White Lightning Axiom: Redux

Interesting bit of news ...

"Those changes left our immune systems with too little work and too much time their hands — a recipe for trouble," he said. "Darwin had no way of knowing that the function of the appendix could be rendered obsolete by cultural changes that included widespread use of sewer systems and clean drinking water."

Now that scientists are uncovering the normal function of the appendix, Parker notes a critical question to ask is whether anything can be done to prevent appendicitis. He suggests it might be possible to devise ways to incite our immune systems today in much the same manner that they were challenged back in the Stone Age.

"If modern medicine could figure out a way to do that, we would see far fewer cases of allergies, autoimmune disease, and appendicitis," Parker said.

The scientists detailed their findings online August 12 in the Journal of Evolutionary Biology.

Technorati Tags:MS

Labels: Multiple Sclerosis

Massachusetts plan was a disaster.
Tennessee was a disaster.
Oregon is a disaster.
Hawaii had a healthcare disaster.


Technorati Tags:Politics | MS

Labels: Multiple Sclerosis, Politics

I saw this the other day (My Mrs mentioned it to me and the Big Little Brother emailed me a link) and I wonder ... can this be it? Can we have finally stumbled over the solution? A 'cure' for MS?

Researchers at the University of Cambridge said Thursday they have found that a drug originally developed to treat leukaemia can halt and even reverse the debilitating effects of multiple sclerosis (MS).
In trials, alemtuzumab reduced the number of attacks in sufferers and also helped them recover lost functions, apparently allowing damaged brain tissue to repair so that individuals were less disabled than at the start of the study.
n the trial, 334 patients diagnosed with early-stage relapsing-remitting MS who had not previously been treated were given alemtuzumab or interferon beta-1a, one of the most effective licensed therapies for similar MS cases.
After three years, alemtuzumab was found to reduce the number of attacks the patients suffered by 74 percent over the other treatment, and reduce the risk of sustained accumulation of disability by 71 percent over interferon beta-1a.

UPDATE: Links and more links.

Technorati Tags:Multiple Sclerosis

Labels: Multiple Sclerosis

Not a lot to add to the Haupertonian Chronicles today. Although, I usually do not post on Friday. Given that; standard fare, yesterday presented. Although, the TSD adult class was a real hum-dinger. Almost everyone in the class was as sweaty as I typically am. Even the Circle Sparring was invigorating. At the end of class, one of the participants, Sgt Awesome, announced that she would be riding in the MS-150 and is looking for donations. I immediately pulled out $20 and demanded that the rest of the crowd 'Man up!'. I gave her some tips and thanked her. She, of course, noted that although it would be warm, it could not be any worse than her tour of duty in Afghanistan.

More cheap meme cruft:

Welcome to the new 2008 edition of getting to know your family and friends. Here is what you are supposed to do, and try not to be lame and spoil the fun. Change all the answers so that they apply to you. Then [send this to a bunch of people you know, INCLUDING the person who sent it to you] post it. Some of you may get this several times; that means you have lots of friends. Have fun and be truthful!

1. What is your occupation right now? I write software so you can watch cable television.
2. What color are your socks right now? Black as my soul
3. What are you listening to right now? 100 code monkeys rattling away on the keyboards
4. What was the last thing that you ate? Oatmeal ... damn cholesterol
5. Can you drive a stick shift? Not without grinding gears
6. Last person you spoke to on the phone? My Scrum Team
7. Do you like the person who sent this to you? Certainly!
8. How old are you today? 1,274,869,412 seconds old give or take
9. What is your favorite sport to watch on TV? Curling
10. What is your favorite drink? The Ultimate Long Island Ice Tea in the Disney Contemporary Resort Bar ... 3rd floor.
11. Have you ever dyed your hair? Sun bleach only.
12. Favorite food? Easier to say I do not like raw swiss cheese, avocados and olives
13. What is the last movie you watched? Kung-Foo Panda
14. Favorite day of the year? Every day I wake up next to the Mrs
15. How do you vent anger? Vicious Lawn Work
16. What was your favorite toy as a child? The Mississippi
17. What is your favorite season? Spring
18. Cherries or Blueberries? Certainly!
19. Do you want your friends to e-mail(blog) you back? Is there any doubt that I am an extrovert?
20. Who is the most likely to respond? Everybody wants to be a cat! (Whiskey Tango Foxtrot!?)
21. Who is least likely to respond? Friggen Dick Nixon ... he is such a ... well.
22. Living arrangements? Domestic Warrior, Working Dad, Leader of the Horde. The Manor needs me to fill all the roles.
23. When was the last time you cried? I'm a bit of a pansy, but I read this story. If it does not move you, you are already dead inside.
24. What is on the floor of your closet? New Toys for the Children.
25. Who is the friend you have had the longest {that you are sending to}? The Mrs.
26. What did you do last night? Swim with kid, TSD with kids, Snuggle with Kids ... trend?
27. What are you most afraid of? I fear what I may do if someone got between my family and myself.
28. Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburgers? HAMBURGER!!!! 9lb, please.
29. Favorite dog breed? Labs: Big, dumb, happy, loyal Labs.
30. Favorite day of the week? Sunday
32. Diamonds or pearls? Bleck ... I'm more of a Carbon Steel sort of guy.
33. What is your favorite flower? Morning Glory.

