Sept 3, 2011

1. Medical Update- This summer has been the hottest since 1980. Seriously hot. The second you step outside you feel like you are in an oven baking from all sides. Truly miserable. For about 90% of MS patients heat is an issue and makes them experience symptoms that will go away once they cool off. I have tried to spend my time in the A/C. And I must say the heat has not a terrible effect on my MS symptoms and I am very grateful. But it has been a bit of a rough summer. I had a persistent low grade fever (99.1-99.5) from the end of June until the middle of August. Not all day, but everyday, usually about mid day until bedtime. I just felt yucky and tired. I think it was sinus issues. I felt the sinus cavities in my cheeks swell, and burn. But my nasal passages were fine. They did an x-ray and did not see anything. The good news was it was NOT a UTI. I went back to Dr Allen at the end of July before our trip to Atlantis because it was not getting better. He put me on Bactrim for 30 days to see if it would get rid of any infection and he drew blood for testing. My blood work came back normal. About 11 days a rash broke out over my entire body, so I went back. Drug allergy, no more sulfa based drugs for me. I felt like my fever was a bit higher and lasting longer. We did another urine test and it was positive for a UTI. So he put me on 250 mg of Cipro twice a day. A week later my fever was not better and I wanted to rule out the UTI so I went back in and my urine test show my UTI was not getting better, not worse but not better. So 750mg of Cipro twice a day for 7 days and I came back a week later to follow up. I think the last dose of med's worked. No more UTI. (I think we did figure out why I was getting the UTI and came up with a game plan to hopefully prevent future infections) It has been a slow process and a long summer, but I am fever free and feeling better. My sinus cavities are still bothersome, but I can handle that. I had a new MRI. The MSAA was very kind to pay for test, (my insurance c0-pay is $1000). The MSAA will pay for one every two years. It takes 6 months for the medicine to build up in your system. So my doctor will use this MRI as baseline. Any changes from here on out may mean my medication is not working and we might need to consider a change. He said my MRI looked great and he would see me in December for a routine visit!

2. BSF is about to begin. I love this time of year. Especially this year. Brad is going for the first time!!!!!! And he will be taking Presley to the children's program. I think they are both excited. The whole family will be studying the book of ACTS.

3. One of my favorite songs right now is "Reach" by Peter Furler

"You hold the weight of the world, still I don't slip through your hands."

"I fall again and again, but you whisper you're still mine."

"You feel the pain of the world, but you NEVER push mine aside."

"You REACH for me, with a LOVE that QUIETS ALL my FEARS.

And you REACH for me, like a father wipes away the tears

So many people in this world

BUT I HEAR YOU CALLING OUT MY NAME.

You REACH for me.

Now I'm never gonna be the same.

Love that song. Such a reminder He loves me, He sees me, He sees my hurts and fears, He hears me, I am never pushed aside. But most of all that HIS LOVE is what quiets all my fears!

A reminder that GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME AND ALL THE TIME GOD IS GOOD!