MS and Cerebral Vascular Disease... the match made in heaven!?

P.J. was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2006 after Eloise was born, what a shock! Good times and bad times have come of the diagnoses. He has body pain, fatigue and tremors. I now have Cerebral Vascular Disease or my strokes under my belt... what a neurological household!

Since the strokes, I have become less stressed with organization, time keeper, laundry, keeping money in order... basically everything an adult should be on top of. P.J. on the other hand has OCD with organization, money, basically anything that has order. This is difficult for us, I just don't care, and it does not bother me. Now, I need to fix my financial life, this I know has got out of control, but the laundry or a clean closet is not high on my list. The dishes do need to be done before I go to bed, I am constantly sweeping, "Swiffering" and

mopping my wood floors and wiping down my antique window sills, but I am just happy to be playing with Eloise, beading, knitting or watching TV other than laundry! I am not a messy person, but P.J.'s part of the bed room is very neat... I have heard forever that opposites attract.

I also do what the neurologist advises me to do, I take my drugs, don't drink alcohol (red wine is OK), soda occasionally, NO COFFEE (can you hear me crying!!!!),

I am liking caffeine free hot teamore all the time, no fast food (sometimes). I lack the exercise, but I am tired when I get home... so I need to put exercise put back into my life. P.J. smokes, he has cut back on Heineken and Banana Bread beer, eats whatever he wants and he looses the weight... God has a bad sense of humor.I love PJ very much... we have good days, wonderful days and days were we can't look at one another... I know I need to get on track with organization and budgeting (what's a budget!?), he is a great guy and I want us both to heal healthier. He is helping my budget correctly, thank goodness and encouraged me to clean my closet, which feels good now that it is done.I love to see PJ smile and laugh, I am in love with his dimples! This summer has also been great to sit in the yard and talk or play on our cell phones. I love watching Criminal Minds with him and he picks on the show as not being "real"and watching Breaking Bad is the the best!

Here's to a neurological future filled with happiness and new memories that I can remember!

Sense of Humor

I am very, very VERY thankful that I have a twisted sense of humor or I do not think I would have survived this brain stroke business.... I have had been diagnosed with Cerebral Vascular Disease, Left-Hemishere Stroke, Anemia, Menorrhagia (which is not fun with anemia!), Benign Hypertension and my favorite Obesity, really, I am chunky, but OBESE... reading that on my Kaiser e-Chart really hurt... I take Plavix (such a fun pill), Lisinopril, Citalpram, Lovastatin, Iron and multi-vitamins... I can't drink coffee, Diet Pespi (which adore), drink alcohol (so sad, yes I know!), eat anything greasy, fattening or comes in a bag and stay out of the sun or I turn purple... so, once again, I bless anyone upstairs that wants to listen... THANK YOU for my twisted sense of humor!

Not only do I have the attention of an 18 month old, but I have the bowels of a 90 year old, I need to nap, I need to be in bed before 9:30, thank goodness for my DVR, I can not finish an episode of Criminal Minds before falling asleep like Maude at the community retirement home!

I am enjoying not having aphasia a much as I did, this was my biggest challenge, I am a talker and I could not get anything out of my mouth, my head knew I wanted to say, I just could not get the words out of my mouth, I do know some of my family members enjoyed this, mainly my boyfriend and my dad, they both think I talk too much! I still have a language stop or stutter, but it is an improvement by leaps and bounds! I still miss singing, belting out the Go-Gos or Joan Jett in my car, now I still through the stutter!

One of my medicines is making me chubbier, but at least I can kiss my family, children and boyfriend everyday chubby instead of dead! Excerise would help, just too tired after work... I will get this weight off, the healthier eating is great for me!

I really like the chunky, stuttering, short memory span self and that's all that matters!