Sharing the Journey

I am so excited to share with you an amazing new opportunity that I have been offered. As you know, this past December I began a new drug therapy for my M.S. I have had great success with this medication, and because of this I was approached by the drug company that manufactures the therapy to become an ambassador. I did a phone interview about two months ago and figured that was probably it. Last week I was called by the company again to find out if I would be willing to speak to groups of M.S. Patients about my journey and my success. Again, I said yes and figured I would probably not hear much. At the end of September, the drug company will be flying my husband and me to Atlanta for an all expense paid weekend of speaker training. Of course he will be along for moral support, he is not much of a public speaker! I am very excited about this chance to share my journey with others who are going through the same things I have been through. From the beginning of my diagnosis the one thing I have wanted to do is to make a positive impact on others who suffer. While this is never a cake walk, life can continue and I hope to show others how I have made this happen!

Another Year Older

I have been in the mode to do some reflecting in the last few days. June 14th, Aaron and I will celebrate our 4 year wedding anniversary, June 19th Jordan and I will celebrate our birthdays (big 16 for him!), June 17th we will celebrate Father's Day, and June 27th Lyndsey will turn 15. With all of those things time to reflect has to be stolen here and there, but to me it is important. Aaron and I are continually amazed and thankful for the trials that God has brought us to AND through. It is awe inspiring at times. I cannot believe that my first born, Jordan, will be driving. I had him on my 19th birthday, still a baby myself, not a clue in the world what I would do with him when they made me leave the hospital, and then just over a year later in the same place with Lyndsey. In the following days after coming home from the hospital with her and a one year old in tow, I spent a lot of nights by myself wondering why God trusted me enough to give me not one but two small lives to take charge of. Whatever the reason, I knew that I would give it the best shot that I could. We have grown together and I often feel a little bad for my husband who was just one person coming into the bond of three people! This leads me to Father's Day. I have often heard that girls gravitate towards men that are similar to their own fathers. I think I got pretty close. My husband's parenting style reminds me so much of my own Father's style, hard working, no nonsense with a soft side. (Lyndsey seems to have the only free pass straight to the soft side!) since my diagnosis with MS in 2010, I have said more than once that God waited to put this on me until I had someone to lighten my load. I fully believe this. Without him, WE wouldn't have made it through the last two years. He picks up with the kids right where I am not able. I realized the other day that Jordan probably goes to him more than he comes to me, and that is monumental to me. With all of the things I have to be thankful for, I hardly have time to think about the rest!

The past month has been busy with preparing for testing and finishing up softball and baseball seasons with the kids. I am ready for summer, yet sad to see this year come to a close. This has been the best year of my career for many reasons. I have worked hard to try to take care of myself, but I had a small setback and relapsed. I had some problems with my legs and had trouble walking. I am past it now, but I made the decision this time to not have a three day steroid infusion. It was tough to push through the pain but I did it. Today I spent an hour on a phone interview with the company that makes my MS medication. I will be a volunteer ambassador for the Novartis drug company, helping other patients to understand their diagnosis and the medication. This is just another step for me towards turning this from a disability to an ability. I believe this is all in God's plan for me! I am looking forward to a restful summer!

Counting My Blessings

Today as I sat in the office of my MS doctor waiting to get my blood drawn, I noticed what a beautiful green the trees are and how crystal blue the sky appeared. Maybe it is the early arrival of this beautiful weather, or, maybe it was because for once in this journey that I have been on, I got a great report. I started the new and only form of pill therapy for MS in December. This medication is not a cure, however it is supposed to decrease the amount of relapses. Until now, I had been having about three relapses a year. Currently, I have not had a relapse in six months. This is the longest amount of time I have gone relapse free. We are praying that this means the medicine is doing what it is supposed to do. I still have the fatigue, and some leg pain, usually at the end of the day, but I can handle that. My doctor told me that I can begin a twice a year visit rotation instead of every three months. I am so happy to say that I have also been asked by the drug company to be an ambassador for other MS patients struggling with this disability and the medication choices available. For now though, I am ready to enjoy my spring break!

Live and Learn

The insert that comes with my medication clearly states that this particular medicine causes the immune system to become weak.  They are not kidding. I got a stomach bug last week, in fact I had to run out of my classroom throwing up one day. I haven't really had any kind of virus since my diagnosis so I didn't know how hard this would hit me. After two days at home and one night in the hospital, I learned my lesson. When I am sick, I am SICK! So with some advice from my family doctor, next time I will rest.

I have felt wonderful despite the small set back last week. I have begun working out with water weights at an indoor pool, walking more often, and am looking forward to some golf with my husband now that it is beautiful weather. All I can hope for is no more viruses! I go back to see my MS doctor over spring break, please add me to your prayers as I continue to pray as well for continued good news.

No News is Good News

That is certainly the way I like to look at things! I realized I had not posted on here in quite some time. It could be because over all I have been feeling so good, or it could be because I have been busy with teaching and keeping up with Jordan and Lyndsey. What ever the reason, the best part is, I am able to do all of these things. I am not looking through rose colored glasses. I have bad days, days when I come home from school and collapse onto my bed with fatigue, and spend most weekends recharging for the week ahead. Regardless, I am just so happy to be where I am at work and in life. I have adjusted well to the new medication that I started over Christmas break. I am so thankful for that, and for my friends who lookout for me and remind me when I forget, that I need to slow down.

The speed bumps of life

It has been a busy few weeks and the calendar shows that it will only get busier! I visited my doctor in Nashville the day before Thanksgiving and I was hopeful for really good news. I had been feeling so good, I knew it could only mean I was in the remission phase of this relapsing remitting disease. That was not the news that we received. It appeared that I had more brain lesions and that the lesion on my optic nerve had gotten worse. This means that the injection therapy that I have been using for over a year did not work. Since there is no cure for MS, the only thing to do is to try disease modifying therapies like the injections. My doctor suggested a fairly new therapy that is a pill. He said he has seen success with this method and I was excited about not injecting myself anymore. None if these therapies come without risks or with a gaurantee. With this pill there is the chance of severe macular edema or swelling of the eye nerves. Also, I will have to take the first dose in the office in Nashville because it causes the heart rate to drop. I will have to be monitored for six hours for initial side effects. I will take my first dose next Tuesday during Christmas break. I am praying for a smooth transition.
I have learned to overcome many obstacles and have learned when my body is telling me to slow it down a little bit too. I have had a smooth job transition and fully believe that Godmis using me as a vessel of hope for someone who might need it. My students are a daily reminder to me of why I followed my calling to this profession and I thank God several times a day for the ability and opportunity to do what I do.