Howling Bones

Luna's very first friend Ike, otherwise known as Ikey Bones, or just Bones, was a Red Bone Coonhound. Their first meeting was just like a scene out of a romantic movie where the couple runs to each other across a field of wild flowers. However, Ike & Luna's backdrop was on the sandy beach of Lake McConaughy. Fletch & I had already been there for a few days & were expecting the Fasnachts, from Colorado, at some point on this particular day. This was in a day when there was no cell phone coverage on the beach so you just waited for people to arrive. We were going about our day & were playing in the big sand dunes, when all of a sudden we see Mark & Ike also at the top of this dune about 100 yards away. It was like slow motion. First, Luna & Ike sat and just stared at each other from afar. Then, as if they had rehearsed their roles in this romantic beach film a dozen times, they both started running straight towards each other. None of us knew what to expect; a collision, a fight, injuries? It was out of our control at this point. They ran straight into each other, tumbling over & somersaulting & rolling around in the sand together as if they were long lost loves & having a long overdue reunion. That was it! They were friends, each other's first! From the time they were puppies to no matter how big & lanky Ike got, they both loved sitting in low rider beach chairs .

Another trip, or maybe it was the same trip, they ran away from camp. They didn't come to our calls & were missing for quite a bit. I was starting to worry, but then I got a phone call from a woman saying she found a brown dog & a white Pit Bull puppy. Pit Bull? Luna's not a Pit Bull, she's a Yellow Labrador that's actually white! I still swear my little angel would never run off. She was just following that troublemaker Ike, who's hound nose took him on many journeys. I remember one time, watching as he was at the camp down the beach. He grabbed their foil packet of chicken right off the grill, as they were all obliviously enjoying water sports. Oh, Ikey!

Ikey liked to bark at fireworks & kites. I'm sorry, did I say bark? Ike didn't bark. He howled! That's what Coonhounds do. He howled & he howled & he howled & he never shut up. Yes, I did get annoyed w/ it at times, but I also thought it was cute. It was just his way of talking. I liked talking back to him by howling myself, it was such a cute howl. I didn't do it as much as I would've liked because his howl annoyed most others & they would get annoyed w/ me for egging him on. Now, I wish I would've talked to him more.

One night, Ike wouldn't stop howling at the fireworks. And he didn't just howl at them, he chased them. He was annoying the rest of the lake & Mark was passed out in the sand, so some of us hatched a plan. We decided to tie Ike's leash to Mark, so that when Ike went to run at the fireworks, he would take Mark w/ him. I wanted to tie it to Mark's hoodie string so that it would pull Mark straight up to a sitting position, but we all agreed that might cause some injury. We tied it to his leg instead. The next time fireworks went off, Ike took off, pulling Mark's leg & howling the whole time. It didn't even phase Mark. He just rolled over, reaching down to the leash tied to his leg & reeled Ike back in, pulling Ike into him, basically spooning him & went back to sleep in the sand.

I could tell you many stories of Ike & his escapades, but these are my favorite memories of Ikey Bones. I will miss rubbing my face in those ears of his. They were so silky soft & they were so long that I could tie them in a bow on top of his head. In the last few years, Ikey has had some grays coming in on his face. He would let me kiss that face even as he howled away.

As we camp here at the lake, where we expected to see him at some point on this trip, we got a text from Ikey's momma, Ailie. She said Ikey had to be put to sleep. He fractured his thigh doing nothing at all & they found bone cancer. He was only 9 years old, like my Luna. I expected to watch Ike get old & start moving slower, but even w/ the few grays, he seemed so young & healthy. Ailie said that night, Ike would be leading the parade w/ Sunny at his side. I couldnt help but look over at the Sunny tree, where Sunny spent her last days. She was Ike's friend too & she will be happy to see him. They were there for us then & I so wish we could be there for them now.

