idea of corn- well cornfields anyway. They present such a nice image of middle-America and kids with overalls and ribbons frolicking in the fields. But a super healthy cousin who has a small farm in her backyard (too weird, even for my family, a farm in Massachusetts,) informed me that corn is now the root of all evil.

Seems, she insists, that we Americans eat too much corn and give too much of it to our livestock and that is why we are falling apart. I guess that is good news. It is only the idea of corn that I like, the actual stuff is icky.

Ok, I can handle a salad. I will go with that. But no, it turns out iceberg lettuce is really just a big clump of green water. It is not that healthy, the experts are starting to say.

I was about to give up when a friend directed me to Dr. Terry Wahls website that shows a super good-for-you eating plan, designed especially for people with multiple sclerosis. At first, it was terrifying. Dr. Wahls wants you to eat nine cups of green leafy vegetables a day! That just seemed insane and totally overwhelming.

But I was committed so I continued exploring. One of the veggies she recommends is spinach. Well, I can kind of deal with that. Especially if I use the bagged, dry spinach and load it with dressing in order to pretend it is salad. That might work for me. The wet stuff Popeye used to chug is out of the question but maybe I could accept the dry stuff.

Then Dr. Wahls said something wonderful, something I could totally work with. It turns out that kale is a green leafy full of all kinds of nutrients and good stuff! Wow, I thought only Portuguese people knew about kale.

And I had no idea it was a vegetable! Is Dr. Wahls sure about this? I always thought kale was just a soup additive that you got from your grandmother’s house or your cousin’s yard (oh yeah, a farm, now I get it).


This whole time it seems we Portuguese folks were already on the health track! I did some more research and it turns out that kale is the new black, meaning, it is the new super food. And since it is super good for ms’ers, it is the new orange as well. Yay!

It shouldn’t surprise me that my Portuguese friends and family were leading the way in this regard. Didn’t our Brazilian cousins discover last year’s new super food- the Acai berry? Who knows what we will discover next? Maybe the delicious Portuguese pastry trutas are the next super food? Why not? Trutas are filled with sweet potato so there you go! We Portuguese folks have now discovered three new super foods.

What about codfish cakes? The poor cod is one ugly fish but he is a fish and so maybe filled with good proteins and stuff. Hey, I bet he eats kale too so if you eat codfish cakes you might be getting protein AND a vegetable.


And then there is the wine. I don’t care what the French or the Napa Valley people say, the best wine comes from Portugal. And, research shows that red wine is really good for you. The experts suggest drinking it in moderation but I know a lot of other experts that drink it all day and they seem pretty healthy. They are pretty vocal and animated at least.

I guess my dad knew what he was doing when we visited his homeland when I was twelve and he wouldn’t let me drink American soda. “You are in Portugal and will drink wine like all the other Portuguese kids!” I thought he was being weird. Turns out, he was just worried about my health.

Encouraged and energized, I set out to start my new healthy eating plan and the world fell into place! A nice, hot bowl of kale soup filled with all things good. Vegetables- kale-who knew, potatoes, and a tiny bit of carrots to give the soup some extra color (carrots are no longer one of the best veggies and I don’t want to muck up the soup up too badly), beans-this soup just gets healthier and healthier, linguica- protein, thank you, and salt pork.

I don’t know too much about salt pork- is it a vegetable too? Even if it is not it just adds a bit flavor so how bad can it be? Red wine, some Portuguese bread- hello-grains, butter- dairy of course, codfish cakes as a side- all kinds of health benefit there, and trutas for dessert. Repeat this meal nine times a day. I love Dr. Wahl. This is going to be a cinch!

It's Just Bacteria

by Sarah O

Don’t you sometimes have that feeling that you know exactly what your body is going through, what the problem is and where the problem is. Sometimes you really don’t have a clue. But sometimes you just know.


Another one of those weeks when you’re going through so much you don’t know what to control or where to start. Can’t say what triggered it. I do vaguely recall saying that my throat was hurting.  Then it wasn’t. Was going back and forth between the hospital to see an unwell relative. Also took some probiotics to cure a stomach bug. Had a few bad nights of worsening chills. The days were marked with a constant supply of acetaminophen to keep functional. Realized I had low grade fever throughout the day and all the ugly things that come with it. Body aches, dehydration, burning eyes. Sneakily getting worse, my bones started to ache, my limbs became weaker and weaker. “I have an infection.” I can't explain but it felt like something running rampant in my body. Until one day I was sitting at work crying, my bones hurt so bad I felt they would break, I couldn’t put pressure on my legs or carry anything with my arms.  All my other pains crept up with a vengeance.  It was like a symphony, each one trying to out-do the other and make itself heard and noticed. The pins and needles, the stabbing, the aching, the crawling, and the shooting.

