Me and MS have a little game we like to play. I call it Catch Me If You Can, Sucka! The idea is simple: I go about my life as if nothing has changed. Mind over matter, I'm not my disease, and all. I go shopping. I run errands. I go to work. I work… Continue reading Me 3, MS 56
Month: January 2011
On the skids, or the post in which I talk about showering
One of my greatest (non-existential and non-irrational) fears — besides the everyman's dilemma of public speaking — is falling out of my shower into a wet, motionless heap. Not only would whoever rescued me find my naked ass splayed across the floor, but they'd see proof positive in my grimy tiles what a terrible domestic… Continue reading On the skids, or the post in which I talk about showering
I’ve got baggage
I am about to have a serious logistical problem on my hands, quite literally. Bags, bags, everywhere bags. With me nearly every morning is a filled-to-the brim backpack, a purse, a lunch bag and sometimes even another tote. Why? Because I have a bunch of stuff. And I keep acquiring more stuff. The telltale signs… Continue reading I’ve got baggage
A view from outside
Sometimes, I stand naked in front of a mirror Evaluating Not the paunch or the flab or the dimples (of which there are many) But to gaze in wonder at how everything looks unchanged. Like a cosmonaut suspended in space Observing Earth's serene stillness And thinking the world must always be this constant, from here.… Continue reading A view from outside
The Do-I-Tell Conundrum
It was really a no-brainer for me to tell my family and close friends about my MS diagnosis. Who else was going to take pity on poor me when I needed a shoulder to cry on or I had chocolate cravings? That didn't mean it wasn't hard. I have a might prideful streak to me,… Continue reading The Do-I-Tell Conundrum
Is anything safe anymore?
First it was spinach. Then Children's Tylenol. Then Toyotas. Then those cribs. Now the alcohol prep pads used in my shot process, and sold over-the-counter under various brand names. It's sad when the product meant to sanitize might actually introduce bacteria: Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals has become aware of a broad United States market recall of… Continue reading Is anything safe anymore?
Of birds and disease
I've been thinking about Rachel Carson a lot lately. Hundreds upon hundreds of birds falling out of the sky and thousands upon thousands of dead fish washing to shore tend to bring out the conspiracy theorist in all of us. The end times. The byproduct of a military op done in the black of night.… Continue reading Of birds and disease
Dealing with a person dealing with MS: A quick primer
There's no What to Expect when You Have Multiple Sclerosis guidebook. If there was, it would be about a page long. All it would need to say is something to the effect of, "Hold back the edges of your gowns, ladies....we're going through hell." Or, just as succinctly put, it would advise patients to "expect… Continue reading Dealing with a person dealing with MS: A quick primer
Down for the count
It's the beginning of the 2011 Sickoff at the Godwin-Walker household. Who will make it to the top of the snotty tissue podium? Who will be the also-ran left hugging the porcelain bowl? I fired the opening salvo Saturday night with a 14-hour (!!!) comatose state, prefaced by an irritating cough, stobbed up nose and… Continue reading Down for the count
It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day
And I'm feeling good. I've made it through Day 1 of 2011. Victory, while in serious doubt during the hazy morning hangover hours, is mine! I deserve laurels and a hefty cash prize for such an accomplishment. Of course, I woke up and MS was still here, rearing its ugly head. It's become increasingly tough… Continue reading It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day
One, Wild & Precious 