Ike had many tags. I dont know why he had so many but Ailie said her & the kids were each wearing one of his many tags the next day.
She also said they were just looking at puppies the day before all this happened. It's too bad that a new pup won't get the chance to meet Ike, or put up w/ his howl, or get lost following Ike's nose. It might be a good thing that this pup doesn't have the chance to be influenced by that troublemaker that we all loved & adored & will miss around camp.
Rest in Peace & howl away Ikey! ❤

My MS Story... part eight

After all of that hullabaloo, I called UNMC to make an appointment w/ a neurologist. That's where my cousin recommended that I go. However, it wasn’t as easy as you would think it would be. My insurance wasn’t the problem. They said I could go to any neurologist I wanted to & that I didn’t even need a referral. UNMC felt differently though. THEY wanted a referral before they would let me schedule an appointment. I had already been referred to a neurologist by Dr. Jackass back in February, so what’s the problem? It was a different neurologist. I wanted to see one that specializes in MS. This required me to call Dr. Jackass & get a new referral.

That was kind of an awkward thing to do. I think I forgot to mention that when I was still scheming & trying to get the long term care insurance, one of the things I did was go back to Dr. Jackass in June w/ another brilliant plan. I made up a reason to see him, saying I was having summer allergies. I had no sign of allergies at all but this brilliant jackass looked down my throat & up my nose & agreed that I did indeed have allergies. What a joke! It was all made up so that I could put into action what happened next.


While he was writing me a prescription for my non-existent allergies, that I never had filled,
I said: “Oh hey, I went to a chiropractor like we had discussed when I was having leg issues.”
Dr. J.A: “Oh ya? How’d that go?”
Me: “Awesome. He said I had so many things out of line, probably due to my 2 falls, which needed adjusting. So I went for a few months & I have no problems w/ my leg anymore.” (Not totally a lie, he DID say that)
Dr. J.A: “That’s great.”
I paused for a bit while he was writing away & then as if the idea had just come to me, I said: “Oh hey, can you add that to my medical records?”
Dr. J.A: “Sure, I can do that.”
And this is exactly what he added to my records: “The chiropractor said she had significant but correctable misalignment in her low back. After a few visits she is not experiencing any weakness or discomfort in the lower extremity. Her strength is good, strong and symmetrical. She is participating in a lot of physical activities w/o any difficulty. I had considered sending her to the neurologist but it does not seem that she needs that now.”
Hook, line & sinker!! So now we know that not only is he a jackass, he is also a dumbass! It is so obvious that my left leg is weaker.

I thought that would be enough to get the long term care but as we know, it was explained to me that it wouldn’t be. However, after re-reading what he added, I’m having second thoughts about whether or not it could have worked. I’m wishing I would have continued with that attempt. I bet it would have worked. But it’s too late now.
It still feels good to have fooled that jerk though. As I’ve said before, I needed something else to focus on & that felt like a huge accomplishment of revenge at least. I know, revenge isn’t very yoga-like or good for the soul, but that’s where I was at that particular time. And even though Dr. J.A. has no idea I fooled him, it STILL feels good.

So that’s why it was somewhat awkward calling up for a referral to a neurologist less than 2 months later. He didn’t even question it though, he just referred me.
So back to getting that appointment scheduled. Not quite yet! UNMC wanted a copy of my medical records, which of course I had to stop in to Dr. J.A.’s office one last time and sign a release in order for them to be sent. Now it should be easy.

Nope. Once UNMC got the records, a nurse called to ask “Why?” I was being referred. Are you kidding me?? Can’t you read my medical records? I was getting a little frustrated by now and said “Because I have MS & I need to get a diagnosis”. She then asks, “Who told you that you have MS?” I said “Nobody! But I know that I have it & I need to get diagnosed!” Of course her next question was “Why do you think you have it?” REALLY!!?? Why the hell did they need my medical records if they weren’t going to read them? I said “Didn’t you get my records?” She did, but she couldn’t find anything in them mentioning MS symptoms and they needed a reason to see me before they could schedule an appointment. Are you freaking kidding me?? How ironic!! I spend months trying to hide the fact that I have MS, only to give up, accepting that Long Term Care Insurance wasn’t in my future. And NOW I am having to prove that I have sufficient reason to be seen by a neurologist.

