Memory issues with MS

Hey all!

Just wanted to share with you the newest on the MS venture with Brian.

We now have the short term memory issue as a side effect. he mentioned a while back that he thought he was having issues with it, but its come to the surface now and noticeable, to others.

For example, the other day, our kids ran through the house with snow on their shoes, and he was about to tell them to be careful. I stopped him and said they were going out back. He said OK. He was talking WITH me. About 10 minutes later, he went out to check on them and spoke WITH them about having fun. No more then 5 minutes later, he came to me and asked where they were.

Another example, he told the twins to pick out a game and he would play with them. He threw a pillow on the floor to get comfy. 2 minutes later, he grabbed a blanket to lay on the couch. I asked if he forgot he told them he would play and game and he just looked at me and shook his head Yes. I didn't reply. In that moment I knew that he now knows I am seeing what is going on and he can't hide it anymore.

It may seem like a little thing, and i should be able to just let it go. And I try. I stop myself a lot and just back off. But its a learning process and change of thinking for me as well.

See, over the last 12 yrs, most of the time, Brian would always just do things on purpose to make me mad, or forget things I tell him  mainly because he didn't care enough to really listen to me. So after all those years of knowing he was just being a butt, its hard for me to not immediately snap back with "I already told you that, weren't you listening???".  It's not always his fault now, and sometimes he just really forgets.

Its kind of ironic because he used to call me a nag. But now, I kinda of NEED to be a nag for him.

Well, nothing more to report on this. Just wanted to give an update, for any other care takers out there, to either see what you may need to keep an eye out for, or to help you feel like you are not alone.

Update on the MS front

Hey all! I realized its been a while since I have done a post on my husband and how the MS is going.

So, not too much has changed. he still has good and bad days. However, I noticed that he seems to have particularly bad morning, the night after taking a shot. And he takes the shot 3 times a week. But it only last a few hours then he is back to normal. And by normal, I mean his new MS normal.

He limps ALL the time now. Its normal to him, but still frustrating none the less. he says its still not painful, but from what I have read up on and observed, it makes him tire out A LOT faster. Because he is using his good leg more, he gets numbness in that leg a lot. He says its nothing, but it really concerns me because he does still drive and its his right leg. And what if both legs go. I mean, once the limping started to be consistent (before diagnosis), it progressed fast. The meds are supposed to prevent it from progressing too fast but I don't have faith in that yet.

He loses his balance quit a bit, and has to catch himself, but that is going to be worked on finally. He has started the physical therapy process. They have him carrying a little notepad so he can joy down the time and date and explanation of every fall he has.Their definition of "fall" is when you lose balance and have to reach out for something. if that something was not there, would you have fallen?
I'm surprised, he's been pretty good about making the notes, which to me shows that he WANTS to try to do all he can. Sometimes he seems like he just doesn't care anymore.

With the end of the summer last week, he did admit that he feels bad because there are things we would love to take the girls and do, but he just can't do it. He can't go and walk around a water park for 4 hours. And he is not the kind to go and watch from afar. So in turn, I don't do too much with the girls, that I know he would want to do, because I feel bad for him.

I am sure we will figure it all out. And hoping the Physical therapy helps him regain a little more confidence.

Rebif Rebif Rebif

Hey all!
Just an update. The last few days, my husband has been walking a bit better. He is not reliant on the cane right now, but it still tough. He has been doing small chores around the house and running tiny errands. Not anymore horrible flare ups like Sunday, but he still is no where near what it was like last week, and no way can he work at his job right now.

The nurse came in yesterday and showed us all how to do his injections. He won't admit it, but he seemed a little nervous about it. I only know this because once he actually did it, he was shocked how easy it was. Men an their tough skin. Ha Ha

The only thing that sucks is that we found out it can take a few MONTHS to really get into his system and start leveling out his flare ups. What???? UGH

So off to the doctors we went after this, to talk about how bad it did get over the weekend, and if there is anything that can be done when its that bad. YES there is. Steroid i.v. for 3 days - yay!!
Now we are just waiting for a nurse to come out and set him all up with the iv, and show him how to do it. This is supposed to help kick start him out of the flare up he is in right now, and get back to somewhat normal, so he can go back to work.

Fingers are crossed everyday that he will wake up, and the flare up will be gone. I have heard that MS patients have good and bad days. We were not prepared for a bad day to last a week. But...in the process we are learning when we CAN do something about it and what those things are.

It really IS a day to day type of life now.