I did get a bit scared. It could be the Fibromyalgia, the Multiple Sclerosis, or the Osteopenia.

Of course I went to a few doctors, but we started an antibiotic course on our own.  The white blood cell count was high. Within a few days I was getting back to normal. I slept like a baby and my pains were gone.  I have had many, many bad infections in the past, but never such a bad experience of tiding through it. Okay, so I’ve had some pretty bad infections in my life. They’re really not so hard to wait through. But this time, it was crippling.

Two things: A quick look around the internet shows how MS patients are at an increased risk from infections. The immune system is already compromised and any minor infection can cause serious flare-ups of existing symptoms, sending you hurtling over the edge.

Also, if you look it up, it is suggested that you see your GP if you have Multiple Sclerosis or a weak immune system and develop any Respiratory Tract Infection (RTI). A simple course of antibiotics may pep you right back up. If you want, you may look up detailed studies on the subject; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8534384.

As for me, I’ve never been so petrified of coughing, sneezing germ bags in my life. Also, I've started carrying a hand sanitizer, and graciously offer it to as many as will use it !!

[Lisa's note: Here is more information regarding infection and pseudoexacerbations.  When living with MS, developing an infection can cause symptoms to temporarily worsen.  It can be quite unpleasant, but it doesn't affect the course of your disease.]


This concludes the 114th edition of the Carnival.  The next Carnival of MS Bloggers will be hosted here on May 24, 2012. Please remember to submit a post (via email) from your blog of which you are particularly proud, or which you simply want to share, by noon on Tuesday, May 22, 2012.

Thank you.

Comments for this post.

Carnival of MS Bloggers #69

Welcome to the Carnival of MS Bloggers, a bi-weekly compendium of thoughts and experiences shared by those living with multiple sclerosis.

Summer Effects, Inspiration, and Determination

Every day, I embrace
by Dan Digmann

My days are numbered. Medical experts essentially tell me this all the time.

I heard it most recently when I attended an MS conference last weekend hosted by the University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor.

In not so many words, they said that most people with Multiple Sclerosis live with the relapsing-remitting form of the disease for so long and eventually transition to the secondary-progressive form after they’ve had the disease for 10 years.

I hate it when I go to these kinds of things because they often provide a subtle yet very in-my-face reminder that I truly have a chronic, progressive disease. I don’t blame them for their pessimistic forecasts because I realize the medical facts don’t lie.

With a decade under my belt, I guess I’m living on borrowed time.

While I don’t consciously think about it, I wonder if I unconsciously realize this with every step I take. Every stair I climb. Every race I run. Every shoe I tie. Every workday I complete. Every book I read. Every sentence I write.

Everything I do.

Such a reality check has the potential to throw me off my game and into a woe-is-me abyss that could consume my life. But I won’t let this happen. Guided by the charge of Coach Jimmy Valvano who said, “Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up.”

With a decade under my belt I know I’m living on, regardless what form of Multiple Sclerosis I have.

I consciously realize this with every challenge I face. Every obstacle I overcome. Every frustration I feel. Every battle I lose. Every battle I win. Every moment I live to its fullest.

Every day, I embrace.

Showing No Mercy...Unless You Control IT
by Blinders Off

I WILL BEAT YOU DOWN IF YOU LET ME!!

This heat wave is no joke! If hell is hotter than what it has been for the past three months...I pray living my life by the Golden Rule is my ticket into heaven. :-)

Multiple Sclerosis and I have been battling during this heat wave. IT is getting upset with me because I have not allowed IT to take over. IT needs to know I am in control of my body! There was a time I allowed IT to control my body, but I did not like the way IT played. I use to go about my daily routine as if I was not living with MS (IT) during the summer months and would have to be injected with 3000 mg of Solu-Medrol two to three times during the summer because IT would affect my body in a negative way for days.

