MS Awareness Week!

MS Awareness Week

This week and entire month is Multiple Sclerosis Awareness.  This disease is close to my own heart as I was diagnosed with SPMS = Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis in September 2000.  I have lived almost 15 years with this debilitating disease. A few years ago test revealed that I actually have PPMS = Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis  It’s hard for anyone looking at me to realize what I endure each and every day living with this disease.  On the outside I look healthy and most people think there is nothing wrong with me.  But that is far from the truth!

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/What-is-MS/Types-of-MS

I place this ribbon with pride on my blog site in hopes that not only awareness but a cure will some day be found for myself and so many others that suffer with this disease.  I have placed a link you can visit to learn more about the disease. 

This picture above says it all and it’s exactly how I feel so many times when someone ask me why I walk with cane and then replies but you look so healthy.   Looks can be deceiving!  Inside my body I have my own war going on.  I have days I am so fatigued that getting out of bed and going to the bathroom is exhausting in it’s own.  Other days I feel like I’m almost human and the pain I experience is unbearable at times and other times I feel I can live among the human race.  For years I have struggled with daily task and I’m trying my best to involve good diet and exercise in my daily routines.

I will not lie, it has been a very hard journey for me.  There are days I just do not want to crawl out of bed but I know that I must.  Exercise is the only thing that is going to keep my muscle built up and keep me out of a wheel chair ( I have been there done that and I hated it)  I’m a walking miracle and I thank God everyday for blessing me with that miracle.  I also know that if I do not make myself get out of bed and do my daily routine of exercise even though I’m exhausted my muscle will deteriorate again.  As you know last winter I spent the entire winter doing water therapy to build my muscle back up and then I spent all summer walking to keep my leg muscles strengthen up.

Living with a disease even though it may be what I call a silent disease ( where you know you have it , but others may not)  this winter I have found some DVD programs that I can do to my own modify version that will keep my muscles toned and strengthened up.  If you or someone you know needs to lose weight, strengthen up your muscles or get or just needs to learn to eat healthier please click on one of my links I have put on my blog and I will gladly help you get started.  The best part is it’s Free!  I have joined a free facebook group and created one of my own just so that I can help people all over the world to get healthier.  It doesn’t matter if you do not have a injury, illness or just want to learn more about health and fitness.  Come join me!

Hope your all having a great week! 

Need help getting started losing weight?

Over 1400 of my friends at TD Nation are crushing their fitness and weight loss journeys in our private Facebook group. It's free to join and still not too late to join. If you need help getting fit and healthy before spring break and summer gets here this is the place you want to be. You have nothing to lose! If you don't like it you can leave. I promise you're going to love it though! I have lost 69 lbs in this group and I could not have done it without them.

You'll get the following when you sign up for your FREE account and join our private Facebook support group....

1.) Free Coaching

2.) Meal Plans

3.) Calorie goals based on YOUR metabolism

4.) Healthy recipe of the week

5.) Weekly broadcasts with tips and success stories

6.) Free workouts

7.) Motivation

8.) 24/7 support from TD Nation Members and over 150 coaches

9.) Prizes

10.) No solicitation! This is not a place to sell you products. It's a place for me to help you reach your goals!

So don't be afraid. Be brave and join us! Let me help you make 2015 the healthiest year ever! Just PM me for more information or click on on either my team beachbody link or my facebook group to get started … http://www.beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/walts9

Still Recovering …

On Tuesday I had my interstim controller replaced so I am recovering from that surgery as I’m still recovering from bi-lateral mastectomy.  I haven’t been posting much to my blog as I really don’t have anything to blog about.  My months have been spent running to and from doctors appointments.  I have at least one doctor appointment every week and most weeks I have 3 or more days of running to appointments. 

