Blame the Disease, Not the Person

Posted on October 22, 2021 by MSAA

By Stacie Prada

Question: What was most and least helpful when you were first diagnosed?

Answer: The people. Collectively, they were the most helpful. Individually, some were the most and some were the least helpful.

The people who listened, asked questions and validated my feelings helped me the most with my multiple sclerosis diagnosis. Answering sincere questions helped me analyze what was true at that time and what was fear for the future. Thinking through the issues and explaining my experience helped separate what I could influence from what I couldn’t. They offered suggestions while respecting my opinions and decisions. The paid support people who helped me immensely included my medical support team: primary care provider, counselor, neurologist, and physical therapist. The unpaid support team included family, friends, coworkers, online connections, and the local MS self-help group.

Those who told me what I needed to do or why I shouldn’t worry were naïve and ill-informed. They would prescribe treatments without knowing what caused my symptoms or what my symptoms even were. They’d tell me I’d be fine since someone they know who has MS is fine. They assured me I’d stay healthy to appease their own fears, not mine. They included people in all of the categories listed above who helped me immensely. A person’s profession or relation doesn’t automatically place them in the category of helping or hindering. How they behave and interact does.

The people who judged me harshly for how my health was impacting them caused the most stress, guilt and pain. I was criticized for being less attentive in my relationships and for letting MS be my focus. I believed it was a personal fault that I was burdening others.

I genuinely thought I should be able to deal with my health privately and keep doing everything I’d been doing for others. I wanted to be strong and prevent the people in my life from being affected by my diagnosis and documented chronic illness.

MS symptoms and exacerbations made me unable to meet the expectations I had for myself and others had for me. It helped me realize the expectations had always been unreasonable. I learned I’d never be able to be healthy physically and emotionally if I kept trying to meet unreasonable expectations.

I realized I can’t do this alone, and I shouldn’t.

The people who validated that I needed to address my health and accepted things would change – they helped me the most.

The people who were angry, hurt, blamed and resented me for their unhappiness – they helped force me to realize I didn’t need to keep working toward the life I’d been building, and I probably couldn’t if I kept trying. In a painful way, they helped me open my future to more possibilities. Changing things wasn’t failure, it was survival.

Survival requires self-care. To people who are used to benefiting from an unhealthy relationship dynamic, other people practicing self-care feels like neglect. It’s good that terms are available now to describe manipulative behaviors. Consider (and look them up if unfamiliar) gaslighting, shaming, isolating, catastrophizing, guilt-tripping, silent treatment, insults disguised as jokes, and jealousy are just some of them. Hopefully discussions and education on unhealthy relationship tactics help people recognize them instead of feeling responsible for other people’s feelings and accusations.

It helped the most when I and the people in my life accepted my health as a fact of my life and worked together to make the most of my abilities and limitations. They watch out for me, help me reflect, know my health may inconvenience them at times and always make it clear they are on my team.

We are united in our approach: Blame the disease, not the person.

*Stacie Prada was diagnosed with RRMS in 2008 just shy of 38 years old. Her blog, “Keep Doing What You’re Doing” is a compilation of inspiration, exploration, and practical tips for living with Multiple Sclerosis while living a full, productive, and healthy life with a positive perspective. It includes musings on things that help her adapt, cope and rejoice in this adventure on earth. Please visit her at http://stacieprada.blogspot.com/

MS Relapses: An Evolution of Perspective

Posted on September 27, 2021 by MSAA

By Stacie Prada

Multiple sclerosis relapses are scary for the symptoms they bring, and they’re overwhelming for the individual prognosis. Sharing our history and perspectives on relapses can help each of us gauge how we’re similar and different. It can show us how we are at different locations on similar paths or how we’re not on the same path at all. Anticipating how long my path is, what I may encounter along the way and how quickly or slowly I’ll reach each phase helps me put today in perspective and plan for the future.

Years 1 through 5 after MS Diagnosis were full of relapses, and my primary goal was to not have a relapse. Those years were full of stress, confusion and frustration. The amount of information to learn and apply was staggering. The reliance on doctors to provide testing and assessment of whether I was having a relapse or not made me feel helpless. My health journals overflow with information to help me make sense of my body. Each relapse felt like failure.

