OT November Chit Chat

[paj]

Hi Everyone,

Nice to see so many familar names and stories. Gary, I hope you are coming down off of the steriod rage. Cherie, it seems like you are going along like you always do....doing so many things my brains spins and my legs get tired just reading it - I admire your perserverence. Ann, I hope you are well and Lady and Whisper and Ssusan and Sally, hello. Ssusan, I didn't remember you in Vermont, but my brain may not be functioning on all 4 pistons.

And to whoever I missed, I am sorry, I can remember if I have it all printed out-otherwise no cigar.

Its been a while since I checked in, a lot of things going on and I've been more or less the same, MS wise, so I just try and ignore it (the MS). I started Ampyra in March and it appears to have helped a bit but my legs still have strength issues. I just seem to be able to go a bit longer. I've been on C for 9 years now and my MRI's have been stable for the past 4 or 5 years so I feel very fortunate. There are still occasional new symptoms but other than the optic neuritis, the lesions are too small to pick up. My right eye is no longer my dominant eye-and never will be able to be corrected all the way.

A new grandbaby (daughter) this June from my oldest sson and another one due in May from the middle one, so thats all happy news. I'm still working 80% so that helps pay the bills.

Sending good thoughts to all of you-may this winter not be too long.
paj

[Cherie]

Well....I have been thinking for a couple of years that I am so much better I do not need my scooter and van with a lift in it any more and have been thinking of getting something better on gas (altho' the van gets 19-25 mpg). Some of you may remember when I found it here on BT for sale at a Hospice in Western MA and drove out sight unseen with a bank check and brought it home. It had had virtually no maintenance in its three years to that point and needed everything, fluids, brakes, transmission service (a couple thousand right off the bat). It served me very well for the last 7 years and although it's now a 10 year old car, It just turned 90,000 mi last weekend.

Today I traded it in on a new prius (only the second new car I've ever had). Got 49.2 miles per gallon in the 35 miles I drove to get it home today. The dealership says they will try to sell my van for about $6500 then they found out there was a lift waiting to be put back in and I am hoping and praying someone gets this creampuff in the next week or so before they send their trade-ins off to auction. If you have the need for this, contact me and I can give you the info to call and details to help you obtain it and the lift which I still have here.

[Jeanie Z]

:) Hi everyone. It is nice to see everyone checking in. Anyone hear from Sally? Maybe she cannot get to her computer. Check in please.

My foot is still quite swollen but not quite as feverish. It is also still reddish. I had a call from my best friend and she has now the fourth large sarcoma tumor by her navel. This will be her fourth surgery. Please add Maryanne to your prayers.

Also please continue prayers for my Mother, Bill's brother Charles, and me. Thanks, Jeanie :)

[Cherie]

I'm getting concerned about Sally too and don't have her email addy.

Jeanie,
Sorry to hear your foot is not bouncing right back and healing rapidly. Prayers added for that and for Charles. Still praying for you and your Mom and Jamie.

[Cherie]

I found a couple of old #s for Sally from several years ago. She did answer the cell and is in the hospital. Had to call 911 on Friday. Nothing is broken and she is getting PT to try and improve mobility. She said she hopes to be home by the end of the week. I will try and post an update in a couple of days.

ANN, she asked that you also post this update on NT. Thanks.

[nuthatch]

Thanks Cherie, for the report on Sally. I've been very concerned about her and hope that she is able to come home soon. It's got to be tough living alone, especially with any disability . . . my hats off to all those who do it.

Congrats on the new car. I also just sold my 2003 handicap van, but unfortunately not because I don't need a handicap vehicle anymore. Very shortly after we bought the van and I got licensed to drive with hand controls, I started having trouble with double vision and gave up driving all together. We bought a used sprinter van awhile back, had a lift put in and my husband recently finished the inside (it was a cargo van). The old van only had 13,000 miles on it and the gal who bought it, who also has MS, is very happy with it. Now we need to sell the motorhome that my husband did so much handicap conversion work on. It no longer suits our needs.

Rainy and cold (46) here, at least by California standards. Just cannot get warm! I have no tolerance for cold now and actually prefer hot, which is a complete turn around for me. Weird.

Prayers for improved health for all.
Anyone hear from Howie or Lady?

[stillstANNding]

Cherie- as soon as I got your email I posted there and came here and didn't see anything in her thread so I started a new thread. I didn't think of looking in here but at least everyone knows.

Thanks. I was worried.
ANN

[Cherie]

No problem ANN.

Well...yesterday I went to an FFF meeting (friends, family , fun) with some members of the MS community near where we live. One of the women has resorted to needing a scooter much of the time over the past few months and the one she bought needs to be taken apart (6 pieces) to go into her car trunk. She has stopped driving because she cannot handle the scooter and needs someone to manage it for her. She has been "praying" for a solution to this lack of independence for the past couple of months and last weekend asked her church to start praying for a solution as well. Yesterday at the meeting, she mentioned this to the 2 dozen of us present and I told her about the car I'd traded in the day before. They went to the dealership and test drove it yesterday and put a deposit on it. We'll make sure they have the lift to go with it.

I love it when things happen like this!

[Whisper]

Fabulous news Cherie!