Technorati Tags:Meme | Swimming | Karate | Children | Multiple Sclerosis

Labels: Children, meme, Multiple Sclerosis, Swimming, TSD

I'm cranky today. Yep, status quo, don-cha know. Spent a good chunk of time in the back 50 waiting for CyberHound Thor to do his business. He spent his time snooting about and generally acting as if he was not entirely interested. He was not, since he completed his daily constitutional exploits the evening before. It was lightly raining at the time and I was out there in my slippers and boxers. CHILLY! All for naught. That set me off on the wrong foot for the rest of the day. I made a few appointments with our Family Physician; one for this evening and one for a week from now. The first is to discuss the various ailments I'm trying to beat into submission ... and generally failing. The back ache, muscle spasms bizarre pain in ribs and that OTHER issue. The following appt is just an annual 'kick the tire' exam. Of course, there is the added fringe benefit of a potential PSA and ... umm, a lower intestinal polyp expedition. Family history and general precautions dictate such an extreme measure. Difficult month, statistically speaking, on the health battle front.

Work is work, swimming is nice (yes, it feels nice to soak in a warm pool) and TSD is starting to tweak me since I have not had an opportunity to start on my next 2 forms since I have been unable to attend the adult class (or focus on much else for that matter). The news about how high gasoline prices is having a secondary effect of slower/more cautious driving habits is interesting. And there is this as well. Okay, that's it for today ... I need to recoup my gruff mannerisms and cantankerous reserves.

Technorati Tags:Gas | Swimming | Karate | Multiple Sclerosis | Illness | Injury

Labels: Gas, Illness, Injury, Karate, Multiple Sclerosis, Swimming

Okay, sometime after the TSD test on Saturday and the bout of food poisoning, I was the unwitting recipient of a new malady that I have not had the pleasure of being associated with. HEMORRHOIDS ... wtf! No, really Whiskey-Tango-FoxTrot! What trademarked brand of fresh hell is this! So, being an educated suffer, I took a spin on the amalgam of misinformation called the internet. My previous research expeditions have led me to be a contrite consumer of banal blather, but I was desperate. Things were riotous in the South Lands and being that my job insists that I spend a serious chunk of my active hours planted on this fomenting 'pile' of pain, I needed SOME sort of resolution or treatment. This is certainly not one of those Durned MS things that I can dismiss with a wave of a hand. I did find this:

Self Care:
Most hemorrhoids heal on their own in a week or two. Hemorrhoids have a tendency to return unless something is done to prevent them. The most effective preventive measures are:
* Eat between 25 and 30 grams of fiber a day. [HAH! That's per meal for me]
* Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. [Does coffee count?]
* Increase your amount of daily physical activity. [THAT'S UNPOSSIBLE!]
* Add stool softeners or laxatives to diet. Consult with the doctor regarding the prolonged use of stool softeners and laxatives. [Does 16oz of celery a day count?]
* Lose weight. [BITE ME you foppish twit!]
* Change bowel habits. Respond to the urge to defecate and stay relaxed to avoid straining.[Yeah, failed that with the bout of food poisoning ... should have just slept on the throne...]
* Exercise the buttocks muscles. [Errmmm ... ok, but can I wait till this resolves?]
* Practice good personal hygiene. Keep the anal area clean and avoid using rough toilet paper. [Okay, this is a problem. We have 'Sandy Wipe' at work that is mostly made of steel wool and fiber glass]

They were so kind as to make some recommendations regardin 'comfort measures'. They are not entirely within the realm of the possible for me:

• You may need a day or more of bed rest to take pressure off inflamed, irritated veins. If you are not pregnant, sleeping on your stomach with a pillow under your hips will help decrease swelling of hemorrhoids.


• Try not to sit or stand for a long time when hemorrhoids are irritated. If you must sit for a long time, sit on a pillow. Avoid lifting heavy objects.

Looks like I'll have to stay off the TSD mat for a bit, but I'm certainly going to be spending a bit of time in the pool.

I would like to just complain about gasoline prices ... but thinking of gas right now ... oh, DAMN!

Technorati Tags:Gas | Swimming | Karate | Multiple Sclerosis | Plumbing

Labels: Illness, Multiple Sclerosis

Well, crap! This is not good:

ATLANTA — A mutated version of a common cold virus has caused 10 deaths in the last 18 months, U.S. health officials said this week.

Adenoviruses usually cause respiratory infections that aren't considered lethal. But a new variant has caused at least 140 illnesses in New York, Oregon, Washington and Texas, according to a report issued Thursday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

CDC officials don't consider the mutation to be a cause for alarm for most people, and they're not recommending any new precautions for the general public.

"It's an uncommon infection," said Dr. Larry Anderson, a CDC epidemiologist.
< ... >
Some adenoviruses have also been blamed for gastroenteritis and cystitis.

"Normally, it can cause a common cold, intestinal infection and conjunctivitis and then it goes away," said Rahimian. "But this (strain) causes severe respiratory syndrome and 5 percent of people die from this infection. So this is much more agressive. This is something we need to be concerned about and monitor very closely."

There are no good antiviral medications for adenoviruses. Patients usually are treated with aspirin, liquids and bed rest.

Some people who get infected by the new bug probably would not suffer symptoms, and some may just feel a common cold. Sick people should see a doctor if they suffer a high fever or have trouble breathing, Anderson said.

In the CDC report, the earliest case of the mutated virus was found in an infant girl in New York City, who died last year. The child seemed healthy right after birth, but then became dehydrated and lost appetite. She died 12 days after she was born.

Tests found that she been infected with a form of adenovirus, called Ad14, but with some little differences, Su said.

It's not clear how the changes made it more lethal, said Linda Gooding, an Emory University researcher who specializes in adenoviruses.
< ... >
Rahimian said people can protect themselves from the virus in the following ways:
— Regular hand-washing
— Disinfecting. and using antibacterial gels
— Stay away from people who are sick

Ok, not to heckor any of you folks out there ... but be careful if you have a compromised immune system. You KNOW who I am talking to, right?

