Not sure I’m “Cool,” but I can try…

“Be Cool. We Are!” An intriguing theme for Indiana’s Disability Awareness Month. I do encourage you to take a look at this message, shared by individuals with varying struggles. Governor Holcomb kicked off the month with support, and I appreciate the words he shared. What does it mean to be “cool”? To be “comfortable in your own skin,” he suggests.

As we face disability, either through experience or observation, it inevitably causes us to feel uncomfortable. As I have gone from starting to use a cane fifteen years ago to gradually using other methods of physical support, I have gradually learned to be comfortable in my own skin, so to speak. I first felt that my cane flashed neon lights, then that a walker screamed of weakness. But as a person facing disability, I have certainly learned the importance of helping others like me feel less awkward. A smile and positive words can work wonders. My cane didn’t glow, my walker didn’t scream, and my wheelchair was just fine.

Some disabilities appear outwardly, others are less obvious. When they appear more obvious, I appreciate the Governor’s Council’s advice: “Be Cool. We Are.” Sounds like a good plan! And for those with disabilities that are more hidden (but just as real), this theme may give reason to contemplate… what hidden limitations are faced by those around me? Whatever they may be, I’ll try to be cool.

Knight Rider – a tale of true love

During our earlier years of marriage, T.R. and I enjoyed going to state parks, museums, or fun little spots that we happened upon. After five years of marriage, these walks involved pushing either a double stroller or two smaller strollers. And time moved on. When the former stroller riders were in kindergarten, my own walking abilities started to falter, and I began using a cane on occasion. Then always. Then after medications became less useful, when those two young ladies were in junior high and high school, I started using a walker in the home and at church, and a wheelchair when we traveled or attended school events. As you can imagine, the walks with my dear husband dwindled away in time.

The wheelchair does allow us to traverse the world together, as long as paths or streets are smooth and free of debris and potholes. Which means that very few area streets worked for walks, and many paths were simply not passable. We searched for a wheelchair that was more all-terrain, but we what seemed like a simple request was anything but. The wheels on a wheelchair are generally not meant for use at uneven or rocky paths, and why would we want such a thing? Well, we were determined to find such a thing.

We had seen “jogging strollers,” allowing a mother (or father) to transport a young one, so I swallowed my pride as I assisted my dear husband in the search for an adult version of this. As we called mobility-related places (wheelchair sales locations), we came up dry. But we live in the age of the Internet, we knew there had to be something. Somewhere. We tried different semantics, and the term that finally worked was “push chair.” The Axiom Endeavor , though pricey, appeared to be what we were looking for. Then came the next step. This was Autumn 2017, and after we communicated with the manufacturer about the specifics of this item, we started our research into cost and insurance. I won’t share all of the details here, but suffice it to say that several medical reports and letters assisted in the final outcome, and by late December the push was in our possession!

Winter in Indiana… not the time for an outdoor stroll. So the unnamed Axiom sat unused and alone until the weather broke, and I believe it was early May that the first outside jaunt took place. A “push chair” is just that – an extremely well-engineered lawn chair of sorts, with supports for over 250 pounds of weight (thankfully not all necessary), with three large, sturdy tires. It could be pushed by my loving husband so we could take a walk of several blocks around our street. And that, my friends, shows how this is, indeed, a “love story.” A grown man bent over backward to research and obtain this item, and now he is pushing his wife in it, with them having conversations with folks along the way. He takes care of it, adds air to the tires when necessary, assists her in getting in and out, and demonstrates both patience and chivalry as they take their walks.

I’m jumping ahead in the story, though. What could we call this contraption? We’re not parts of the Facebook Age for no reason, so we asked for suggestions, of course. After receiving several fun acronyms as ideas (no, Steve and Roger, it was not going to be S.M.O.O.C.H.), we started narrowing it down. Barbie’s “Harriot the Chariot” was in the

“selfie” taken over my shoulder last summer

running, but then we both thought a nod to an 80’s television show would be perfect. “Knight Rider” it is. Friends jokingly suggested we adhere flames to the sides, but that is far from necessary. We’ll each wear a weather-appropriate hat, sunscreen when necessary, and a coat as needed, but we can go on walks together again.