Year 5 – Monitoring MS Symptoms and Trying to Avoid Relapses
I started blogging, and my lessons learned became more accessible for me to find later. This one is a go-to resource that reminds me to pay attention to what my body needs while accommodating what life requires.

Year 6 – I Feel Like a Rock Star!
I was declared “stable and in remission.” I reached a point of confidence where I felt like I could finally tell if I was having an exacerbation or not. I knew how terrible I felt when I was having a relapse, and I knew how well I could feel when I wasn’t. I’d learned my body enough to know which symptoms were normal for me. I could distinguish between when the intensity and duration was likely due to existing damage from previous relapses and when it was likely new active MS activity.

Year 8 – When is it an MS Exacerbation?
I documented and shared my mental checklist for relapse self-diagnosis with examples. I still read it whenever I wonder if I’m having an exacerbation.

Year 10 – Relapse Management
People with MS do not have complete control over whether or not they have a relapse. If someday there is a determined cause, cure and 100% effective management regimen, then that might be possible. Until then, the only ways I think relapses can be managed are to tackle them when they happen, reflect on them after they happen to try to find any patterns or contributors that you might be able to control, incorporate what helps, avoid what doesn’t, and try to make the fear manageable when they do happen. This post includes 13 Guidelines to follow that serve me well daily, then and now.

Year 13, Present Day – Symptoms without relapses: I look back to achieving the highly sought-after status of stable and in remission at year six with fondness and appreciation for the feeling of success. I envy my naiveté thinking that without relapses I’d be safe from disease progression.

The truth is nerves with old lesions can function for a while and give out much later. Some nerve function can repair, but it can also decline causing symptoms to worsen long after the relapse that caused the lesion.

The majority of people with MS start with relapsing-remitting MS. The statistic that about half of people with MS transition to Secondary-Progressive MS in ten years is based on a time when disease modifying medications didn’t exist. Since these medications are intended to reduce the frequency of relapses and delay disease progression, I’m hopeful I’ll stay in the RRMS phase or take much, much longer than ten years to enter the SPMS phase. Differentiating between what is possible, likely or probable is tough. There are no guarantees, nor are there inevitable outcomes.

With or without relapses, MS is with me and will shape my future. What I can do is keep doing what I’m doing. Keep learning, monitoring, adapting, and factoring my health into my daily decisions and long-range plans. Appreciate the people on this journey with me, and make sure to have fun along the way. Take very good care, all.

What is this?

Posted on September 22, 2021 by MSAA

By Doug Ankerman

Several months after I was bestowed with my MS diagnosis, I hit a rough patch.

My legs were weak and wobbly. My balance off-kilter. But the worst, was my vision.

My focus would go in and out. While bright lights turned me into a shriveling shrew.

Oncoming car headlights forced me to wear sunglasses at night. Not in tribute to 80’s pop-star Corey Hart, but because the glare was blinding.

(Yeah, I continued to drive because I was young, dumb, and bull-headed.)

What was I experiencing? A relapse? A flare? An exacerbation? Frankly I didn’t care what it was called—all I knew was that I was terrified.

My mind spun wildly. Was my condition here to stay? Was this my new life? Did Corey Hart have MS, too?

Lucky for me a three-day bender of IV steroids (and with it, the taste of sucking on an iron popsicle) helped put things back to normal. Well, as normal as MS could be.

Time passed. Relapse-free. But multiple sclerosis continued a slow, gradual nip and tuck at my faculties till doctors gave me the title of being “secondary-progressive.”

Which was fine. Whatever. It was just name to me. Some may think my outlook is trite but I believe when one has MS, you toughen up. You learn to deal with every situation. And take nothing for granted. You appreciate small victories. Cherish every moment. Live each day like crazy. Because when you have MS, you know how quickly things can change.

If you think you are experiencing a MS relapse, talk to your doctor first. But also remain calm. Breathe deep. And if you can avoid it, don’t wear sunglasses at night.

*Doug writes silly stuff about MS and other topics on his humor blog at myoddsock.com.

Postpartum Relapses

Posted on September 8, 2021 by MSAA

By Alene Dover

Did you know that you can be at an increased risk of a relapse after you deliver a baby?