Since I had my own copy of my medical records, I went through them while I had the nurse on the phone. I had to direct her to the correct page & show her where it was mentioned. Again, I wonder if it would’ve been this easy to fool the insurance folks. She finally sees it but still has to discuss it w/ the doctor to see if he agrees that I need to be seen. I’m starting to feel like this a Seth Myers/Amy Poehler SNL segment; REALLY!!??

So finally, after all of THAT hullabaloo, which took about a week, she called me back and said the neurologist agreed that I needed to be seen. DUHHH!!!! We scheduled an appointment for the end of August, which was a month away. More waiting.

My MS Story ... part seven

Since I made everybody cry w/ that last post, I’m adding a funny Sunny story at the beginning of this post to lighten things up a bit & hopefully make you laugh. What’s up with “Peanut Butter Pineapple Please”, you ask? Well you may have noticed the tennis ball in Sunny’s mouth. That’s because it was always there. She never wanted to give up the ball & you had to get creative to get her to drop it. She had her little quirks & you just had to figure them out.

Like when I would chuck it with the “Chuck it!” as far as humanly possible & Sunny would swim to the end of the earth to go get it. I had a routine, throw one for Luna first, then, after she went out I’d throw one for Sunny. This way Luna would get back first & I would hold onto her ball until Sunny came back. I would show Sunny the ball in my left hand & tap the empty chuck it on the sand with my right hand & say “drop it”. This kept things running smoothly. I constantly had 2 balls going at all times, one for Luna, one for Sunny, for hours on end. Some trips, it seemed that’s all I did ALL day, EVERY day. Luna’s a leaper & would leap huge waves to get the ball. If ever Luna ever couldn’t find her ball, you can bet Sunny was paying attention. After Sunny got her own ball, she would swim over & get Luna’s ball, swimming back w/ 2 balls in her mouth.

When we were back at camp at the end of the day, Sunny would just hang out with the ball in her mouth. If you wanted to get it, you could pinch her butt & she would drop it. Not hard, I mean she did have hip dysplasia. Sometimes all I had to do was touch her butt. Kids were always trying to get her to drop it & one said “Peanut Butter Please”. I was sitting next to her & pinched her butt. She dropped it. The next time it took Sunny longer to drop it so they added Pineapple to it. And this worked for quite awhile until I was busy making drinks in our outdoor kitchen & saw them saying “Peanut Butter Pineapple Please” over & over. I ran over saying “sometimes you need to add more fruit” & as they added Strawberry, I was able to pinch her butt in time & make it work. Whew! That was close. They were so amazed they had to tell their Dad. “Dad! Dad! If you say “Peanut Butter Pineapple Please”, Sunny will drop the ball! Watch!” & this went on until I finally put the ball away. Sunny was such a silly girl!

Now what were we talking about? Oh yeah….
We’re back at home & slowly moving forward with the Long Term Care process. Maybe that’s why it’s called Long Term. It really is a boring thing to focus on, yet scary at the same time. So that’s why I kept procrastinating as I was continuing to try & enjoy my life.

It’s August 4th & The Flaming Lips are here tonight! I don’t care how hot is, I am NOT missing this! I am determined to dance onstage again so I basically wore the same thing that got me noticed the last time they invited me to dance onstage; my neon green tutu, pink fur hat & a feather boa. I was not leaving it up to chance so I worked it out with the Stir girls to be included in the meet & greet.I brought the t-shirt they gave me last time that says “I danced onstage with the Flaming Lips” for Wayne to sign. When he saw it, he said I should dance onstage again. I said “That’s the plan!” in a Charlie Sheen style. ‘Duh! Dancing!’ As we shook hands & he said “you’re so rubbery” and then as I walked away he said “Look, you even walk rubbery!” Not sure what all that’s about but maybe it’s an MS thing? The dance recruiter said he already had enough dancers. I tried the whole “but Wayne said” plea, but it didn’t work. Bummer!

