Okay it is late morning - but improvement. I have steroids in me from last night and this am.Wow they make you thirsty and a bit jumpy. You can't imagine how many times I went to the bathroom with all this liquid ha ha. emma got up with me all night long. I was so restless we got up for awhile so as not to wake my husband, Some dizziness but improvement. Now the amount of medication goes down each day so we will see what happens. Just happy to feel a bit better. Cooler weather too so I sat outside a long time and played with Emma. She is a wonderful nurse.

My best friend in the world's birthday. She is so awesome. Every person should have a friend as great as Jan. We use to teach together. She is thrilled I am up to going out for a little bit with her to celebrate. Promises to bring me home when i get tired. Emma will be glad to go too I think. Emma I am sorry, You are my best friend too...no person in the world is with me as much as Emma.

Hope you have a good day. I will probably write again later unless I am too tired or dizzy. I still have to be pretty careful not to fall.

Have a great day - Emma and Mary

Yes Mary called the Doctor and they are starting another round of meds. We will see if that helps. Last time it helped a little but now we are back to where she started - very dizzy.
A dear friend is coming over to take us to the pharmacy so we can start those medications right away. We will also take time to visit with her friend and that will be good. We did not go swimming - too dizzy for that.

I am doing fine. I think Mary will feel better soon. The nurse sounded optimistic that this second course of medications will do the trick. Let's hope she is correct.

Off to go get medications - Emma

Darn it I am so dizzy again today. I am also not smart. For some reason I did NOT call the MS Dr office. I kept putting it off till they were closed. I will call tomorrow and see if they have any suggestions at this point.

Emma and I did go to my counseling appointment. i am not ashamed to say I need that help and it is common with MS to deal with depression due to changes in the brain. My dizziness got worse though so we ended early. Greg drove us.

My counselor/therapist is a dog lover. He really welcomes Emma and Emma likes that. I release her so she can be petted. She seems to almost know instinctually she can do it for a few minutes and then she has a specific spot to lay down. I use to bring a small blanket. Now today I did not do so, and she still knew where to lay. She sometimes reacts if I cry. She might even want to stand up and start to move. I let her know I am fine and she lays back down. So Emma got out of the house for that.

My husband brought us home before returning to work. Emma got outside. I was so dizzy Greg had to help me get into bed for a nap. Emma was of course at my side. Now maybe I should teach her how to get me a bottle of water from the frig? My brother in law taught his lab to go fetch him pop from his frig. The dog even knew what kind by the color of the can. It was so cute.

Later I was so surprised when I brushed Emma at how much fur came out. My goodness. It had been a few days and maybe this super hot weekend weather triggered it again. She was so patient and willing to let me brush her. i bet it felt good. I sat outside awhile so she could play and explore. no water in the little pool for her today. I will try again another day to see if she learns to like it.

We will have to see if I am steady enough to go swimming or not. Obviously I can't drive with the dizziness and some other vision issues going on. I am fortunate to have a friend who goes to swimming who will drive me if I want. She is willing to have me let her know tomorrow if I think I can go or not. If I feel better I sure would like to do so. Otherwise we will probably be at home.

I do have indoor toys that I use with Emma these days we are not out as much. I am so glad Sunday Anna really took time to run and play with her outside. Emma came in very happy and tired from running after the ball. Emma is doing just great.

I try so hard to have good spirits about MS. Indeed I am more fortunate than many with the disease. I had bouts with at I raised my children but still raised 4. I don't like to feel sorry for myself. But you know what? Sometimes it gets me down. Today I had a good cry I was so frustrated with having such a hard time walking to the bathroom due to dizziness.

I mention it because their again, I was not alone. I had Emma. She curled up to me, pawed me so I would pet her. I told her I was okay. i got dogggy kisses. She brought me a teddy bear I have (cute or what?) that was on the other side of the bed. She is a huge moral support.

No don't feel sorry for me and I will try not to feel sorry for myself. Yeah for Emma. Yeah I have good doctors. Yeah for my family and friends. The MS will more than likely improve or I will adapt. MS teaches me patience.

Emma is a wonderful dog. Thanks to Judy, to staff, volunteers, and Helping Paws as an organization. Her presence helps me deal with life in so many ways.

Wishing you support in tough times and joyful times.
Mary

Sunday
I had so much trouble with dizziness and a headache I was in bed or resting all day. I got Emma fed of course and outside as needed. Later in the day Anna, my daughter, and my son Dan joined us for dinner (Greg cooked). Anna took Emma out several times and played longer with her. That gave her more exercise.

I enjoyed the time with Anna and Dan. Helps distract me from the discomfort of the dizziness. I will call the MS Clinic tomorrow to see if there are any other suggestions except to be patient with it all.

