Happy Anniversary, New Brain!

I’m a little belated with the anniversary wishes due to other life events.  If my brain and I were married and I forgot a major anniversary like the first one, I’d probably be sleeping on the couch.  In this instance I hope she understands.
On November 28, 2007, I first heard those words, “You have [...]

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A Series of Firsts

To be so close to death is actually mesmerizing.  To lie next to another creature with your head on his heart as it beats its last beat is an honor.  To hear those words, “He’s gone, Sunshine” and to pull yourself up off the floor only to leave your loved one behind in the hands [...]

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A Unique Baptism and a Special Gift this Holiday Season

Prepare for life’s major stressors.  That’s what I had set my sights on.  It made sense.  Stress, or more specifically in my personal case, emotional stress, can trigger major M.S. relapses.  So, one year ago when I was first officially diagnosed with M.S. we evaluated that first year ahead of me.  We planned –as best [...]

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Kicking Adversity in the Teeth

Since I’ve always been a believer in the notion that a relationship can never truly be classified as  “perfect” (i.e. “…they have the ‘perfect’ marriage”) until it is tested, today’s article from Trevis over at Health Talk really hit home.  I’ve always thought that it’s easy to have a perfect marriage, a perfect life, until [...]

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Recognizing Reasons for Gratitude

By Contributing Writer Needles ‘n Pens
I teach … and have been doing so for 27 years … I’ve been an elementary special education teacher, a special education quasi-administrator, an elementary classroom teacher, a graduate school workshop facilitator, a staff development presenter, and am now a middle school classroom teacher and believe I’ve reached the pinnacle [...]

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Role Reversal

The snow was pounding down on Thursday evening and my 45 minute commute doomed perilous.  I had plans to catch up with my older stepdaughter, Kimmy, at our house.  She decided to spend the night to spend some time with Oboe and watch the Steelers game with her dad.  I’m cherishing every moment with Oboe [...]

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A Visit from a Stranger…Um…a Friend

It was Wednesday and I was struggling through the day.  The hubby and I decided that morning that we would be taking the next steps in the process of saying goodbye to our Oboe.  I was concentrating on work just to get through the day while making phone calls to put the process into motion.  [...]

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Christmas is Coming: Sooner than Expected

 
They all said we’d know.  And now we know.  I don’t want to know, but I do.  And it’s killing me.
It’s time for us to say goodbye to Master Oboe, our black Lab, my baby of 11 years.  His health is failing rapidly.  He can barely stand from a sitting position any longer.  His [...]

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Minimalizing Christmas

I’m a Christmas crazy person. I love the holiday season, particularly decorating our home.  In addition to a full-sized tree in our formal living room, I spread another six or seven smaller trees throughout the rest of the house.  They are in the kitchen, in the bar and pool room, in my office, in the [...]

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MS Trial Alert: Large Study of Oral Laquinimod Seeking People with Relapsing-Remitting MS

Pennsylvania may not have participating sites in this clinical trial, but the need is there for individuals with RRMS to participate.  From NMSS…
Summary: Investigators at sites worldwide are seeking volunteers for a clinical trial studying oral laquinimod (Teva Pharmaceuticals) in comparison with inactive placebo or interferon beta-1a (Avonex®, Biogen Idec) in 1200 people with relapsing-remitting MS [...]

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