This was the message that I heard as I was trying to fulfill my dream of becoming a mother.

It didn’t help that I was 40 years old at the time, and already felt that I had age stacked against me. Now, I had to add on the risk that MS could cause to my health postpartum.

I needed to understand and gather the facts.

Was this in fact true?

If so, was there anything that I could do to reduce my risk of a postpartum flare?

And once I had a confirmed pregnancy, this quest for the truth became deeply personal.

I started with my most trusted resources – my neurologist.

Not only is she highly trained and stays on top of all the latest research, but she also knows me and my body.

I was relieved when she said that the risk of a postpartum relapse had more to do with my risk of a relapse pre-pregnancy. If I was at a high risk of a flare before I got pregnant, then, yes, I could likely experience a flare after delivering my baby.

However, if my disease activity was stable for at least six months prior to conception, that was a valuable indicator that I wasn’t as likely to experience a postpartum flare.

This was further motivation for me to best manage my diagnosis of relapsing-remitting MS.

Thankfully, I have done a lot with diet and lifestyle to manage MS. As a result of this work and my doctor’s recommendations, I’ve had five years of stabilization. The odds were in my favor.

That said, I’m not a gambling girl.

What else could I do?

My neurologist shared that exclusive breastfeeding can further reduce my risk of a postpartum flare. Breastfeeding is a personal decision that each new mom can decide if it’s the right decision for her and her family, but certainly knowing this big perk that it offers is encouraging for us new moms in the MS community.

Beyond this valuable information from my neurologist, I also chose to prioritize three other factors that I attribute to helping me to managing MS.

Vitamin D

During my initial bloodwork, my vitamin D levels were low, so I chose to supplement with the guidance of my doctor and get outside as much as possible during pregnancy.

Food

If I wasn’t motivated enough by the fact that my body was creating a new life, I was motivated to keep my body healthy so I could be an active mom once she arrives.

Stress

With all the preparations and anticipation, I had to be extremely intentional with managing stress. Stress doesn’t do our body – especially MS – any favors. So, gave myself grace during pregnancy, practiced yoga and mindful breathing.

If you’d like to follow along on my pregnancy journey, you can join me on Instagram at www.instagram.com/lesspharmmoretable or at www.lesspharmmoretable.com.

Identity, Humor, Intelligence, & Chronic Illness

Posted on August 20, 2021 by MSAA

By Stacie Prada

Living with a chronic illness that progresses and has no cure has made me hyper aware of how I view myself and others. Faced with potential physical disability and cognitive decline, I realized how much of my identity was based on what I can do, say and accomplish.

I remember my early years navigating acknowledging I had multiple sclerosis. The long list of symptoms and conditions that can result from MS lesions is frightening. Cognitive changes scared me. They can affect a person professionally, compromise analytical and problem-solving skills, and end a career. They often change personal relationships, and I wondered if they would change how I interact with people.

These scared me, and in that swirling jumble of symptoms, possibilities and impacts, I worried what it might mean for my personality. I worried it would change how people see me and how I see myself.

Would I lose my sense of humor and intelligence? Would my personality become something different? Would I like who I become?

It turns out I am becoming more serious and intentional, and I’m also keeping my quick-thoughts and silliness. MS integrated into my identity. It didn’t displace it. MS is a big part of my life, but so are all of the other aspects of my being.

I haven’t lost my sense of humor, but I have become clearer about why things make me laugh. Something I experience or observe may make me chuckle to myself, and whether I share it with the people around me depends on the situation and relationship. Anecdotes and observations on living with a chronic illness can ring true and boost connection with some, and they can make others uncomfortable. Sometimes a modification to how it’s told can make it relatable, and other times it’s worth waiting to share with a person who already understands.

Being silly can sometimes be seen as immature or flippant. Growing older, gaining confidence and learning every day helps me share my thoughts more and worry less about what people will think. If someone interprets me differently than I’d like, I’ve gotten better about not owning their opinion.

I’ve watched friends experience physical and cognitive impacts due to illness and aging. Searching for the right word to express their thoughts can take longer, but it’s also because the right word matters to them.

Intelligence is not the ability to retrieve a word or speak quickly. It’s understandable yet misguided to presume communication equals comprehension and intelligence. I’ve learned through the years and many friends that the ability to communicate or retrieve words have no relationship to a person’s intelligence or understanding of things.

