This Saturday

.. Was painful. It hurt all over, I was very tired and achie all over. I'm so glad that it's only one day. My fingers, today, are still numb from the second nuckle down to the tips. Along the pinkie, it goes down to the palms.

Numb and Groggy Puppy

On and off for the last week and a half my torso has been numb. It's not a big thing, this is just one of the symptoms I'm learning to live with. Also this week I've started to notice that my right hand, finger tips mainly, are numb (tingly). Now my left hand's finger tips are the same way. I jokingly think that this is due to my new obsession Bejeweled 2. I'm officially addicted. I know that it is the reason I'm so tired all day, because I play it endlessly until 11 at night, which I'm trying to kick that habit.
Also Pixi just got spayed yesterday. She was groggy all night, but this morning she still tried to jump up on me. So she is feeling better. :)

My Eye!

Is a lot better... not completely, but it is definetly better. I can actually start to see stuff out if it. So it's on it's way to being back to normal. Horay!

Peaceful Bliss

I've found this great cool web-site: www.reverendfun.com
It's got some cute, religiously based, comics that are actually pretty funny. Here's one I thought fit on this page... but check it out for yourself.

Optic Neuritis

That picture doesn't even begin to show you how I see things. Actually, it does, but it seems so much worse sometimes!
I'm still going through a steady bout of optic neuritis. Dr. E said that I scored a 110... if I had scored a 120 I would have been immediately diagnosed with O.N. and given a steroid IV again. But since I was under, I can't imagine seeing any less out of that eye, I don't have to. In fact, it's not recommended. I'm going to try some self medication, though.
You see, ON is brought on by an inflamation of the optic nerve. So maybe if I take some anti-inflamitories it'll help. Don't worry, I'm not going to over do it or anything, I just want the adjacent headaches to go away. Remember folks I do stare at a screen for most of my day.
Anyway, this has been going on for a week now. It started very lightly on Monday, the 9th, and quickly progressed the next day, where I had to take part of my day off of work... and the next day fully off to go see dr. E.
Ideas of why: Stress, both mentally and physically. It was the first stages of buying the house and getting the money figured out as well as a weird week of spring where my sinuses were crazy... in fact I thought it was my sinuses, until I couldn't see the next day. I got a VEP done while I was at the drs.
A VEP is: Visually Evoked Potential. To me it's a TV with black and white squares that move around like they were on crack while I concentrated on a red square in the middle. You wouldn't believe how hard this is when you can't really see the red square.

The Visually Evoked Response test (VER), also known as the Visually Evoked Potential test (VEP), is a test for Optic Neuritis or other demyelinating events along the Optic Nerve or further back along the optic pathways.
The test involves watching a black and white checkered pattern on a TV screen in a darkened room. The black and white squares alternate on a regular cycle which generates electrical potentials along the optic nerve and into the brain. These can be detected with electroencephalographical (EEG) sensors placed at specific sites on the top of the head (the occipital scalp). Each eye is tested independently while an eye patch is worn on the other eye.
VEPs are very sensitive at measuring slowed responses to visual events and can often detect dysfunction which is undetectable through clinical evaluation and the person is unaware of any visual defects.
Because of their ability to detect silent lesions and historic demyelinating episodes, they are very useful diagnostic tools. A definite diagnosis of multiple sclerosis requires at least two distinct demyelinating episodes, in two different central nervous system sites which are separated by at least one month (the Schumacher criteria). VEPs can often provide evidence of such episodes when other tests, even MRI, cannot.
Each pattern reversal stimulates a nerve transmission along the optic nerve, the optic chiasm and the optic tract to the lateral geniculate body. From there a second axonal signal moves along the optic radiations and the posterior periventricular white matter to the occipital cortex. This stimulates the striate cortex to generate a large electrical potential which is detectable on the EEG sensors.
The whole trip (the latency) normally takes about 100 milliseconds. This latency is called the P100. White matter lesions anywhere along this pathway will slow or even stop the signal.
Almost everyone with optic neuritis will have an abnormal VEP latency. Studies show that 85-90% of people with definite MS and 58% of people with probable MS have abnormal VEPs.
Other conditions including Friedreich's ataxia, vitamin B12 deficiency and neurosyphilis can also slow the P100 latency.

Anyway, besides the constant lack of vision in my left eye and the on-again-off-again headaches... I'm actually doing fine.
I turned up to work on Saturday, Avonex recovery day, for a quick brunch and ended up doing two tours instead. It was unexpected, but fun. It wore me out more than I thought, but I stayed up for the rest of the day anyway. I did get winded going up the stairs, though. Boy am I out of shape.

MS Update

This is just a quick update for what's going on MS wise:
Not alot, thank goodness. But I do have a light bout of optic neuritis in my left eye. It's a bit bothersome because it's right in the middle of my line of vision. I'm sure it's all started from the other night when I cried really hard. the muscles around my eye have been kind of tender since. I figured it was only a matter of time... It still has that raw, tender feeling around it... Round the sinuses... I keep thinking it's something on my glasses.
Also, I feel a little lightheaded, but this is due to getting by on my Tryleptol.
Don't worry, I know that it'll all get better soon.

Get Your Scrubs On

Cast members featured on Golf Channel's The Big Break All Star Challenge (Posted August 6, 2006)

Several cast members will appear on an upcoming episode of The Golf Channel's The Big Break All Star Challenge. Ken Jenkins, Robert Maschio, Neil Flynn, Judy Reyes, Sam Lloyd, and Johnny Kastl will compete against each other in a golf-related challenge to benefit the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. The Scrubs episode will be broadcast on Tuesday, August 22nd at 10:30pm ET/PT.



Stars in your eyes and money in your bank account? Or simply want to rub shoulders with the actors on hit show Scrubs? Queue right up here, and give money to a worthwhile charity in need of your help. Currently, with 15 bids and only $4,050 so far, they havent quite reached their target, but the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (Orange County, of the US chapter), are hoping to raise more money 'to end the devastating effects of multiple sclerosis' by offering a walk-on part in the Emmy-nominated show. You've got less than a day to raise enough cash to help out, and to possibly help realise your star potential. (Any bidders, please contact us for our telephone numbers, to give to that bee-yoot-e-ful actor who plays 'J.D', please!)

(A walk-on part in 'Scrubs')
Bid Until Oct-03-05 22:00:00 PDT

Ribbon of Hope

Linda Chance, Oklahoma City, OK


The idea for an MS awareness ribbon was a no-brainer for Linda Chance: If so many other diseases had ribbons, why shouldn’t MS?

With newfound time on her hands due to the necessity of an early retirement, Linda decided to take action. Using a hot glue gun, she constructed more than 1,000 ribbons made from prism fabric to distribute at MS walks, runs and rides. She selected the prism design because the changing colors signified MS as an ever-changing and unpredictable disease. She also authored a brochure and created display boards to showcase the ribbons.

With her Betaseron® Champions of CourageSM grant, Linda will be able to manufacture more MS awareness ribbons and travel to other cities to promote the concept.

"My goal is to display the ribbon at as many events and locations as possible so that more people will be aware of MS and its devastating effects," says Linda. "My hope is that increased awareness will result in more funding to find an end to this disease."

With her Champions of Courage grant, Linda assembled ribbon kits which were distributed through the Oklahoma chapter of the National MS Society as well as by Linda herself!

Linda’s hard work to benefit people with MS did not gone unnoticed by her community. For her outstanding volunteer service, Linda received the 2000 Oklahoma Citian With a Disability of the Year award at the city’s Mayor’s Conference on People with Disabilities, and also was honored by her chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.