 

And that was the biggest reason the Knight Rider resides now in our home. My “Knight in Faded Denim” still wishes to share walks with his wife, even though many things have changed. He still loves ME, and I certainly love him!

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Valentine bonus: T.R. and I just recorded a podcast about our history of playing games together. Episode 197 – Alls Fair in Love and Gaming – from “Game Store Prophets” of Innroads Ministries. 

My Ocrevus Odyssey

I am frequently asked about my current MS medication regiment, so this is a good time to catch up my readers. On September 20, 2017, I wrote about my first dose of Ocrevus:

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My MS has changed over the years – originally diagnosed as “relapsing-remitting,” Dr. Stevens now classifies it as “relapsing-progressive.” Progressive forms of MS have fewer treatments available, but this spring, a new one entered the field: Ocrevus – ocrelizumab. News stories showed promising results, and though our goal is for this medication to help prevent further progression, I can’t help hoping for a smidgen of improvement. Yesterday, I had my first half dose, and the second half will come in two weeks. Then, I will receive this infusion once every six months.

What will it do? I don’t know. I can tell you that my only reaction was a bit of an itchiness and redness that was zapped with Benadryl. So it is that September 20, 2017, marked the first page in this chapter of my medical saga – time will tell what the other pages hold.
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The immediate part that came next had absolutely nothing to do with the new medication, though I first thought it did. That itchiness and redness, then hives that followed? My thick, dark, curly hair (with natural silver streaks) had been hiding something I had never experienced: head lice. We traced back the source, and it has since been dealt with (not in our house, church, or school), and my dear husband assisted me in winning the fight against the nasty buggers. Once my locks were louse-free, I had them chopped two inches shorter, helping me avoid tangles and other issues. So…the second half of my first Ocrevus dose came about four weeks after the first, and those four weeks were no picnic.

Because of the unrelated craziness, it was difficult to tell if the medication was making a difference in my health. With this medication formulated for one infusion every six months, I do appreciate that I don’t have to go in as often or treatments. Is it effective? I can tell you that that the debilitating tongue and jaw problems (hypoglossal and mandibular neuralgia) that hit me two years ago have not returned. This is indeed HUGE.

Three months have now passed since my third Ocrevus treatment. I do take other daily medications in relation to symptoms, but I feel like I’m at as level of a spot as I’ve been for a while. I must admit that when I first started this medication, I had truly hoped to see a few glimmers of improvement. What I think I have found is a more solid line that may be slowing down progression. MRI scans have shown no additional scars in my brain, and we did find scarring in my spinal column… it was encouraging, in some ways, to find that there was a clear reason for some difficulty walking. Did those scars come before or after Ocrevus? I do not know, but I do feel that, paging through the current therapies that fight this MonSter, Ocrevus is the one that serves me best.

Several years ago, I was an example patient for a medical school course Dr. Stevens was teaching. After I shared my symptoms and they guessed my diagnosis, he shared that my disease was trying to progress. He said he’d give this an 8 on a scale of 1-10, with how fast it was trying to move. And this would explain why he had tried so many options. In November, my husband and I had a consultation with the director of the IU MS Center in Indianapolis, and I was encouraged that he agrees completely with Dr. Stevens. The trail thus far has been appropriate, and of two medications that could help me, Ocrevus is the best choice for me.

So for those who ask how this is going for me, the answer continues to be a process. It has involved a fine-tooth comb, patience, education, faith, and partnership. As I continue travelling this odyssey, I will certainly share snippets of life. The next blog post proves to be a fun one, “Knight Rider.” Is it an 80’s series about a talking car? Likely not, but stay tuned…

A new start -Angie’s blog returns!

Happy 2019, friends! It’s been entirely too long since I have posted to this blog. Am I still battling “invisible issues,” you ask? Hmmm… will there be snow in January?

