It's August 3rd, 2013 and the temperature is starting to heat up--still hovering at 75 so I've been closing windows to keep some of the overnight cooling in the house.  I hate the noise from the air conditioner but with my multiple sclerosis, I have no choice but to use the air conditioner to stay functional.

Usually summer temperatures can hover in the 90-100 range for most of July and August. I can remember teaching in September with temperatures sometimes in the high 80, so uncomfortable with a classroom of 5th graders.  I've had to become aware of my core body temp and when I can feel hot inside, I know it's time for some cooling.  Cool drinks (water, of course, is the best), suck on ice cubes or popsicles, cooling mist, cool water running over wrists, face, or neck and commercially available items such a vests, wristbands, head bands or scarves are just some of the ways I've tried to bring down my core temperature.  My cooling vest was based on evaporation where you soaked the vest in water, cooled in refrigerator (I think), and then wore over your clothes.  It was very heavy to wear and I think I maybe only wore it once or twice.  I didn't care for the scarves either.

I love living in eastern Montana.  The badlands, prairies and plains of eastern Montana are food for my soul.  I worked with a couple tourism groups promoting this part of the start for while in the 90's.  We had to keep putting ourselves in the cars that raced through our part of the state trying to get to the mountains in western Montana.  For me, the mountains are claustrophobic and I find myself taking a deep relaxing breath once I get to Billings, even though I still have 200 miles to home.  I hope to share more of eastern Montana through my eyes in the coming posts.

Embrace Life Joyfully,
Kim

Sometimes a curve ball

I've lived with MS since 2/95, dx just weeks before my 43rd birthday. The course of the illness has been relatively minor--probably drove my neurologist crazy when I get calling about some new "symptom'--the "is this MS" phase of being a new MS'er. Cognition difficulties have become my biggest area affected. And that's where the curve ball comes in.

For someone like me, a 25 year veteran of the classroom, a Master's degree, involved in many community committees usually as a leader, it is hard to now say--I can't be on your committee because I can no longer be a functional person there. I tried but found myself sitting in committee meetings--just sitting. Following the conversation was hard enough but then when I added a comment, it was either not on target or on a completely different subject. My committee assignment was to call a person I know and ask her to be the master of ceremony. I tried for a couple days but then realized that I couldn't even figure out what to say. In the "old days" that wouldn't even been a problem. Not only can't I get something started when I know what I need to do, but I need a script to have a conversation.

It's so hard to explain cognitive problems because everyone says, I have that problem too or you look so good. Curve ball, behind the 8 ball, whatever--it still emphasizes to me that the future I thought was there, is rapidly changing into something I never imagined. Guess this blog will serve as a self pity party for me.

Do have a great weekend. The sun is shining, no wind but a gentle breeze. all is right with the natural world.