I then got asked to basically help introduce the Flaming Lips by the Stir girls & as I was exiting the stage I passed by Wayne & he said “You made it!” I said not really & he said I should stay & dance anyway. However, he was heading onstage to start the show so none of the stage crew was informed of this. I danced my heart out for 3 songs before they said I had to leave. I tried to explain that Wayne invited me. They were cool about it but still said I had to go. It turns out, that was probably the best thing to have happened right then, otherwise I may have passed out onstage & that would’ve been a whole other story.

Once I stopped dancing, I could barely catch my breath & thought I really was going to pass out. The 5 hour energy shot I took was not prepared for my rock & roll lifestyle, or the heat. Before I left the backstage area I saw a door that led inside of the air conditioned casino. I went in & a concert security gal told me I couldn't be there. I told her I didn't care & that I was going to pass out & just needed a few minutes. Another security gal came in & I tried to explain. I'm sure I sounded like a lunatic when I told her I think I have MS & I just need a few minutes in the air. Maybe I should’ve said "I have MS" but I hadn't been diagnosed yet. Plus I could barely think & really had no idea what the hell I was saying. I could tell I was freaking her out though. It all sounds like a Hunter S. Thompson moment. After a few minutes & downing a whole bottle of water, I decided to get out of there because it started freaking ME out. I went to find Fletch & my friends to watch the rest of the show.

It’s not over yet though. Let’s keep that candle burning! On the way home, our friend Stephanie called saying the band was coming over. Do you wanna know how many times I’ve heard that in my life & the band never showed? Too many times to count. But I wasn’t taking my chances when it came to the Flaming Lips. So to Steph’s we went. After seeing me in meet & greet, then onstage & now again at a party (I was starting to feel a little stalkerish), Wayne said “You’re everywhere! You know everyone!” I said "I know! I am everywhere!” I may not know everyone, but I do know the right people. We then hung out in a small room full of down comforters & fur rugs passing a bottle of whiskey, sharing some conversation & Flaming Lips chapstick. That was definitely a night to remember! And it renewed my Fearless Freak spirit!

That weekend Fletch had to go out of town & I went to the Hullabaloo Music Festival by myself & camped in the minivan. Fletch always sets everything up & does everything for me so this was going to be an interesting challenge. All of my kind hippie friends were there for support if I needed anything. I was definitely feeling the love. However, I was also feeling the heat & it was a long exhausting walk, yet short for others, from one stage to the other & I had to stop & take breaks. I always rely on Fletch's arm for support when I do a lot of walking or too much dancing. Too much dancing!? Whoever heard of too much dancing? That’s just crazy talk. It was a great liberating experience & a safe environment to test out camping by myself.

It is now time to get back to Long Term Care. My cousin Kim heard my plan & said that my plan wasn’t going to work. She already went through this process & she said they were going to ask me for every doctor I have seen in the last 5 years or so and that there was no way I was going to be able to hide what Dr. Jackass said. So I decided I was going to just take my chances with my medical records the way they were. But then my friend Georgia said her mom sells LTC & I should tell her my plan. She also said that there was no way this was going to work. She spoke to her underwriters about it & they said once they see that the doctor mentioned MS & recommended I see a neurologist, that before they would even consider insuring me, they would require I see a neurologist anyway. So she said I should just go on my own now.

So that’s when I knew my brilliant hair brained plan was over. I had to give up. I had to finally make an appointment with a neurologist and get the diagnosis I was dreading. No more denial. No more procrastinating. It was almost a relief, because now I could find out for sure. And it couldn't happen fast enough. Like I said, I knew in my gut that I had it, but now I was hoping to find out if I had the relapsing remittance kind of MS, or the worst kind, Primary Progressive MS, like my cousin Jenny.