Emma is so cute. She really likes when I pet her. She will cuddle up in bed by me so that I can reach her to pet her. She moves closer and closer. Than when it is enough she will move down to lay by my feet. Even if Greg takes her outside (he did as he grilled) she runs right back in and comes to be by me.

Tonight I tried to sit up in a chair awhile to see if that would helped. I watched a movie the best I could with my kids. Emma sat right by me to get petted or at my feet. She knows both Dan and Anna like to play with her and enjoyed that also. I think all in all she had a good day. She was not interested in her pool at all today. Of course much of the day it rained anyway. Greg emptied it and we will clean it good before we try again.

I am sorry to complain about my health. i wouldn't mention it except it does so directly impact how Emma and I spend the day. Her help in retrieving sure is appreciated when I am so dizzy. Normally dizzy when I bend down anyway, now it is hard to describe the sensation but the vertigo is more than just feeling light headed. It really impacts my sense of balance.

I look forward to silly things you take for granted or I do anyway. like taking a shower or bath without anyone's help. Like getting dressed without the worry of falling over. The good thing about MS is it helps you appreciate things you otherwise take for granted.
I always like time with my kids but it was as precious as Christmas today to have them around. It brightens my spirits!!

I don't know when I will be able to drive again or watch Rosa for more than a few minutes alone. Others who have had MS attacks with this dizziness say it takes awhile. usually when MS symptoms flare up you just have to wait and see how long it lasts. I have absolutely no idea what more the doctors might suggest or if it will just take time.

I am learning to adjust though and life is not bad. Life is good. If I have more problems with dizziness as a chronic problem I will learn to deal with it. One time I couldn't drive for six months and though it was tough we worked it out. Somehow we will do the same now. This is why I don't work. MS is so unpredictable.

I feel a sense of gratitude tonight though. I have Emma - hurray hurray to help me with both physical needs and emotional support. I have my wonderful husband Greg. I have supportive kids (that includes my daughter in law), granddaughters, and friends. We will manage. At least I feel more hopeful tonight than I did this morning when i was so discouraged about it all. MS is not easy but I don't face it alone.

Here''s hoping when you face life problems you don't face them alone. May you have family and good friends to support you.

Mary and Emma

We left Emma's pool with cool hose water out in the sun. By 3 pm it literally was too hot for her to step into. In the morning she had stepped in and out of it a few times. My baby just isn't that interested. I even threw in her favorite ball. She got it and quickly removed herself from the pool. Maybe she is holding out hoping I take her to a beach. I am told as she grew up with Judy she loved to swim. This is too small I would guess. I was hoping we would still have some fun with it.

Rosa came over today with Mommy. The sun was so hot that we did not take her out to the pool either. We didn't have suncreen. I forgot to buy some and her mom didn't have any with her. Rosa entertained us as she showed off her ever increasing skills in playing with toys, crawling backwards, and trying to pull herself up on the couch. She is not all the way up yet but can get herself on her knees. Wow they learn a lot these first years.

She even said "Hi, Nana" to me as she imitated her mom. Her first word is "hi". She loves to say hi and wave. She is so darn cute. She was here several hours and oh I had fun playing with her. When she got tired, she let me sing her to sleep. I didn't walk around with her due to the dizziness that lingers. I did have fun on the floor with her. She really liked crawling on me as I laid on the floor.

Emma was delightful and so good to Rosa. Rosa really likes Emma. While Rosa played Emma laid close by watching her. It was so cute

My son came after work and Rosa sure showed us that when Daddy was there she wanted mommy or daddy to hold her and no one else. I had her alone for about 30 min when she fell asleep. After that she wanted her parents to cuddle her. yet she played on the floor some more before they left. She is 8 months old.

It is so hot out, Emma did not have much interest in playing outside at all. I will try after dinner when it gets cooler. We have been home all day. We had to tell Emma she did NOT have to pick up the toys on the floor that Rosa was playing with. (Rosa was sitting on the floor). Emma did a good job of cooperating.

I had my son sort some old clothes he had here. It is very cool in the finished basement so Emma was happy to join me down there. We got things bagged up for the goodwill. What a good feeling though I have more to sort of clothes and household things. It is a good start at least. Emma did help pick up clothes, shoes, hangers, whatever I managed to need for that task. Then she happily joined me for a nap.

tomorrow my son Dan is coming over and maybe my daughter Anna. They are visiting and escaping the heat since they don't have airconditioning. We are going to have turkey on the gril. both enjoy playing with Emma outside or inside so she will enjoy the extra attention.

We have a quiet night planned. I hope to read or watch a movie with Emma and Greg.
Here's hoping you had/have a great day.

Mary and Emma