In other 'not so alarming' news, I'm taking the night off. The Mrs is going to take the kids to Karate/Dodge Ball tonight and I'm going out to a local bar to try and kill off whatever I've contracted with scotch and vodka. Seeing some former coworkers from centuries gone by. And then, the next morning, with a full-blown hang-over, I'll be driving the Khan Clan (Kubla, Attila, Ghengis and the Mrs) to the FOB where we will spend the week feasting on grandma's tasty vittles. I will try to post, but there are NO guarantees.

Technorati Tags:Multiple Sclerosis | Illness | Karate | Children | TSD | Bar | Thanksgiving | Dodge Ball

Labels: Bar, Dodge Ball, Family, Flu Shot, Illness, Karate, Multiple Sclerosis, Tang So Doo, Thanksgiving

Hoookay then. Another weekend under the belt to make me wiser and older ... more of the second than the first of course. For all the plans I made earlier in the week, having the Grand Parent Patrol about helped out a bit. Friday night, of course, ended with Dodge Ball and there was much fun and pummeling to be had. And that was the extent to which things were dealt with on Friday evening. Application of force. Little stuff like plastering & painting the wall patches, cutting and putting polyurethane on wood, nailing up molding, clearing leaves, harvesting the last of the veggies, tilling under the agricultural sector, running telecommunications wire, installing break-out boxes ... none of that got done. Although, when Gramps did have some spare time, we managed to replace one spigot in the rear of the manor that was leaking and the closet space that needed 'dressing up' was completed. Most of our time was spent shopping at the Local Home Depot Temple though ... which had it's own tales. We managed to visit on a day where they were giving away free hot-dogs and 'sliders' (greasy cheese burgers) so that made it worth the trip right there. Nothing like hot dogs with Düsseldorf mustard at the depot. So, the mrs almost has her closet space ready (I still need to cut the shelfs to length) and we have one spigot that may need 'professional' attention. It's right above the electrical circuit breaker box so I'm a wee bit wary of cracking that open right now. Next weekend, I may get that Telcom wire run though. It's cool enough to visit the attic without bursting into a puddle of sweat. In fact, I started up the wood burning stove this weekend. Yes, the crisp chill of winter has finally made itself known ... in the inviolate sanctuary of our Master Suite. Makes it really tough to get up in the morning, don't ya know. So, that made the Daylight savings sleep-a-thon a delight. I managed to get that hour back AND make breakfast before heading off to our church for some Sunday Morning Catechism. Then, the day ground down to a fine powdery residue as Grams cooked up a fine dinner and Gramps confiscated the 'indoor green-house' for growing God-Knows-What at his Agri-Bio-Tech company. Me, I just planted garlic among the seedling hybrid willow trees for next year's harvest.

Final note, I was supposed to get my flu shot this fine Monday morning but due to a change in policy with the subcontractor who does these things, I now need a note from my doctor that it is ok. You see, because I have a neurological disorder, that makes me a high risk factor. Just the ppl you want getting the damn shot. So I called the doc, went to pick up the script, and by the time I managed to wend my way back, the sub-contractor had closed up shop. I had to reschedule for next week. Gha!

Technorati Tags:Weekend | Grandparents | Dodge Ball | Children | Plumbing

Labels: Banalities, Children, Chores, Church, Dodge Ball, Family, Flu Shot, Gardening, Grandparents, Home Improvements, Multiple Sclerosis, Plumbing, Weather, Winter

Hmm, slow news day. Work has been interesting with little stuff trickling in between SCRUM Sprints. Working on a DSG/Cable Modem/TiVo issue with another guy. Not really a problem with the stuff I'm working with, but rather, more of a system abuse problem. Someone is trying to use our system as a hammer instead of what it was built to do. In the end, we will advise them to use the system as we had instructed them to and their problem will go away. Of course, that kind of resolution plays out only in my dreams.

TSD was ... different last night. I was sparring with a 2nd DAN black belt and got a back-kick to the nose for my trouble. Yes, the same nose that I smacked with a plumbing wrench last Sunday. Yes, it hurt but there was no crunchy reverberations though my skull or geysers of blood. Just a pride recession. It's hard moving this lump of flesh about quick enough to counter some of the combinations that thrown at me. I'll learn, I suppose. Some day (probably about 2 years), I'll be laying down the law with lesser belts as one of the 'brutal & thuggish black belt battalion'. I know, they are only trying to help me improve myself. I will be the ne plus ultra of MS TSD!

I was going to write about some noisome woman who parked in the access lane of a HP spot and when confronted, she questioned me saying that I could not POSSIBLY have any influence in the matter since I was wearing my Karate uniform. I know, the logic boggles the mind, I have to let it go.

Technorati Tags:Karate | Children | TiVo

Labels: Banalities Work, Multiple Sclerosis, Tang So Doo

Ahhh, yes ... it's been quite some time, no? My tendency to be a slug about these things has left my 'elite wordsmithy' skills a tad rusty. Typically, I would open with some sort of titillating concept and then troll through the cornucopia of MS blogs to find posts that I could tie together with a common theme. In the end, I would prance and pontificate as a closing barrage of what would have seemed like an obvious point by that time. So, now that I've laid out the mysterious workings of my usual approach, I shall diverge from it and do a slap-dash cop-out version where I cherry-pick postings from various locations I have not listed on the Cabal roster (lazy turd, ain't I?) as of yet and a few of my favorite haunts.

