The Best Laid Plans......

Many of you have been wondering about me since I was in the hospital last week so I wanted to give you an update. Apparently I had an episode of optic neuritis that came on very quickly. Imagine when you are so sleepy that you can't keep your eyes open, well, that was happening in just one eye and I was in the middle of a lesson about the Civil War.  I noticed that I was getting a few funny looks from the kids and I also noticed that my face was becoming numb on the right side. I went to the school nurse who promptly proceeded with some nuerological tests (smile, stick your tounge out, etc...) and the next thing I knew I was getting in an ambulance. The pain from my eye caused my blood pressure to spike to 158/108 by the time I reached the hospital. 
MS is a disease of leisons that affect different parts of the brain and sometimes the spinal cord. A great deal of my leisons are in the area of the brain that affects my vision and sometimes stress and other medications can trigger these bouts of trouble. After two and a half days in the hospital my doctor told me that a combination of medicine changes and rest would help me.  The nerve damage in my eyes is not reversable however I can help it slow down by resting more and possibly changing some of my medications.
If you know me very well rest is not a word that is common to me. Obviously being able to sense this, the doctor has ordered me to stay home from school for at least this week. I have to say this was a hard blow for me to take. I feel a great responsibility to my students and we will begin state testing in just one week.  I am going to follow the doctor's orders and I will have a few more tests and doctor visits while I am off this week, however I WILL NOT let this get me down.
I was able to enjoy tonight with my daughter Lyndsey at her 8th grade Formal. I have been planning this with a group of parents for a few months and having to be in the hospital the week of the event was not easy! I woke up this morning not knowing if I would be able to make it but God got me through.  I am thankful though for the time that I can spend with my kids right now enjoying these moments. The theme of her Formal was "You're Gonna Miss This" I think that was very fitting. I am learning to enjoy the good days and push through the hard days. Please keep praying for our family and our doctors. One last thing to remember in this update, MS is a strange disease, the patient may look great on the outside but the fight is on the inside.