My MS Story ... part six

Luna & I had originally planned to spend the entire summer in our camper out at the lake. Fletch would come when he could. It was going to be a summer to remember. However, along w/ the lake being way too full this year, there were just too many reasons why this wasn’t turning out to be a good plan. The summer had already started shaping up to be very hot & humid. The heat just kills me & exacerbates MS symptoms; much like the hot bath did at Christmas time. I had to give up going to several outdoor concerts as well this summer due to the extreme heat. Anyone who knows me knows I love music & going to shows & dancing my ass off. But the heat ruined that for me this summer. I also had a very hard time doing Yoga Rocks the Park outside at Midtown Crossing. If you read my YRP series, you may have picked up on that. So I was starting to get concerned about how I was going to handle our usual 10 day trips to Big Mac, my favorite place in the whole world.








It turns out that lake life wasn’t so bad. It’s much drier in the sand hills than the humidity that drenched Omaha this summer. And plus I was right by the water so I could cool off anytime I like. I was also worried about how I was going to handle my stand-up jet ski that we just got 2 years ago. I had wanted one forever & now that we finally got one, don’t tell me I’m not going to be able to ride it!

 Again, it turns out that I had no problem, because even though I have balance issues, the buoyancy of the jet ski in the water makes this one of the physical sports that I can still do fairly easy. I was so happy that I still had the ability to fly through the water at top speed w/ the wind in my hair & the sun on my face, as well as the ability to fly up & over the jet ski, through the glorious air & getting a head full of refreshing water as I somersaulted into it when I wiped out. It made me feel alive! It reminds me of my Dad on his boat w/ the wind in his hair & the sun on his face, minus the wipe out of course. I will ride this wave as long as it is physically possible. Because I am NOT a sit down jet ski girl.

So being at the lake didn’t seem like it was going to be a problem for me. I’ve got an awesome zero gravity lawn chair & a really cool shade structure when I need to chill. 

However, I was chilling there when my phone rang. It was my step mom Caroline. I answered, but immediately wished I hadn’t. I felt a strange feeling come over me that I couldn’t really explain. I could barely talk to her. I guess I was having an anxiety attack. At the time though, I had no idea what was happening to me so I had no idea how to explain this to Caroline, especially while I was in the middle of it. So I didn’t. I just kept trying to maintain a conversation but I knew that I didn’t sound like myself. And I could tell that Caroline knew I wasn’t myself either & that she didn’t know what to make of it. The whole time I felt like I could barely breathe, I felt really warm & I sat in the water the whole time I was on the phone, trying to cool off. But I was also cold & had goose bumps at the same time. I remember thinking that I just wanted to get off the phone & that I couldn’t wait until our next conversation so I could try to explain myself. When we finally hung up, I did my best to explain it to Fletch. I tried to keep cool in the water until I was so exhausted, I just had to go lay down. I just remember being uncomfortable & confused, still not knowing if I was hot or cold. I think I even skipped dinner. Maybe it was a partial heat stroke as well, but it was definitely anxiety.

I remember having so much trouble sleeping that night & being so frustrated about it that I started crying. I finally got up & left the camper so I wouldn’t bother Fletch. I grabbed my lawn chair & I went & sat at the water’s edge because I couldn’t stop crying & I didn’t know why. It was probably the fear of the unknown. The whole time I sat & stared at what we call the Sunny Tree. It was the tree that my Sunny girl spent her last hours under before she went to sleep forever. With the lake so full, it was now in the water. Ironically, it was now July 16th, one year since Sunny passed. And then I cried even more. I knew we had plans to sprinkle some of her ashes there at some point today. So since I was up & my mind wouldn’t stop, I went & grabbed my notebook. I proceeded to write a eulogy to Sunny.
I eventually got some sleep & when I woke up I had no more anxiety or depression or whatever the hell that was. But I was thoroughly exhausted.
Later that day, Fletch & I held hands as we sprinkled some of Sunny’s ashes in the water by the Sunny tree. I read aloud what I had written the night before:

It was one year ago today my sweet Sunny girl
As I stare at the tree you last sat under
Water now flows over the sand that last held you

A full moon shimmers, a light cloud cover
No wind, slight breeze
No waves, slow ripple

I close my eyes I’m hugging you now
Gentle & wise, soft knowing soul
You always knew, you always knew
I wish you were here, I wish you could be

Peanut Butter Pineapple Please….
                        Peanut Butter Pineapple Please….