Yes, life with disability leads to paths I never would have foreseen. MS may not be a walk (or stroll) in the park, but blessings still come our way. Though I’m not one for “New Year’s Resolutions,” I do wish to give my blog a jumpstart of sorts. I intend to post at least twice a month, sometimes more. Topics ahead include our “Knight Rider,” driving decisions, my Ocrevus experience, caregiver challenges, chair that offers a lift… and definitely National MS Awareness month and National Poetry Month

So why “Queen Anne’s Lace” on my cover page? For one thing, it’s one of my favorite wildflowers. I also love how it pokes up where it wasn’t planted, sometimes considered a weed. I’m convinced that people would pay good money to grow this bloom if it weren’t so common. I find blessings in this flower that was not purposely sown. In a similar way, I wish to bring attention to blessings that may be found despite very real struggles.

So let the blog begin!

MS Awareness Week, March 11-17

     Spring has been a favorite season of mine for as long as I can remember, but it has taken on new meanings in recent years. March doesn’t just mark the start of spring, but the MS Association of America declares it “MS Education and Awareness Month.” Since a June 1997 diagnosis, every month has fallen into this category for me. Along the same lines, The National MS Society declares “MS Awareness week” to be March 10-17.

     So what is MS anyhow, and why do we need to be aware? Valid questions. Multiple Sclerosis is an autoimmune disease, meaning that the immune system, which usually attacks things that make us sick, is misbehaving. With MS, the immune system attacks the coating of the nerves, a fatty substance called myelin. Imagine that your nerves are electric wires, and the myelin is the protective rubber coating around the said wires. Then the renegade white blood cells snip away at parts of that myelin “rubber coating.” When a power cord has this type of damage, it can cause a short circuit. Lights may flicker or sparks may fly, depending where the power was headed. Your biggest bundle of nerves is one that you use whether or not you’re thinking about it; you need it in order to think, in fact. The brain is, essentially, a huge, organized bundle of nerves. For an MS-laden immune system, the brain acts as the main target.

This leads to the reason for the name, “Multiple Sclerosis.” Multiple means many, and Sclerosis refers to scars. What happens when the myelin is stripped away? Scars, or lesions, are left behind. Where? The brain, of course. And this leads to that need for “awareness.” You see, the brain is responsible for quite a bit. Imagine if your home had shorts in the wiring at various spots. More than just flickering lights, your doorbell may not work, the furnace may fluctuate, your computer may flash new error messages, and the electrician would have quite a job in store. Scars in the brain can act this way also, affecting mobility, energy, balance, heat sensitivity, vision, speech, memory, and so much more. A few shorts may only affect the lights in the attic, and a person with MS may not experience very many symptoms. But one trait these both share is the same: unpredictability. What symptoms will strike when?

Do you know people who face MS? Whether or not you realize it, you likely do. Eighteen years ago, just a few weeks before we moved to a new home, I discovered that our next-door neighbor had MS. We had lived there for two years, and I had not realized this, as it was “invisible” in many ways. In the United States, it is estimated that 250-350,000 individuals in the USA currently face MS, about two thirds of these female. A person with MS may experience all or only a few of the symptoms mentioned earlier, and this may change. MS symptoms can come and go, and they aren’t very predictable, though they often become worse during stressful times or in hot weather.

So what to do? The good news is that although we had zero medications to fight MS twenty years ago, there are currently sixteen available. A cure remains elusive, but we keep coming closer. Medicine can help slow progression, and more answers are found each day. There isn’t a single, clear cause for the onset of MS, and there likely won’t be a single, clear cure, but continued research and awareness of this disease and its effects is key.

Summer used to be a much-loved season also, but MS has caused me to shift, as my body just can’t tolerate heat. I do adore new life that begins showing itself in spring, and my hope and prayer is that this “MS Awareness Month,” we can gain understanding of these hidden scars that affect our friends and neighbors with MS. As spring progresses, we can know that each day brings us closer to a cure.

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You may also read this article in the “SEG-WAY News” of Grant County, Indiana, published March 9, 2018