First, Joan at ShortInTheCord notes that when giving blood at the Red Cross, reading the fine print may be something you will have to do yourself. If you have been anywhere that has an Irritated Bovine population, you should not give. Mad Cow has been spread around the world now and honestly, unless you were a test-tube baby and raised in a vacuum, you were probably exposed. Chronic Illness isn't just for MS suffers anymore! Time to throw another steak on the grill. I wonder if those 1 pint blood iv bags have consumer warnings or nutrition content labels. Ewww.

Stephan at Electrical Disturbance has been diagnosed for over a year now and has been blogging about it ever since. Wonder why I did not see him sooner! He has a little one bouncing about so that whole stress and MS thing ... yeah, well ... wish him luck. He's taking a flight to Salt Lake city with a baby in tow. Airports, babies ... all he needs now is a kettle for all that potential stress! Wish him luck.

One of my recent favorites, Liz (yes, I'm fickle, so what!) at 'Finding Life Hard', is in the snake oil business. Cures for whatever ails ye! As a consumer of that vile business, wine, I note that her "prevention is worth a glass of warm Castor oil" quip rarely seems to be adhered to. Ah well, it's not as though she is providing the wine from which the hangovers will sprout forth, eh?

So, 'the aspiring optimist' had a few things that set her off recently. I love her blog named "MsAllInMyHead" and it's corresponding tag line. You'll have to go see what she had to deal with and nod your head in agreement. Things like this happen all to often. Ever get that urge to just haul off and let someone have a good tongue lashing!? Yeah, it's one of those things, but she seems to handle it with much more finesse and grace than I could muster.

A recent inductee into the Cabal, Sharon, has set up shop at Living Life as a Snowflake. She has a quick post up about being 'sick and tired of being sick and tired'. I believe that I can speak for all of us here and give out a big 'AMEN' to that one. She speaks of the downward spiral of stress and distress causing the MS monster to grip tighter onto our very being ... dragging you further into the muck. In the end, she asks what you do if you did not have MS for a day. Of course, that depends on how bad your MS is doing on the day before ... and if you are on the lamb from the law for stealing hub-caps off cars .... I've said too much.

Yet another one of my daily reads, Merelyme, is a very prolific scribbler. She hit that point where the denial and anger about having MS is starting to fade, and the painful introspection and exploration of a new world begins. But she is doing it with style and a who lot of fellow travelers. She sure has a lot to say, and her questions beget more of my own. If you want something to think about, make sure to visit her daily ... the comments are good too.

Ok, I've made the final cut for my last featured MS blogger and it will definitely be Anne. You see, she is a neighbor of mine (just up the street, more or less). She is going through all the same absurd weather issues. Of late, the heat and humidity around our parts has been nearly unbearable. Even with ac (expensive!!!), it's hard to stay cool. Just try strolling out to the metal hot-box of a car and you start to feel faint opening the door! I usually cajole my Mrs when she complains about how cold it is and I retort that if I cannot feel my feet, she shouldn't either! At that point, she'll put her cold feet on my back. I won't let on that I enjoy that, of course. But back to Anne. She is going though a few issues that complicate her body's cooling capabilities so she is looking forward to winter almost as much as this old Minnesota Boy. Ahhh, give me 3 feet of ice and a fishing rod and I'll be good for a week.

In conclusion, I'll try to spend some of my time updating the blog listings for the MS Cabal, but in the mean time, go over and visit these fine bloggers. They have much to say and we all have so much to learn from each other.
...
So, have you complimented your MS Hero today?

Crossposted from Charles's site as a service to mankind!

Technorati Tags:Multiple Sclerosis | Heros

Labels: Heros, Multiple Sclerosis

Soooo, spent the day doing ... work. Yesterday, more of the same. Did go to the pool but skipped karate. Reversed it on Tuesday where I bagged the swim but took the kids to practice. I'm having a particular difficult time with an issue regarding the Hibernate database access. Initially, I suspected it was a a problem with the SNMP protocol not having the proper OID registered or some other accounting nonsense, but after excessive time burned on this I finally got a line I could follow to the origin of all the issues. Que interesting, no? Hopefully, I'll be in a better place soon since the test is on August 4th. For some reason, I have suspicious feeling that I have some other plans for that weekend ... not sure what. That kind of nebulous mental fog vexes me to no end. I'd blame MS but I know damn well it's my own sloppy mental hygiene 'activities' that may very well be the root of this. Maybe I'll blame cell phones, PDAs, the internet, automated spell checkers, wikipedia, TiVo and a host of other 'extra-cranial' aids that I've adapted into my semi-borg pseudo-cyborg life. What would I do without all the electronics in my life? One EMP and I'll be lost amongst a pile of failed electronics and piles of fried micro-chips. Reduced to steno-pads, erasure turds and pencil shavings. The horror, the horror.

Technorati Tags:Technology | Swimming | Karate | Children | Injury

Labels: Injury, Multiple Sclerosis, Mundane, Technology

Wow .. 2 in 2 consecutive weeks!? Call the press, levy your wagers and check the heavens for signs of the second coming! Heh, or just consider that I'm due for a streak of on-time deliveries. The postal service should take a page from my book, eh? But enough of this dry and rather entertainingly bland offering ... lets get down to brass tacks. I usually take a topic and try to bend what I find on other MS bloggers postings into a cohesive (in my warped mind) pov. This time I'm just going to lump a bunch of 'New to Me' bloggers together and welcome them to the big tent of the cabal.