One good thing to being back home is that I get to spend lots of time enjoying and spoiling my grandchildren.  It’s hard to believe next month will be 2 years since returning home to Illinois.  So much has happened in that 2 years time and it’s been a roller coaster ride.  The past year has been spent fighting serious health issues and I have many more months ahead of me yet.  I have at least 2 more surgeries to go through and one is scheduled for June 22nd and the other is depending on my healing process.  I am still dealing with severe pain and swelling from my mastectomy and now I also have a very painful booty!  Trying to lay down to sleep is a challenge in itself as I still have to remain sleeping in an upright position and I can not lay on my tummy or sides and now with my bottom being cut open laying on my back is not a comfortable position either.  I am surrounded by pillows as my arms still have to be propped up on them, my knees  due to back issues and now the bottom has to have pillows.  My days are spent going back and forth from my chair to the bed trying to get comfy.  Just when the chest starts to feel some what better it’s time for another fill.  I have started my reconstruction of the chest area and it’s been very painful.  The doctor tells me regardless had I done reconstruction or not I’d still have the pain and swelling.  She calls it phantom pain and says it can last months to years.  I’m praying it’s not the later. 

I have to be retested in February to make sure my cancer has not spread to any other areas of the body.  To really be considered cancer free the doctors say I have to go a complete year with no cancer before they will declare me cancer free. 

On a good note at least we’ve had a some what decent winter as we haven’t really had any snow or freezing rain.  We did have some cold days but nothing like last winter and the past week the temps have been in the mid 40’s which isn’t bad.  January has been a pretty decent month, now if February and March will be the same.  I am ready for spring and warmer weather.  I miss being in my home on wheels but right now I have to get myself well.  I had hopes to have a great spring and summer but it’s appearing as it’s going to be spent recovering and trying to get well.  I keep telling myself as long as I’m well and ready to hit the road by next winter.  I have hopes and dreams of being able to head south next winter with the snow birds. 

One thing with all the health issues I’ve had this past year it feels right to keep my stick home and so it’s looking like I will not be a full-timer again as it’s important that I have a stick home to come to when health issues hit.  Bladder cancer is a cancer that usually returns at some point and time so that is something that I have to remember.  My dad fought it 3 times before he finally succumb to it and just couldn’t win his last round with it.  I am truly believing I am going to beat the odds and mine will not return.  I am believing my breast cancer will not return.  But I also have to remember that at any time it is possible for both to return.  So having a stick home to go to during health issues is the best thing for me.  I am so thankful I didn’t have to worry about going up and down steps during my illness.  My home is handicap accessible and so it has been much better for me than my home one wheels would have been.  Not only do I have to worry about cancer but I also have to deal with my MS and back issues and so I must remember that at some point in my life I could end up back in a wheel chair.  Last winter my MS relapsed.  I really had to fight hard to come back to find out I had cancer.  This past years medical issues have really made me think long and hard about where and what I need to do for a back up plan.

I hope your all having a great winter where ever you are at.  Until then …

Recovering from bi-lateral mastectomy

Wow, Christmas has come and gone and it’s January already.  I had my bi-lateral mastectomy on December 2nd and am still recovering as well as going through reconstruction.  I plan on posting more about my journey later but right now I am still dealing with emotions and lots of pain!  This has and still is a very painful recovery for me.  The good news is I do not need chemo or radiation and once I get through my reconstruction this ordeal will be over with. 

On another note my bowel and bladder machine battery is dying so it needs to be replaced so I am scheduled for surgery on January 20th for that. 

The weather has turned off extremely cold and it’s suppose to get even colder tomorrow and last about a week.  I dream of day that I can once again move back into my home on wheels and go to warmer weather but right now that just isn’t going to happen.  Health issues have to take first priority. 

I want to wish you all a Happy New Year and May 2015 bring you many blessings and I’m so praying that it’s the year that my health issues turn around and I’ve saw the last of cancer.  I pray that 2015 is the year that I can once again enjoy my home on wheels.

Fall has flown by

The season’s just seem to be flying right on by this year.  Summer has left, Fall is gone and Winter has appeared as it’s been cold with the blustery wind and yesterday we even had large snowflakes falling.  Tomorrow night they are calling for an inch of the white stuff!  Where O where has my time gone?  I had hopes of heading south for the winter this year but those hopes are left behind. 

