Walking with Grandkids

Walking around the neighborhood on a beautiful Sunday afternoon with grandvarmits Sam and AnnMarie. Otis accompanied us on the 1/2 mile (yes 1/2 mile) jaunt. That deserves telling about the distance one more time - One/half mile.

Freakin' Unbelievable (At Least,For Me)

Wednesday evening I drove to the Pavilion (Community Aquatic and Exercise Center) to take a walk around the indoor track. I used to walk with Autumn (my deceased service dog) several years ago, but have not been able to do so in a very long time. I have been walking and trying to build up my endurance so I could walk longer distances. I have walked around our block (1/3 mile) several times and had even walked 3/4 mile at the Pavilion once in the last few weeks. But the Wednesday trek effort provided me with yet one more 'milestone' (no pun intended) in my quest to at least hold my own in my battle with MS.

I actually walked a whole mile, which to me would have been completely unimaginable prior to acquiring the Bioness L-300. And to boot, I didn't even use a cane or any other visible means of support (except for the 'Ness which was shocking my leg muscles with every step). Eleven and a half laps around the track (I walked 12) constitute one mile. I actually didn't set out to break my 'walking record', but like the Everyready Bunny, I just kept on going. As I was going around for the last lap, I got somewhat emotional and looked down at the track in front of me and saw drops falling from my face to the track below. They were a mixture of both sweat and tears. I gratefully recalled the many people who helped me get to this point, and in my mind was thanking them for being there for me when I needed them. And then I shed some more tears. Not tears of sadness, but instead I felt a great sense of joy and peace.

Some of my muscles are somewhat sore, but as Chief Dan George said in one of my favorite movies Little Big Man "My heart soars like a hawk". I don't view this as an end of a long quest, but rather a beginning.

Woodland Arts Fair '09

We just returned from a visit to the Woodland Arts Fair in Lexington. The weather was very warm and humid. Wanda and I both marvel at the fact that I'm much more tolerant of heat because of the Tysabri infusions. In fact, I probably had an easier time than her (although she was walking while I was riding the Segway).

I had the pleasure of chowing down on a good old catfish sandwich. Yum, Yum! It's fun to just ride around slowly while listening to comments about the still strange machine. I could write a book (hey wait a minute, maybe I am - covering my journey with MS, the Segway, Tysabri, and the Bioness L-300) about the comments people make about the Segway. Once again it proved to be a huge help to both of us because the crowds were very large and parking places(even a half mile or more away) were extremely scarce. I was able to park farther away (at no cost) and ride back to the SUV, drive to a predesignated point and pick up Wanda, thereby saving her from walking quite a way in the heat.

Today marks the 5th time we have visited the Arts Fair with the Segway. The very first post on this blog (115 posts down from this one) was about being at the Arts Fair with the Segway for the 1st time. It is still as much fun as it was almost 5 years ago (when I bought it).

Two Very Important People

Pictured above from left to right is Jessica Mitchell, Me, and Amanda Garner. They are two of the several very important people who help me out every month at St. Joseph's Hospital in Lexington. They are assigned to the wing of the hospital where I get my Tysabri infusion. The hospital staff that I come in contact with before,during and after the infusion, all make me feel very comfortable. I deeply appreciate them very much. Some of the nurses check the blog periodically in order to see what I've been up to since my last visit. The picture is not entirely in focus so I plan on a retake at the next session. Sorry.

We are getting to know several other Tysabri patients who visit St. Joe's on the same day that I do. That has been an unexpected, but pleasurable part of our visit. Wanda and I both look forward to the monthly infusion. Most of them (like me)report very positive results from their Tysabri visits.

Maybe I Visited the 'Twilight Zone'

The title of this post might help might explain, in part at least, what's happening to me. I just wrote and proofed the following post and it hit me like the proverbial 'Ton of Bricks' that I did not even mention the Segway one time. Although I am using it much less inside stores, shops, etc., it still plays a large role in my life. I continue to use it in places where a lot of walking is required, but not in smaller stores or restaurants, and I still go out for some 'fun runs' around the town. And it still is my 'preferred' mode of transportation (but I gotta' get those windshield wipers fixed.

But to walk I'm not even using a freakin' cane. Talk about feeling weird. It's going to take a long time for me to get over being able to walk more than several steps without assistance (except for the Ness, of course)

Summer Without the Sizzle

I am creating this post from the living room of my youngest daughter Cynthia Bruno, while visiting her in Nashville, TN. It has been rather quite around where I've been so a lot hasn't been happening.

Medically, everything is going well. The Bioness L-300, henceforth referred to as 'Ness', since that is what is printed on my control unit holder - which I wear around my neck. The (Ness and I have been getting along very well. I've been able to go out and walk around the block several times as well as go to the community indoor aquatic center where they have a track for walking/jogging. (Another thing I haven't done in years). I used to take Autumn (my deceased service dog) to the facility during bad weather days. I'm still exercising in the mornings and evenings while I'm wearing the Ness. I've been told that my muscles will begin to feel stronger sometime between 6 months to a year. Since I'm known in my family for my patience, In my mind I'm hearing howls of laughter from my two dumb(written affectionately) daughters, I'll just stay here and continue working and 'wait and see'. It may be my imagination and/or influenced by my burning desire to at least hold my own when it comes to my MS, but I think I am feeling a smidgen stronger (Please, please, pretty please).

I did hit a couple of bumps in the road and had to deal with that, but now things are much better than before I got slowed down. One word of advice to all of you with MS (and others too), is that it can be hard getting off of one of the SSRI inhibitors. Believe me, they're not worth it. Nobody tells you about this before you fill the prescription. I wouldn't have even begin to take them if I knew what it could be like during withdrawal. Go to google and type in Lexipro,Prozac or any other drug name crossed with the word 'withdrawal' and see what you get. This is another reason that people with MS have to take an active role in how they handle the disease.

We are looking forward to begin traveling again, so descriptions of our exploits will be appearing soon. Stay cool!