I would like to introduce you to Merelyme who has been doing a SPLENDID job of making her rounds and introducing herself to us. Recently diagnosed, she is familiar with the long and arduous journey to gain that dreaded pronouncement of illness. Her freshness of words and views should make for an entertaining and thought provoking discourse.

Jaws, off the coast of Florida, has also come into focus. Big, nasty teeth! Also, his blue motif matches the Rebif box label he is now saddled with. Big, nasty needles! Of course, his 'Suck it up' attitude reminds me of some others here. And as somebody once said, 'Lean into it'. Yep, that pretty sums up Daddy Jaws. Lately, he has been more interested in the sucking of Dyson Vaccumes and not the suckage of MS. Good man, good husband, good daddy. Damn, still cannot figure out who he reminds me of.

Brooke has MS. She will be taking Tysabri. That's from February 26. I'm not sure if she is going to post again, but if we all gang up and give her 'hello' comments, perhaps she will.

Here in the Philly area, Gina at Angst on a Shoestring just got a new symptom. We know it as the 'MS Hug', but she has aptly named it The Girdle. I never knew she was around till I picked her up in another comment thread. Ain't the internet something else? Along the same lines, I happened across an outgrowth of Joolys Joint called Diary of Ms X. A collaboration of 4 different authors just to keep things moving. Hey, if you can have a post titled "Peeing in the wind", you are my kind of blogger!

Of course there is Liz over in GB/Wales recording her every thought on Finding Life Hard. I believe she was previously posting at another location, but has opened up shop here. That or my failing grey matter is making me delusional. Either way, she has a pretty keen eye for the banalities and bromides of life. Yesss, I like that in a blogger. Nothing too shocking or scary. Nice, easy .... zzzzzz.

Finally, but not least of all, there is 'Jammy'. She posts at Jenn's Journey with MS and of all things, is a Mom of six children. I feel like a wuss now. And after reading her posts, I cannot imagine having that many spoons at my disposal. She just plain kicks major MS heinie! Read through some of what she has to say and see what I'm trying to say in a much more erudite and visceral representation.

...

So, have you hugged your MS warrior today?

Crossposted from Charles's site as a service to mankind!

Technorati Tags:Multiple Sclerosis | Heros

Labels: Heros, Multiple Sclerosis

It's been quite some time since I've had any time to make a pass at a roundup. The forces of the universe tend to act against me in ways that are completely undefinable. Whao ... serious déjà vu! But I swear, this type of thing NEVER gets in the way of my hobbies. Heh, I should go back and see how many weekends I complain about how it was too hot or too rainy to mow the lawn. A nice ven diagram of my topics and the bleed between posts would probably be rather pedantic. Weather, gardening, lawn-mowing. I suppose substituting leaf-raking or snow-blowing for lawn-mowing as weather dictates would be ok. The incipient kvetching will continue until further notice.

Speaking of snow, I understand that Linda is having a bit of a heat-wave over at Brain-Cheese. She does mention that her previous life in the warmer climes had given her the steel temper to match that of the demons from the lowest planes of hades, but her new Blue State environs do not usually let the local thermostat vary much between the 45-75 zone. The fact that we here in the swamplands of the Haupertonian Heatsink had 45 in the morning and 85 in the afternoon would have driven much of her fellow Emerald City Edenites swoon. Go over and offer her a glass of mint julip.

Zoom down south a thousand miles or so and you'll notice a slight warming trend. Not that Miss Hot-Hot-Hot Stuff Chris would notice. What? 120 degrees in the shade? The sun wearing Bermuda shorts and whisking sweat from it's brow? Burr, get me a jacket! And just because it's not quite toasty enough for her, she takes a vacation to temperate Las Vegas!? Now granted, most of that town is covered with a gigantic Tupperware lid and air conditioned to preserve the clients in a semi-cryogenic state (just mobile enough to pull those levers and play keno), but JEEZE!? I hear if you stand still on the streets of Vegas, if you wait long enough you will sink into the asphalt and become one with the town. Nova Scotia anyone?

A bit closer to EST, YodaMomma is also in a cooler world, but must contend with the insectoid invasion that comes along with a more temperate clime. I too encountered a tick this past weekend with was quickly pointed out by one of the Tyrants and disposed of in a rather brutal and final manner. Lyme disease; no thank you - I've already got a heaping plate of hurtin'. And I certainly hope that her 'tater bugs stay put up there in the hinterlands. My own taters are doing just fine and have not been exposed to those fiends. Sure, the weather is nice up there, but man, the resident fauna is not to be envied!

Scan a bit more to the East and you find yourself in the back-yard of the FOB (Forward Operation Base: Ithaca, NY). Pat at the MS Companion is struggling under the icy glare of the Glassy corporate eye. Not so much the chill of a bitter NE spring morning, but the even greater freezing effect of a stone-cold corporate entity squeezing a few more drops of blood out of a dessicated turnip. Funny about the printing.paper-media industry, they are all for the little-man so long as the little guy is not working for them. Pat, I'm sorry for your situation there ... some times living on the cusp of a change in the social dynamic just is not fair. Bop on over and give her a morale boost, we all could use one every so often.

...

So, how is the weather in your neck of the woods?

Crossposted from Charles's site as a service to mankind!

Technorati Tags:Multiple Sclerosis | Heros

Labels: Heros, Multiple Sclerosis

Paralysis sucks.

