The Blue Sloth is sponsoring a blog robin of sorts for those of us who'd like to spread our blog around.
Things that Mystify Me:
In keeping with the theme of the blog title, it mystifies me how dogs can be so loyal, even to someone who beats them or starves them. I don't understand how some people can be so cruel to their animals. The stories about the animals during Katrina in New Orleans tore me up - far more than the people stories. Considering how sick I get when I'm watching the animal cruelty shows on Animal Planet, it mystifies me as to why I keep watching them!
It mystifies me as to why several of my readers think my dogs can talk.
But the biggest mystery of my life these days is .... guess.... bet you can't.... wait for it.....
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MS!
Not only is it a mysterious ailment in itself, but it's also a mystery scientifically. They don't know what causes it, why some people get it and others don't, why it's predominant in certain geographical areas, etc etc etc.
What has always blown me away is how suddenly a "flare-up" can occur, and then just as suddenly, go away. One day last summer, after months of relative good health, physically demanding good health because I worked hard in the garden all summer - one day I went out to tie up the tomatoes, and 30 minutes later, I needed a walker to get back to my apartment. There aren't any symptom lists that say You Have MS definitely. There's 73 umpteen symptoms and I believe I've had up the 72 upteen so far. When the nuerologist tested me, and said "It's not MS, that's what I was worried about", I knew differently. The second she said "MS", I KNEW I had MS. I knew it like I know Muttin's name is Muttin. I went home and researched on the Internet. The first page I saw listed 15 symptoms. I had had 14 of them at various times over the years. Had the nuerologist had asked me pertinent questions, she would have realized that I had a history of symptoms.
The doctors didn't believe me, saying a herniated disk was my problem. So I had the surgery to fix that, in hopes that they were right, but I KNEW differently. I had MS. The reader's digest version of the diagnosis process came out to validate me. I had MS.
Then the mystery became how to live with it. It was sooo hard. I HATED my body for betraying me, for making me unable to work for a living. For embarrassing me, cause it made me look/walk like a drunk. In fact, when I moved into the disabled housing, all the seniors thought Alcoholism was my disability.
It's a mystery how far the pain will go. How I will be able to live with it, for the rest of my life. How much can I stand? How long will the pain meds work? That is perhaps the only mystery I'd rather not find out.
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Other participants in the What Mystifies Me:
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Jacob Poems
I hear you on that. Sometimes, most days, we're better off NOT knowing how bad tomorrow might be.
Great post!
Posted by: Autumn | Tuesday, February 20, 2007 at 09:41 PM
Your dogs can't talk?!!!
To comment on the MS thing, on the outside looking in, it is also very hard to watch a vital young woman having to deal with this not knowing how to help, if an offer of help should even be made in some instances, to watch the drunk stagger knowing there is nothing to be done, hoping that a "breakthrough" treatment will magically appear, hoping that something as simple as getting good medical care would be that simple, hoping that a simple move to someplace where medical care is better would be simple, wanting to do the "right" thing and having no clue what that "right" thing might be. So, I wait, I watch, I offer some help, (by the way, I'm still open for the crotcheting when you are ready, and I'll come to your place), and I'm even willing go to dinner with you!!! Your treat :)
Posted by: TC | Wednesday, February 21, 2007 at 09:19 AM
That which mystifies you is quite a burden to bear. I know very little about MS and am glad that you talked about it here. It sounds complicated and painful, yet you sound strong and sensible. Life is weird so sometimes.
Posted by: ally bean | Thursday, February 22, 2007 at 01:59 PM
Very good post.
Pain: I hope you don't have to find out either, but I imagine you have amazing reserves and I have every confidence that you will not become embittered, but continue fighting and succeeding.
Phil
Posted by: Phil | Friday, February 23, 2007 at 11:39 AM
What TC said. Except for the crocheting. I don't do crocheting. That's with yarn, right?
You can always come to me for some bovine-sized pain killers.
I'm there for ya, baby.
Posted by: VetMan | Friday, February 23, 2007 at 11:42 AM
"...hated my body for betraying me." This is exactly how I feel. I rec'd my DX and began treatment two months before Katrina. Trying to get our lives back has been so stressful that I've had many good days that turned to crap midstride. Mystifing indeed.
I don't understand MS at all ... not only does it make me look stupid sometimes but also makes me feel stupid as well. I don't guess it really does any good for me to resent the disease but I still do.
Great post!
Posted by: Friday's Child | Wednesday, February 28, 2007 at 01:18 AM