My spring and summer were spent recovering from bladder surgery and fighting that dreaded word of Cancer, it seems my winter will be spent doing the same!  I am scheduled after Thanksgiving to have a bi-lateral mastectomy (which means double).   I have a mass (tumor) in my left breast that was found and so due to family history of breast cancer it’s been decided to do go ahead and do both, might as well get it over with.  I do not know what the future holds in regards to treatment until my biopsy comes back.  After I recover from this I will be having a hysterectomy as well due to a family history of ovarian cancer.  Once again I will be spending my winter months in the blustery cold Illinois. 

I have hopes and dreams of one day again enjoying taking my home on wheels where ever I choose to roam.  But for now I need to concentrate on my recovery and getting my body healed. 

On a good note I have lost 66 lbs and have a bit more to go.  Here are my before and after picture, this picture was taken the 2nd week of October of this year the the other picture was taken in November of 2013.

I want to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving!

Summer is almost gone!

Wow, it seems like spring just arrived and now summer is almost over .. it has flown by and I have nothing to post about what I have done.  My entire summer has been running back and forth to doctor visits, treatments and therapy.  I’ve also spent a lot of time with my grandkids this summer.  I only got to stay at my home on wheels a couple times this spring and I have to admit I have missed it but it has also been nice not having to deal with steps and living in a stick home during my illness. 

Sometimes in life we have to make decisions that are best for us even though their not what our heart desires.  My heart still has the desire to live in a home on wheels and travel and see new things.  I miss old friends I have bonding relationships with as well as making new friends in the places we travel.  But health issues and family seem to take a back seat to all those things.

I have put a ticker on my blog so that you all know that I am still alive and kicking and you can see how I’m doing in my weight loss struggles.  I have to admit the weight loss is not going as fast as I want but my doctor assures me I am doing great and losing at a good safe pace that is better for me in the end.

It’s been a beautiful summer and just a few weeks of extremely hot days, but I have to admit with pride I’m been good and haven’t complained during those heat spells.  Today it feels like fall and a reminder that its just around the corner and before I know it Ole man winter will be here again.  I had hope to be able to hook up to the home on wheels and spend some of the cold months where it was warmer but that isn’t appearing to be a option this year either.  So it’s looking like I will be spending another ole cold winter living in the stick home. 

I have to admit I do love the fall colors, the smells and all the great foods that go with it and I’m hoping to get to spend a bit of time at the home on wheels but it’s very doubtful at this point and time.  Convention for RVers is coming up the first week in October and I so want to go but I’m just not sure my health will be up to it so for now I am taking life one day at time.

I pray you are all having a great summer .. until next time .. God Bless

Wow where has the time gone?  It's been a busy summer with the grand kids.  Running to and from doctor appointments and treatments.  I'm dealing with health issues and it doesn't appear to be an end to it at this time.  My Aunt (who raised me until i was 6) is also having health issues and i've been going with her as well for appointments and testing.  Between her and I at least 4 days a week are spent at the doctor or hospital.  Weekends have been spent enjoying family time or trying to catch up on rest to get ready for the next week.

The grand kids have returned back to school so that has helped let up on that part.  Although the first few days was nice to have some alone time but now i'm beginning to miss them :)

Until this past week we've had a very pleasant summer weather wise but wow it's a hot one this week with horrible humidity and as you all know my asthma and MS does not like this weather.  But i am being good and not complaining as winter will be here before i want it to be.

I am still living in my dad's home and in fact I've only been to the home on wheels a few times .. just too many things going on in my personal life.  I'm still having health issues and at this time i am not really ready to get into all of that.  I just ask that you continue to keep me in your prayers.

On a good note my son's both seem to be doing good, the oldest son is getting his life more normal and has seemed to be free of so much drama (fingers crossed it continues) the youngest son has made a job career change and that seems to be going well for him.  The fur balls are doing great and i'm enjoying spending time with family.

Well that is all i have for now, wishing you all a great Labor Day weekend!