When a person takes their time to find the word that accurately captures what they want to convey, I’m often rewarded with a perspective and insight I hadn’t anticipated. It encourages me to honor the person and the conversation by staying quiet, interested and unhurried.

Curiosity and not rushing a conversation are crucial. Not finishing a sentence when they’re searching for the word reaps rewards. I may think I know what they’re going to say, but often they surprise me with more depth, cleverness and humor than I’d anticipated.

If I could talk to the newly diagnosed me from 13 years ago, I would tell her this:
Living with chronic illness affects everything, but MS will integrate into your identity in a way that matches your personality. Your intelligence, humor and identity will evolve, but they will be what you make them. You’ll gain insight into a world that teaches you about others and yourself. The experience will make clear who you are and who you want to be in this life. Through all of it, you’ll still be you.

Day Trip Outings

Posted on July 21, 2021 by MSAA

By Stacie Prada

Living with MS can lead a person to avoid doing things outside of the routine. Dealing with unpredictability can make a person avoid additional inconveniences and uncertainty.

When my gut reaction is to think something is too much effort, it’s good for me to think about why I’m resisting. There might be a good reason for resistance, but knowing the cause is helpful. If it’s rooted in avoidance or fear, I want to challenge myself to identify what I can do that would offset the what ifs.

What if it’s not worth the effort? What if I go somewhere and my MS symptoms rear up? What if I need something and I don’t have it or I can’t get it?

Living well with MS requires knowing yourself well, respecting and adapting to health needs, and planning ahead. All of these life skills are well-suited to successful and enjoyable outings, and doing new things can add excitement and fulfillment to any life. Day trip outings are perfect for experiencing the joy of travel while keeping the comfort of sleeping at home.

You do you. If you don’t want to go somewhere or do something, don’t! But if you want to do some day trips and are feeling resistant, consider this:

Perpetual planning allows spontaneity to thrive. Many barriers can be accommodated with creativity, preparation and a willingness to explore alternatives. Over prepare and expect things won’t go perfectly as planned.
Pack a day bag with personalized essentials to ease stress. The day bag should include anything that will provide comfort and options. I like to include water, snacks, medication, bath tissue, sunscreen, jacket, hat, extra shoes and socks. Think about everything that could be in the car to make it feel like any circumstance or change of plans could be accommodated.
Set reasonable expectations. Overestimate travel time, and grant yourself permission to change plans.
Focus the trip around one anchor focus or goal for the day. Create a mental or written list of other things that can be done, if plans change and energy and time allow. Back up plans help diffuse disappointment when things don’t go as intended. Schedule plenty of extra time to do more or less in order to take good care for yourself. Delays and unexpected changes of plans can sometimes lead to wonderful opportunities.
Allow for lots of bathroom breaks, and never pass a restroom assuming another one will be available later. It’s better to go too often than to not have access to one when it’s needed.
Make the travel experience as fulfilling as the destination. Go with someone you want to spend time with. Have a good playlist, podcasts or book on tape ready to play. Consider why you’re going. If it’s a trip to a view point, there might be clouds obscuring the view when you get there. Enjoy the journey, the people and doing something out of the routine.
Look for surprises, and be open to exploring them. Allow for impromptu diversions. Rainbows, herds of elk and skydivers landing have all been rewarding unplanned sights I’ve enjoyed because I looked beyond the road and was willing to turn off the planned drive.
Use technology, but don’t get overwhelmed. Look online or use apps for recommendations in the area, and consider them. I love using navigation apps for simplifying the directions and letting me know the time and distance to my destination.
Talk to people. Locals always know the best places, and they love sharing special tips that you might otherwise miss. Just connecting with people can be fulfilling too!
Interrupting someone is required when pointing out something nearby or of interest that won’t be visible a few moments later.
There’s always time for ice cream. Literally or figuratively, indulge and enjoy the trip!

Too Too Hot

Posted on June 28, 2021 by MSAA

By Doug Ankerman

Yep that’s me in my usual place on hot days… laying in front of the register, hogging all the AC.

Except on THIS hot day (the 1^st one of the season) our air conditioning was on the fritz. There would be no refreshingly cool splendor till we had someone come check it out.