I sprinkle some of you now to go with the flow
I hold the rest of you close because I can’t let go
You understand that I know
 
Warm heart, cold nose, sandy paws
My sweet Sunny sunshine, I love you!     

                

My MS Story ... part five

At the same time that I was putting my trust in the chiropractor, I was also doing my best scheming to find a way around what Dr. Jackass wrote in my medical records. Even before we had any indication of MS, Fletch & I had already been planning to take steps this year to get financially prepared for our future. We were watching my step dad go through Alzheimer’s without a long term plan & we did not want to be in the same predicament. Fletch’s mom, Susan, got us the Suze Orman financial planning kit for Christmas so that we could get started. The 2 Suze’s were here to help us. But before the holidays even ended & before we could really dive into it, I started suspecting that I had MS.

So now it was even more important than ever to plan for the future just in case I do need assisted living someday. We have health insurance to cover regular medical needs but if I need assisted living, then Long Term Care insurance is going to be essential. And despite the doctor ruining my chances, I became obsessed with finding a way around this.

It was a very long & drawn out process that went on for about 6 months. I asked friends & family who knew about or sold Long Term Care Insurance for advice. I told them all about the scheme I had come up with to make it happen. None of them discouraged me. They all made it sound like my plan was completely plausible & totally possible, which fueled my hair brained scheme even more.

I’ve come up with some pretty crazy schemes in my life. I just try to think of every possible scenario or obstacle & I figure out a way around it. I’ve been doing this my whole life. I think I learned this from my Dad, who taught me how to figure things out for myself. I’ve figured my way out of some pretty difficult jams, pulled off some pretty crazy shit & I was determined to do it once again.

My plan was simple. I would ask for a copy of my medical records & simply take the page out where the doctor mentions MS. I would then make an appointment w/ a new doctor, in a different health system, and bring my records with me, minus that page of course. Then I would apply for Long Term Care and when they asked for my medical records, I would refer them to my new doctor, never mentioning Dr. Jackass. I know, I know, it sounds crazy & it probably was. But if it worked, it would be the best scheme I ever pulled off, not to mention the first questionably illegal one. But hey, just because in MY mind “I” knew I had MS, I still hadn’t been officially diagnosed w/ anything yet.

I even had to get creative about getting a copy of my medical records. You would think I could just call up & get a copy. That’s what I did in the past when I switched form a doctor in Omaha to the doctor in Glenwood. However, this doctor’s office said they could send them to another doctor for free but if I wanted a physical copy of my own records it would cost me 50 cents a page. That’s ridiculous! These are MY records! As thick as the file was when I came to this doctor, that would cost well over a $100. So I called my cousin who works for a doctor who removed a fibroid for me 2 years ago. She had access to my electronic medical records & so she printed them out for free & mailed them to me. See, I told you, I always find a way around things.

Maybe all this was just something to keep my mind off of what was really going on. Maybe it was just another form of denial or maybe it was just something I felt like I was still in control of since I had no idea how to control MS.

Fletch & I started meeting w/ financial planners. It wasn’t as simple as just going in & applying. They all wanted to get some information first; what were our goals, when did Fletch want to retire, what’s our current financial state, blah, blah, blah. They would then devise a plan that would be best suited for us. I just wanted Long Term Care but we didn’t want to seem too anxious, or draw any suspicion, so we took our time, having several meetings with them over the course of several months. I remember focusing on my walking every single time I went to their offices, hiding any sign of a possible limp.

