Superman's Home & Fort Massac - Metropolis IL

Hi Everyone! We went to Superman's home town of Metropolis, IL July 4th weekend. It is a really super small town with a HUGE Statue of Superman and a few "Super" shops. The more scenic and enjoyable part of the trip was visiting Fort Massac State Park. We took a carriage ride around the park/campground and walked around the very well maintained Fort.

Me with Superman Statue


Supergirl...I wish I had her body!

Our Carriage Guides: Ed and Fred

Which was Fred and which was Ed again?

Me and Hubs in Front of the Main house at the Fort.

The Fort from the Ohio Riverfront

The In-land view of Fort Massac

Fort Massac Corner Building

Inside the Fort

The Well in the Fort

View of the Fort from the Riverfront

Hubs leaving the Fort to go to the Riverfront

Who's got MS? I Do? Oh, I forgot for awhile.

I'm watching Bon Jovi on Saturday Night Live right now and they are singing the song "Back when we were beautiful" and I think wow...you still are...older, but, still beautiful. I bet they are referring to their 20's as I know that's when I felt my most beautiful. I wish I was young again for no other reason than to live life a little differently now that I am that much more knowledgeable about life.

So, I haven't been doing my MS shots for a few months now. For various reasons. Life has been crazy, though we moved almost 1 month ago, we are still not completely settled. I had my gallbladder out. The dogs have been sick with allergic reactions and work has well been busy. I was offered a management position I declined and it would seem they are still wanting me to do it, so I may. Not allot more money, but, more cash is more cash. But, the point is I haven't been doing my shots for another reason also. I found out when I had my Gallbladder out about 6 weeks ago that I have a "fatty liver". So, I googled what a fatty liver was and it scared me. I can't have even more health problems when I'm not even 40 yet.

So, this week, I am going to start Weight Watchers as well as looking for a good Chiropractor, start doing Yoga and Zumba and I'm now just excited about life again. Lots of good things hopefully coming my way this year. Promotions, Fall/Winter Vacations, Visits from Family, I'm going to be an Aunt again etc. But, I want to know more about what's going on inside me before I start my shots back up again as I am concerned they could be negatively affecting my liver. It would suck to get liver disease considering I don't even drink except like a handful of times a year.

Is it wrong to just "forget" about your disease for months at a time once every so often? Really, those who think and live with their MS everyday are they better off than me who just forgets about it until a symptom flares up? Sometimes you just have to live life...and forget about your MS. Is that wrong? Dangerous?

MS Magazines

Has anyone noticed that all the MS Magazines come at the same time? Or within a week of each other. The 3 I am speaking of are Momentum, The Motivator and MS Focus. All 3 very good. And it's so cool to now see some MS Blogger faces actually in the Magazines. How exciting.

I recommend these Magazines for anyone who is not currently receiving them. I'm not sure how I got on all these MS Mailing Lists. I think it first happened when I was diagnosed and looking for every piece of information available.

Click on the above links and join today!

Update on ME and Nancy Davis Foundation

Hi There Everyone! Lots going on here.

In the past two weeks, my dog Gigi has had surgery to remove 2 stones from her bladder, our living room furniture was destroyed in the great Nashville Flood and last week I had my gall bladder removed and have subsequently had a wake up call. Now, our house will be low-carb for my Diabetic husband, low-fat for Me and low-PH for our dog Gigi to reduce her chance of future bladder stones. Too funny. I find this amusing.

Also, we are moving to our own place June 1st and will have a full house to ourselves and our own big kitchen and fenced backyard for the dogs to run in and a grill outside...sidewalks, little stores and restaurants within walking distance. It will be lovely. I am thrilled! Pictures will be posted!

I've also been realizing I need to take better care of myself and my disease. I feel lately like I am not keeping up with the latest and greatest treatment options, nor taking care of my physical well-being. The Gall Bladder is my wakeup call. I'm reworking the budget now to see if I can ditch the high stress job for a PT job or even just a less stressful one. Part of what made me realize that I've not been keeping up was this post by Nancy Davis Foundation. Who until now, I've not heard of and know nothing about. Does anyone know of her and her foundation and if so what is your opinion?

I hope to take a more active role in my MS, the MS Blog World and assisting others while getting myself healthy and in shape. There have been many contributing factors which prevented this the past 2 years and finally they are about to be gone..I hope.

That's it for now. Hope to regain all my readers again soon and look forward to putting a new blog design out there. Happy Thursday!

Reposting: Secondary Progressive MS, What Your Doctor Won't Tell You

Diane wrote such a good post at A Stellarlife that I had to re-post it and share!

http://dj-astellarlife.blogspot.com/2010/04/secondary-progressive-ms-what-your.html

Our Trip to Homosassa Springs Florida

Mini Flare?

The warning signs are here...I'm having what I like to call a Mini Flare. Flare Up the past 2 weeks of previous symptoms. With...a new and unusual symptom...Calf and Feet swelling. Can swelling be an MS Symptom? Other than when your on steriods? My legs were so swollen my doctor had me go for a leg ultrasound for a DVT. Which was negative. So...low dose steroids...for now...the problem with Roids..as many of you know is that they have horrible side affects.

I forgot how many I get, overheated, insomnia, spasticity gets dramatically worse, blood pressure goes through the roof, headaches, upset stomach etc... The roids actually make me feel worse I think. But, is it worth it in the long run. One never knows.

It's been almost 2 years since my last flare (July 2008) and that was a bad one. I don't want to go there again. I have not been the most healthy since going back to work FT last July and even though I am flourishing professionally, I am working long hours, living with the in-laws currently (until next month) and not eating right or exercising. I'm done with all of that...I honestly believe the healthier lives we as MSers lead the better our disease progression and outcome.

This week I will begin to watch my calories, fat and carbs. After my legs improve from this Mini Flare, I hope to move more than I have been and loose enough weight and get strong enough to start getting healthy again. Before each Major MS event in my life I was unhealthy. I'm there again and I have to take action immediately. Does anyone else notice a link between how healthy they eat and exercise and how their MS Flares up?