Technorati Tags:Multiple Sclerosis | Blogging

Labels: Blogging, Multiple Sclerosis

It's been quite some time since I've had any time to make a pass at a roundup. The forces of the universe tend to act against me in ways that are completely undefinable. Of late, I've been feeling a bit glum. It took a turn in the weather and a bit of physical activity to snap me out of it. Sometimes, the mountain of responsibilities and unfinished chores crush your spirit in so many ways. Sisyphus seems to have had it easy in these times, he had only one insurmountable task in front of him. With these low times, we all seem to fall prey to the various illnesses and nasties (Read: MS Attack) swirling about us like a gossamer fog.

One of our own, Deb Grey, writes often about the vicissitudes of depression and she has a unique perspective being that she is a fellow traveler on the MS path. Run on over and read through her offerings ... they are quite extraordinary. A clarion of reason amongst the chorus of chaotic klaxon bleating out deafening defeatism and senseless clamor.

Out there in the cabal, there are some of us who could use a boost every now and again. Stephen at 2 Buddhas cum One Life has expressed his general opinion of the impediment that MS has become within his life. We, the members of the cabal, have a peculiar argot when speaking of our affliction. In general, we tend to chant the "MS sucks" line made quite popular by our contemporary bastion of witty quips at Multiple Sclerosis Sucks.

Another bastion of high spirits hit a snag of late. My dear compatriot over at WordSalads needed a boost for when times are tough. And tough times are laid out in front of her like dog poop on a sidewalk. She is not letting her typical gregarious nature become yet another victim of the curse though. No matter how many orifices may be in trouble, she tries to make sure to have a healthy rant every so often. Good lesson in mental hygiene.

Then there is Miss Suzy. If anyone is the antithesis of depression, it is her every bubbly, effervescent attitude in the face of adversity. It seems that no mountain is too high and no valley of darkness can bedaub her belief in the future. Nay, not belief, but faith. No matter what she says, her faith is like a rock for herself, her family and those of us lucky enough to know her. She even goes so far as to pass on her recipe (both written and in deed) to cure what ails you. Personally, I need to confer with her on the potential for substituting the apple cider vinegar with grain alcohol. Talk about high spirits!

Crossposted from Charles's site as a service to mankind!

Technorati Tags:Multiple Sclerosis | Heros

Labels: Heros, Multiple Sclerosis

This is LONG over due, but I have lots of good excuses. You see, Elvis came to me with his band of merry aliens and asked me to help him fight off an impending invasion of Thetans. You see, the Scientology Advocates are all wrong about them. These ghostly invaders are actually Ethereal Spirit Suckers who are causing the MS plague. REALLY! So, I went with Elvis but he wanted to stop off in Vegas first to grab a bite to eat at one of the all night 'All you can Eat' Buffets. I thought he was talking about Las Vegas but instead, we ended up on one of the resort moons of Vega-7. Well, Elvis managed to get thrown in the Pokey for double-parking his space-cruiser in a tow-away zone and then throwing a hissy-fit when the Lesser Vegan Moon Parking Authority put it in the impound and SUPPOSEDLY scratched his ablative paint job. Sooo, I had to bail him out and we apparently missed the gigantic space battle where the Thetans were dissipated and the Galactic Bikini Team were the hero's of the day. Turns out, this is his Modus Operandi. He misses the battle, shows up late and gets to date the surviving chicks. I, of course, had to catch a slow freight barge back to earth that was hauling bad romance novels and DVD's of Barry Manilow's greatest hits back to an Export/Import Business located in Philly. Apparently they got wind that Barry's original name was 'Pincus' and that is a vile insult to your 3rd mating partner for some odd species that is protected as 'underpriviledged' in the Vegan Commiseration Act. Go figure.

Enough of that heap of banality, let's get down to the business at hand. At the top of the list is my long time blog buddy Tyron. She got caught up in the Great Blogger Inquisition and had to jump ship to the Typepad refugee camp. Change is good ... sometimes. I suppose though, when it is not crammed down you throat like a magazine at the hands of a deranged cyborg. Damn cyborgs ... always malfunctioning. I wonder if BlogSpot/Google has them on staff. In any event, make a note of Tyron's new (temporary) home.

Now, for some new (to me) MS blogs. First, Allison over at NetXperiment pointed out Splodge down in New Zealand. So then, we are going to circle the world with this Cabal!? The Sun will never set on our empire. Most unfortunate. Another addition is Sophie via Dave. She is a more video oriented blogger so I'll have to grok her offerings to get a better idea of what her experiences are like. Should be an interesting journey, I'm looking forward to it.

Now onto the chronicles of the hero's who walk among us. We have a set of very ambitions folk who are hotfooting it over the finish line that signifies the defeat of MS. Support them, in any way you can. Be it a friendly word of encouragement of a spartan financial donation. Libbi and Jamie (look here too) are committing themselves to the MS Walk challenge. Bold indeed. It gives me an idea that I'm going to work on myself. If everything works out, I'll speak of it more in later updates. Now, not to be outdone is Sean who is doing his bit by trekking over land on his bicycle so It's going to be quiet on his blog. I cannot imagine covering 50-100 miles a day on two wheels and a prayer, but he must have a legion of supporting well-wishers watching for him. Both Charles and I hope to bask in his triumphant glory when he rolls up the East Coast. Finally, there is a brief article posted by Allision about sky-diving. Hey Dave, ring a bell? Going to give that a second try? Personally, I'm a big chicken when it comes to heights so I'll leave my rump glued to this comfy seat and watch on in envy as those with more intestinal fortitude traipse through the sky where angels dance.

UPDATE: Pam is doing the MS Walk too ... not sure how I missed THAT!

Crossposted from Charles's site as a service to mankind!