Another reason why it took so long is because it is just my nature to procrastinate. And I'm very good at it. Plus, we were heading into the summer months and camping season at Lake McConaughy. I am a fun first, instant gratification girl. And this girl was havin' a Big Mac Attack!!

My MS Story ... part four

Well I ended my relationship w/ Dr. Jackass & started a new one w/ a chiropractor at the end of February. This was another option I had discussed w/ that doctor because I had fallen twice in the last year & thought maybe some things got out of alignment. He agreed & thought that could also be the case.

My first fall was April 13th, 2010. My friend George was moving away to San Francisco & we were having a going away party for him at Skate Daze, which I still like to refer to as Skateland. George loves pandas & we were having a Panda Party, if anyone remembers those from back in the Skateland days. I even found a t-shirt w/ a panda on it wearing roller skates. I wore this w/ my favorite lime green tutu because George & I both love tutu’s. I got the whole table set w/ panda stuff, including some panda cupcakes that Chris Janicek had custom made for the occasion. It was perfect! Time to skate!

I put my skates on & I was ready to roll, or so I thought. 30 seconds & 30 feet later I fell smack on my tail bone. I couldn’t grip my fall because I had my camera in one hand & my Flip(will anyone know what these are years from now?) in the other. I tried to skate again but it just wasn’t happening, not even w/ Fletch’s assistance. I just hung out at the table & consoled myself w/ cupcakes.




The next day I went to the doctor, who was in Tabor, Iowa that day. He wrote a prescription for Vicodin, and when I walked out of his office there was a Stoner Drug right across the street. I just had to get my Vicodin filled at Stoner Drug, how could I not?

The second fall was in Mexico over Thanksgiving. This definitely was not due to MS but caused by a deadly mix of rain & marble floor. The marble floor extends from the room & out onto the patio where the private pool is. This makes no sense at all & I can’t believe someone hasn’t died yet. My legs went all kinds of opposite & unnatural ways. But once again, I am resilient. There was no Stoner Drug around this time but there was plenty of tequila!

So I started thinking that maybe I was just out of alignment, as opposed to my usual just being out of line. I was really hoping & even convinced myself that all of this had to be due to 2 bad falls. I just needed a chiropractor to get everything back in the correct place.

The first appointment I had w/ the chiropractor I told him about my falls but I also told him about my MS concern. After looking me over & giving me several adjustments, he reassured me that I absolutely did NOT have MS. He said I was so out of alignment that I shouldn’t worry about that at all. I was delighted to hear this news & I really believed it to be true. For months I did. I went 3 times a week at the beginning, then twice a week and then once a week. He told me I was getting better & I felt like I was, until Mother’s Day that is.

On Mother’s Day, Fletch & I went to Lauritzen Gardens with his mother, Susan. It all started out fine, walking thru the gardens & enjoying the beautiful 86 degree weather. It’s really not that big of a place, the total walk is only about a mile & a half. About a quarter of a mile in, I felt my left leg getting weaker & I put my arm through Fletch’s arm for support. Shortly after that, Susan asked “Are you limping?” I mumbled “I don’t know” & shrugged it off. I didn’t wanna hold anybody up or focus on it too much. But about half way through the gardens it was clear to see that I was limping. Susan suggested we rest on the park bench in the shade. I was feeling the heat & the shade was nice. We were right next to the lilac bushes that were in full bloom & the slight breeze was blowing their beautiful scent our way. I could’ve rested there all day.

Not wanting to hold them up, I pushed on. With only about 100 yards to go, it became evident that I was having a big problem. I was using the wall to brace myself with my right hand and holding onto Fletch’s arm w/ my left hand & I literally could not take another step. Eventually, I slowly made it back to the entrance where I waited on a bench like an old woman for Fletch to go get the car. I sat there scared, wondering what the hell was happening to me.

We went to El Aguila for lunch, where it felt great to sit down in the air conditioning & just relax. The whole time we were there I couldn’t get it out of my mind what had just happened to me. Although I was able to walk without limping when we finished our lunch, I knew that what happened today was not normal and it was not minor.