Our neighbor knew a guy who knew a guy who did AC work on the side. Always looking to save a few bucks, we called the “mystery guy” named Dennis who said he wouldn’t be available for a couple days.

“No prob,” we replied. “We’ll see you then!”

What followed was a stretch of near 90 degree temps with thick Ohio humidity you could serve with a ladle.

Yes, I was fried. My MS-infused nerve endings were popping like bacon on a hot skillet. My dogged feet dragged ruts in the carpet going room-to-room in search of a cool spot.

I baked. It would have been cooler in the oven had I turned on the exhaust fan.

I rejoiced as word came that Dennis, my new-found AC savior, would be here the following afternoon. That night was another restless slumber. I actually had to be peeled from the sheets getting up in the morning.

My legs were weak. My arms were numb. I was Betty Spaghetti’s older brother, Bobby.

Put me in a strainer ‘cuz I was 180 lbs of cooked pasta.

Dennis knocked on the door promptly at 3:30. After I finished kissing his scuffed boots, he and his tools commenced to work on our defunct air conditioning.

A mere five minutes later the behemoth box was humming with life. Seems it had been turned off outside and all Dennis had to do was flip a switch. (We had new siding installed last fall so the siding guy disconnected the AC and simply forgot to turn it back on.)

Cool air returned — and slowly, so did feeling in my body.

Thanks to Dennis I have returned to my usual summer haunt. Hogging all the air. A glutton for comfort, I am.

I tell you this tale because you already know the tricks of keeping cool when temps flare. So I’ll just remind you to be careful. Work slow and steady. And enjoy the too too hot summer wisely.

*Doug writes silly stuff about MS and other topics on his humor blog at myoddsock.com

I Crumble in the Summer Heat and Sweltering Humidity

Posted on June 25, 2021 by MSAA

By Penelope Conway

Last summer the heat outside kicked my butt. I tried all the normal tricks to remain cool and keep my core body temperature down, but no matter what I did my body grew weaker as the summer progressed. I’m not looking forward to the coming hotter days.

It’s crazy to get exhausted just going to the mailbox. That short of a trip and I’m ready for a nap. I have learned to take things as they come and listen to my body even though it’s not always easy to do. It can actually get quite frustrating.

Sometimes I will have my heart set on going somewhere then not have the energy to go and have to cancel plans. Or I have something that needs to get done but it doesn’t get done for days and days and days just because I can’t muster up the strength to do it. If I could, I would hire a maid to clean for me, a cook to make my meals and a chauffeur to take me places. Now that would be the life! Include getting rid of MS into the mix and that would be my dream come true.

But as it is right now, I’m the one that has to do everything. It’s up to me to take care of the house, do the laundry, prepare my meals, bathe, vacuum, pay the bills, make the bed, put gas in the van, clean up my messes, and live with MS.

Between the coming heat and sweltering humidity, I crumble. Some of my tips of how to survive the hot days may seem a bit odd, but they work for me.

Wear an Ice Vest to Bed

I have an ice vest I receive many years ago but it’s too heavy to wear so I have created a lighter weighted version of the vest and wear it to bed. That’s the time of day I really need help with the heat the most. If I can’t get comfortable at night, I’m miserable. The ice will stay cold for about two and a half hours and then I switch out the ice with a second set of ice packs.

Make Cold Drinks

I keep plenty of frozen water bottles that I take out of the freezer an hour before bed so they have time to thaw out and I can sip on them. I also will use my ninja blender to crush ice and make soft snow cones to enjoy. They actually cool me down quite a bit.

Keep a Water Hose Hooked Up Outside and Ready to Spray

I still do yard work which can be killer in the heat but having access to water that you can spray as needed helps. I have been known for getting drenched each trip on my riding mower to the back yard.

So what do I do when the heat overwhelms me and I can’t do what I need to do? I do what I can and leave the rest for another day. I have had to learn to be okay with not getting everything done that I want or even need done.

Taking care of me is way more important these days than taking out the trash or getting the mail. My well-being is more important than attending a ballgame in 100 degree weather and my health is of greater importance than buying a birthday gift for the lady down the street.