Technorati Tags:Multiple Sclerosis | Heros

Labels: Heros, Multiple Sclerosis

I'm back in black and ready to do a bit of catchup ... or mustard ... in the field. There has been quite a bit of activity out there amongst the faithful and if you inspect the left bar, you'll find a few new faces (URLs) in there. Lets do a bit of meet and greet with our compatriots in the Great MS Battle.

First off, lets see who is new (to me and you). I'm going to do this alphabetical so as to not incur the wrath from the wrongly attributed of low ranking. At the top is Crippled Monkey (aka Damon Rose). This is a professional blogging endeavour (like that ... the extra 'u'?) supported by the BBC. This is mostly a mish-mash of disability news with a healthy helping of the European view. I'm thinking this is something Dave could possibly get involved with.

Next, we have Dissonance (Shannon) who also likes the Dresden Dolls. Drop in and peek about. She is not the most prolific writer, but there is plenty of well crafted posit postings to chew on.

Homer, who has already replied to one of my standard comment quips, is a kindred soul who has battled MS for what seems like an eternity ... or 10 years depending on how you look at that sort of thing. He has a lot of homeopathic ideas to consider so take your time while going over what is offered. I find that his path is similar to mine in a preponderance of ways.

Me&Mine has much to say and the literary force to do it. It's good to see someone with both the background and where-with-all (and probably no need of a spell checker) to get up and start blogging. I'll certainly be going back again to partake of her offerings.

Finally, YodaMamma (I'm sure there's a story behind that) is an adherent to bee sting venom therapy! I'm fairly excited to have finally found someone with first-hand experience with this. Of course, my own interaction with stinging insects has been less than acceptable. I still shudder at the memory of getting a hornet caught in my throat after swallowing down a drink of canned ice tea on that hot summer's day. Not quite the treatment either party had in mind, I'm certain.

Now for the risen dead; those who have come back from OTL status (Out To Lunch). At the top of my list is Stephen at One Life. He's back and still trying to make that work transition that will make for a less stressful life. I'm not going to steal all the thunder from his first post in nearly two months, so head over and welcome him back. Additionally, Joel (Tai Chi Management) has popped back into circulation. He's indicated that pain management with the use of reiki has been a saving grace over the last 8 years. Looking it up on the Internet will bury you with data so I'm hoping he'll post more on his experiences and direct references with this. I'm getting a bit tired of my meals of aspirin, ibuprofen and sodium naproxen.

And finally, a change of address. Maggs, our South African Friend has had enough of the Blogger experience and is moving over to Wordpress. You will find her at http://www.maggsbunny.wordpress.com/ so make a note of it and catch up with her going's on in the heatwave she is enduring while we in the Northern Hemisphere shovel out from the drifts of snow.

Crossposted from Charles's site as a service to mankind!

Technorati Tags:Multiple Sclerosis | Heros

Labels: Heros, Multiple Sclerosis

It's been quite quiet out there. An eerie preternatural form of quiet, like one you experience right before a violent act of nature. Such as a tornado, or earthquake ... or Christmas. Yeah, that's it. Everyone is busy buying me GIFTS! YEAH! And I want a reciprocating Milwaukee V28 Sawzall ... and a new Husqvarna 3120XP 119cc chainsaw ... and a 10K watt Briggs & Stratton 9801 Portable Generator ... and earplugs. With all that noise amongst the silence, you'd need them. Yep, just like the ones that Libbi needed for her cat. Only difference is that the utilization of earplugs in her case was not typical. It makes me think, if a cat horks up a hairball in the hallway and nobody steps on it, did it really happen? Check the vet bill, it won't lie.

On the religious side, Miss Chris is starting to speak in tongues, or at least she is giving it her best effort. I'll expect her happy household to re-enact the Tower of Babble some time soon as the various languages of the world echo through the hallways. Like a Micro UN ... with out all the bickering. It would be nice if all members of the UN were required to have martial arts training ... the debates would be much more entertaining!

Speaking of entertaining, it seems that one of our highly regarded diplomats of the MSBlogosphere has recently been admitted to the hospital. We all cannot have good days all the time, but she deserves one more so than not. The prolific writing she has done is an inspiration to many of us and we pray for her rapid recovery and the return of her to the rightful position of High Chancellor of Literary Tomfoolery as soon as possible. It's just not the same without a healthy helping of BrainCheese from the Cornucopia of Crap. Drop her a note and let her know we miss her terribly.

The noise of silence continues to haunt me as I read through the ordeal that Wendy (GandKsMom) had to go through. A less than proficient doctor (beside manner? wazzat!?) has sentenced her to solitary confinement within an MRI. We love those things, no? Personally, I fall asleep in them every time. Although, I have the sneaking suspicion that the staff behind that mirrored glass window is looking up my gown or making faces at me. Mom always told me to make sure to wear clean underwear. It was her great fortune though, that she also fell into a blissful slumber with the help of Prince Valium. Me thinks that the Good Doctor has spent much to much time trying to terrify her about the Dark Hole of Calcutta and not enough time contemplating that a great part of being a physician is treating PEOPLE as well as the disease they suffer from.

Finally, Kim speaks up sans her podcast format to run down a list of all the wonders that research has produced this year. Not the Top 10 list you would expect either. Her efforts to keep this community informed have garnered her much silent approbation. Even in the harried days leading up to Christmas and New Years, she still finds time to pull out the bull-horn and keep us abreast of news that directly impacts us. So tune in, read her product, and sample the fruit of her silver tongue.

Crossposted from Charles's site as a service to mankind!