This is the first summer in years; I have not had to have an IV Infusion. I know that is because instead of allowing IT to control me, I took control of IT by LISTENING to MY BODY. I have learned to say NO, and still be productive in my LIFE and that is the greatest feeling ever. When I was forced to quit working in my dream job eight years ago, I thought my life was over. I like my new non-paying job better. I now utilized the skills I have learned over the years to help and be a voice for others and work with disadvantage children.

Yes, I have Multiple Sclerosis, but to me MS means I AM Mighty Strong!

There’s a Reason They’re Summer Fruits and Vegetables
by Mark and Yumi

Summer is almost over but yet we’re still feeling the heat. Although officially fall has arrived, the thermometer is not agreeing because we’re at our peak of temps here in Japan. To make things worse, we live in a big city where the asphalt and high rises seem to magnify the heat.

I’m sure most patients with Multiple Sclerosis dread this season because of the effects, increased fatigue and the like. The heat of summer exacerbates MS symptoms, (Uhthoff’s symptom,) arguably bringing them to their worst. We all have our ways of trying to cope, but often it’s difficult to find relief short of just staying home under the air conditioner. In an attempt to stay cool my first summer out of the hospital with MS, I carried around an ice-pack and traveled by cab as much as possible. But as time went on I realized that there is a way to lessen the effects of the heat.

I’m sure many of you have wondered why there are some days you’re relatively symptom-free, yet other days you feel absolutely miserable. Perhaps what you’re putting into your body each day is to thank or to blame for this.

For centuries the Chinese have viewed human beings as part of the natural environment. As such, our bodies are not always the same throughout the year: rather, they’re continually changing with the changes in season. To adjust to these changes, nature has provided what we need in the form of seasonal fruits and vegetables.

It’s easy to forget what fruits and veggies are actually in season, however, thanks to modern horticulture technology. As much as anyone, I appreciate that I can buy my favorite veggies any time of year, should I be in the mood. But by eating things out of season, we’re not in tune with the seasonality and can in turn get sick.

In general, any fruits or veggies are good for you. But there’s a reason that they’re ‘summer’ fruits and vegetables. To counteract the heat brought on by summer, fruits and vegetables that are in season at this time actually have a cooling effect on the body. Specifically, cucumbers, zucchini, asparagus, tomatoes, eggplant, water melons, and tropical fruits are good to cool us down. On the other hand, garlic, ginger, onions, and leeks could exacerbate symptoms because they warm the body, and so their use should be avoided or minimized in summer.

Throughout history, our ancestors have adjusted to the changes in nature by eating what was available seasonally in their environment. Of course, this wasn’t by conscious effort. It was just a matter of eating what they could find. But because nowadays many fruits and veggies are accessible year-round, and especially because we’re dealing with a difficult illness like MS, we need to take special care of what we put in our bodies so we can properly adjust with the seasonal changes.

Take care of yourselves and enjoy the effects of what nature has provided for us.

SoluMedrol and Home PT
by Maryann Rubin

First of all, I had a 3-day course of IV SoluMedrol last week because my MS was getting worse. It helped with my energy level and a little bit with leg weakness. The RN used something called a Mediball. It was the neatest thing. The solution is in a small ball, which is pressurized to deliver the medicine over a 1-hour period. The beauty is, you can stick it in your pocket and walk around--you are not attached to a pole IV set-up.

While the RN was here, she mentioned that I could get Physical Therapy through their company (Gentiva) to help me with my balance and walking. This morning, a physical therapist came out and gave me an assessment. She will be coming twice a week for four weeks, giving me tips and exercises to do on my own. Then, the company has something called Safe Strides. This is a program that works with your eyes, your ears and your body, to help you walk and stand better.

I have a good feeling about this. I've been falling more often, and running into walls and doorways. Of course, the tremors don't help my walking any.

I feel like a real mess!

Because of stress and the hot weather we've been having, I had an MS flare and I was getting depressed--crying, feeling very sad, and getting angry. My PCP started me on Celexa, which actually is doing a very fine job leveling out my mood. The only side effect I've gotten is dry mouth, which is no big deal.

This concludes the 69th edition of the Carnival.

The next Carnival of MS Bloggers will be hosted here on August 26, 2010. Please remember to submit a post (via email) from your blog of which you are particularly proud, or which you simply want to share, by noon on Tuesday, August 24, 2010.

Thank you.

Comments for this post.