The Lopez Life: MS

Good-bye August and September

I'm happy to say good-bye to the heat of summer and welcome the cooler weather. The heat didn't bother me, but my body doesn't like it. Or should I say my brain doesn't like it.

Read my first story here:

http://thelopezlife.typepad.com/thelopezlife/2010/08/optic-neuritis.html

And my outcome of that story here:

http://thelopezlife.typepad.com/thelopezlife/2010/09/happy-fall-happy-news.html

Fast forward to now five years later (almost to the date) and I wake up feeling dizzy and lightheaded. Then my vision went blurry. After returning to all three of my doctors - Optic Neurologist, family doctor and my eye doctor I was sent for another MRI of my brain which showed that I have MS. Then I was sent to a neurologist who had me have another MRI of my neck and spine. I also have signs on my spine which would explain why I have numbness in my toes and the bottom of my feet. I can still feel them its more like tingling. I have RRMS Relapsing Remitting MS. So my relapses seem to be spread a part. I started to get the tingling in my feet in Sept. 2012. This time around I had a lot of the MS signs. Luckily, I haven't had any bowel, bladder or depression issues. Just fatigue, weakness, vision problems, brain fog and balance issues. Which to some might be a lot, I'd rather have those symptoms then not be able to control my bladder and bowels. I'm the kind of person that is so organized and always on the go. Now I don't keep myself so busy anymore and I rely on my lists to keep me organized. When I am too busy my body tells me. I will be taking MS injection medicine soon. The purpose of the meds is to prevent those symptoms from returning, but the disease will not go away.

I also have a severe vitamin D deficiency. Average is 30-100 range and I have a 9.1. I'm on a high does of vitamin d2 to get my levels up. It's kind of weird since I'm supposed to stay out of the heat having MS, but the best way to get your vitamin D levels up is to be in the sun without sunscreen.

My attitude isn't negative that I have MS. Yes, I had a pity party for myself for a few minutes and I got over it. I could have had something much worse. I will start to build my leg muscles again and keep my body strong. I have a great family who has been there for me.

Love this man for being by my side.

This photo was taken three days after my relapse and I was so off. Robert drove us to Panera ( I could not drive) for lunch and we met my sister and her kids. I was happy to be out but you should have seen me walking. It was bad! I was like a bad drunk. These kids made me laugh about it.

My mom had a birthday a few weeks ago and the whole family had lunch at Olive Garden. I love my family so much. My dad has driven me to doctors appts. when I could not drive and Dave was working and I had to get my eyes dilated. We looked and sounded like a loud Italian family and we have a blast together!