Technorati Tags:Multiple Sclerosis | Heros

Labels: Heros, Multiple Sclerosis

Late again! I'll be late for my own funeral, no doubt. The universe is applying full force in keeping my from my appointed rounds. I shall have the last laugh though. Oh yes, arrogant universal oppressor, I shall post and post vividly of my electronic traversal of the MSScape of the Blogosphere! By the way, if I'm missing anyone here (my mind is like a sieve), just ping me (comments, email, smoke signal) and beckon me to to come hither and perused your literary offerings. Jeeze, that almost sounds dirty.

I found a 'new to me' blog the other day. Sean Spence has dedicated himself to a Missouri to Manhattan cycle trek that puts any manual locomotion I have ever done to shame. All of the proceeds will be donated to the National MS Society. Damn fine man be you Sean. Good luck and God speed.

On the other side of the world, Maggs is feeling the weight of the world slowly slip from her back as she counts down to her Chiropractic visit. Isn't that the way it goes? The second you step into the waiting room, your veins disappear and your symptoms fade. It must be something they put into the air like the smell of cookies vented out on Main Street USA at Disney World. It's a dirty plot to collect co-pays I tell ya!

While the King may have no robes, both Dave and Jamie are busy slipping something more comfortable on at their sites. Of course, you'll need to use IE to get the full effect, but such are the vicissitudes of the technical world we are all denizens. Check it out and ask questions should you feel that a change of scenery is for you. Me? I'm a stoic spartan so I'll stick with my command line arguments. I'll leave the aesthetic appreciation of an elegantly crafted template for the more artistic of the audience.

Speaking of artistic and appreciative of the arts, Beth's babe, Nehemiah, is really making his presence felt. If I ever get too full of myself, I just need to take a look at how a single, spiritual new mom with ms and a very interesting career is taking on the world and doing a very fine job of it. She makes me want to be a better person, and that's not just some bromide or platitude! She posts when opportunity presents itself so stay tuned!

Finally, my favorite 'pole dancer for MS', Sherry, is strutting her stuff at the PT bar. If I knew that PT could be so intriguing I would have signed up years ago. I see a business opportunity here for a new type of bar. MS folk stumble in to have a drink and strut their stuff. Would be hard for the local constabulary to determine if you had too much though ... we always stumble and slur our words. That being said, make sure to cheer her on as she sashays her sassy self to and fro. Odd, I think I know just the country song that would go good on her cybernetic iPod.

Crossposted from Charles's site as a service to mankind!

Technorati Tags:Heros | Multiple Sclerosis

Labels: Heros, Multiple Sclerosis

Since everyone out there was fairly wound up with giving thanks (except Zen, of course, for her own good reason) on Turkey Day, it was fairly quiet out there on the wire. I had to pick through and find those hearty souls who were dripping gravy on the keyboard while watching the inflated characters float down 34th Street. For the 80th time apparently.

Speaking of hot air blowing, apparently the Fall Wind Season has finally come to a halt up there in Alaska. AK-Michelle is more than relieved to be able to go out and not be whisked away to Oz along with the disgruntled cattle. She, of course, denies that she is a Snow-Bird in the making. And you know, I never heard of someone hoping it would warm up a bit so it WOULD snow. Damn, that's cold! Reminds me of that one winter in Minnesota where Gramps went out to the barn to light up a heater for the cows and the damn flame froze on the match!

Sister Jane has finished her migration and finally arrived here in the land of Eastern Standard Time and is busy rattling around her new empty house like a BB in a gnat's ass. The problem with moving into a new, large and rather empty space is how your fill it. Ikea will have a good quarter.

UK-Dave is busy with preparing for the arrival of his favorite bird. Not the US variety, but quite the catch for him. I'll expect to hear very little from him in the near future but the after-glow will probably shine for quite some time. Speaking of an irrepressible glow, Zee has found that as you age, certain things you could once eat become verboten. She has a bit of an issue with the veggie that is a fruit, and I do feel quite sorry for her predicament. No more hot tomato soup to chase away the winter chill ... she will have to stick to chicken soup. A bird of a different feather entirely.

Speaking of birds and migration, Suzy has a little open thread going on over at her corner (and ever expanding corner it is!) of the web. A little issue that seems to be getting only one side of the argument exercised about illegal immigration. If you have an opinion (who doesn't?), go on over and leave a note. She could use the input. Think of it this way, you have an opportunity to influence one of the influencers!

And now for the peanut gallery. Not so much that they have not a spec of influence, I just cannot seem to find any reference to birds, migration or and avian theme to tie them in. So here is the grab-bag of featured bloggers: Karyl cum Noah is finding that a 21 year old son, a 90 lb 'killer' dog and 3 cats in the ark can make for a very interesting holiday season. Perhaps she can send out the dove with an olive branch? (Ah-HAH! I got a bird in that hand, now for 2 in the bush.) Heidi over at just above the abyss is a MS blogger new to me so drop in and read about her Ducks Unlimited banquet ... she has a lot to say and puts me to task with the length of her posts. Yet another Nanook-Canook in the Haupertonian MS Cabal. I swear they are taking over. Finally, shoester, the legal eagle (HAH, three birds with one stone! Damn I'm good.) has a clip from an article regarding the newest anti-inflammatory potential product ... from of all places, Avon. Apparently, this has been tested on animals. Gorillas ... by their own accord! I wonder what the animal activists will have to say about our cousins w/o opposable thumbs crashing the Vioxx/Celebrex/Bextra market. And if it causes health issues, will they be liable for fraud!?

Crossposted from Charles's site as a service to mankind!

Technorati Tags:Multiple+Sclerosis | Heros

Labels: Heros, Multiple Sclerosis