After a trip to the zoo at the end of May, and another similar episode, where I struggled to get to my car after separating from my friends, I was convinced that I absolutely DID have MS.

Now that I was done with Dr. Jackass and I had no faith in what the chiropractor said, what was I supposed to do next?

My MS Story … part three

Its Valentine’s Day 2011 & I have the best present a husband could ask for….Laryngitis!

My annual sinus infection began on rehearsal Saturday for the OEA’s, the Omaha Entertainment Awards for those of you that don't know. Fletch volunteers as an assistant stage manager & I’m basically an assistant-to-him, making sure the presenters & performers are where they need to be. I do a lot of running around & having a voice helps to be able to find these creative care-free spirits who tend to get lost in celebration.

I barely had any voice by Sunday night's OEA show.I’ve had sinus infections every year for as long as I can remember & my voice sometimes turns into that sexy raspy voice we all enjoy for a few days, but I had never lost my voice entirely. I am certain this was more than okay with a few folks.

I went to the doctor on Monday, Valentine’s Day, and I got my usual antibiotic prescription of Zithromax. Same shit, different year. He advised me to rest my vocal chords & quit trying to talk or I was going to make it worse.

While I was there though, I decided I needed to approach the subject of my left foot, or leg; I still wasn’t sure. I described the weakness in my left leg & how I felt like my toe was dragging during walks. After that, these were my exact words to my doctor whom I had been seeing for years and really liked & trusted:
“Just between you & me, I had an MS scare about 15 years ago. I had Optic Neuritis & was told that could be the first symptom of MS. My doctor at that time said he wasn’t going to mention MS in my medical records because I would never get insured if he did.”

Well I don’t know if he doesn’t know what “just between you & me” actually means or if maybe he couldn’t hear me due to the laryngitis, but I’m thinking he’s just an asshole. I’ll explain.

He did a neurological exam, which was nothing more than a reflex test, a grip test & a resistant test. He concluded that I had normal deep tendon reflexes in the upper & lower extremities, a strong grip & good strength in my legs. He then referred me to a neurologist & had the nurse schedule the appointment for me a few days later.

I went home and now, 13 years later, searching the internet was a built in reflex so I started researching MS. The very first site I went to said “Do not let anyone diagnose you with MS until you get all the insurance you can”. I have health insurance, but I don’t have Long Term Care insurance in case I need assisted living when I get older. So I immediately called the doctor’s office back & told the nurse that I was thinking of delaying the appointment w/ the neurologist until I got things set up, just in case I got a diagnosis of MS. She checked w/ the doctor & he agreed that I should wait until benefits are in place.
There was no mention that he already mentioned MS in my file, therefore ruining my chances of getting any coverage.

After I researched more, I started getting curious about what the doctor actually wrote in my file. I called the doctor’s office & asked the nurse if she could tell me what it actually said. He mentioned I was having leg weakness AND that I had Optic Neuritis AND that I had an MS scare about 15 years ago. It was all there. What part of “just between you & me” did he NOT understand??

I called back to ask the nurse if he could remove his comment. She said he could not. After stressing out about it for a week, I called again and asked that the doctor please call me. He did & I tried to speak to him rationally about what he put in my file & I asked him to remove it. He didn’t say “I can’t remove it”. He said “I won’t remove it”. So that says to me that he really could have, but that he just wasn't willing to. I was upset & started crying. He asked what the problem was. REALLY?? I said he just ruined my chances of EVER getting Long Term Care insurance. Because I was upset & crying he actually said, “Vicki, there seems to be more going on here(in such a condescending way) & you just need to come in & see me”. WHAT?? He was implying that I was depressed & emotionally unstable. Who wouldn’t be upset when facing a debilitating disease & not being able to get coverage??

I said I would explain why I thought he was an asshole. I think I have done that, have I not? I wish that doctor would've kept HIS lips zipped!