Be good to yourself. Take care of you. No one else is going to do it for you. It’s okay to cancel plans, veg on the couch, sleep late, and most importantly to need help. That’s not being stubborn or selfish. That just what you have to do to keep going.

Keep going, doing, being, until you can’t any longer. I have never met an MSer that wasn’t a strong and powerful fighter even on their weakest days. We push through some of the toughest battles. Things that other people never see or even know about because we simply keep going. MSers are an amazing example of strength, persistence and determination. I’m so very proud of you and cheering you on today.

*Penelope Conway was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in November 2013. She is the author and founder of Positive Living with MS (positivelivingwithms.com) where she uses humor and her own life experiences with MS to help others navigate this unpredictable journey. She believes that staying positive and holding onto hope is the key to waking up each morning with the strength to get through the day.

Summer Heat

Posted on June 23, 2021 by MSAA

By Stacie Prada

Summer’s here, it’s getting hot, and it’s getting really tough to stay cool.

With multiple sclerosis, many people have heat sensitivity that triggers MS symptoms. For me, it brings on fatigue, and my body goes numb. It usually starts with my feet and legs. Without intervention, the numbness can spread to my full body from the neck down. It’s not disease progression, but it can be frustrating and depressing. In my youth I basked in and relished extreme heat. Now it makes me anxious for the possible consequences.

Suggestions abound for ways to stay cool in the summer heat. Stay hydrated, wear cooling aids, stay in the shade, have air conditioning, travel somewhere cooler, be rich. The last one is said in jest, but there are so many barriers to remaining cool when the weather heats up for more than a day or two. I suspect the barriers are easier to remove when wealthy.

The preferred options are also very individual. Environment, health, finances and area of control differ drastically for each person. Cool showers work for me, but they might not be possible when needed. They can also be difficult for those with mobility issues. My go-to method is to use my medication cold packs as cooling aids. Wrapped in a towel, they cool me down quickly when placed on my belly or the back of my neck.

I don’t have air conditioning in my home or at work, so I plan ahead for hot days. My office is located in an historic building of stone and brick construction without air conditioning. We fondly refer to our office as a pizza oven when the brick warms up and our offices remain excessively warm for days. In my area, it’s the start of a heat wave. It was 80 degrees at my desk today, and the humidity made it feel hotter.

I drink cold water, use the ceiling fans, open the windows for air flow, and direct a small fan above my desk at my torso. Films coating the windows and blinds adjusted help diffuse the sun’s rays from directly warming the office. None of this keeps the office cool, but it makes it a little more bearable.

It’s a challenge getting work done and looking professional while trying not to overheat. Sportswear is good for the technical construction and breathable fabric designed to keep athletes comfortable, but it can get expensive and isn’t always appropriate for the office. Sun dresses, skirts, breezy style tops and other loose clothing that don’t cling to sweating skin help. Often being comfortable can be achieved, yet we resist in an effort to be socially acceptable and presentable. The business world generally encourages discomfort at the expense of good self-care. I want to give myself and others permission to do whatever it takes to stay as cool and comfortable as possible in hot weather.

I try to remember the conditions where I am are not the same everywhere, and they’re sometimes drastically different at a nearby location. It’s interesting to me how different it is for the offices across the hall located on the shady side of the building. They’re often cool even on very hot days. I need to remember this. Where might it be cooler? Go there for a moment. Even a quick break could help.

Note to self: Sometimes it’s not about being able to do something to relieve the discomfort, it’s about giving myself permission to do what it takes to be comfortable.

I live near the beach, and yesterday I walked along the shore barefoot in the water. It felt so decadent that I couldn’t believe I’d resisted the idea of taking off my shoes and socks to get in. I knew the saltwater would be really cold, and it was. I hadn’t considered how refreshing it would be after the initial shock. It cooled me off, and the unplanned stroll was heaven.

Lesson noted: Sometimes the initial discomfort is necessary to get to comfortable conditions.

Please do what you need to do to care for yourself and those around you, especially in heat waves and situations where certain behavior is expected. You might just inspire someone else to give themselves the permission they need.

The War on Summer Heat

Posted on June 11, 2021 by MSAA

By Lauren Kovacs

It is a war of bugs and blankets of heat.

Limit time outdoors folks. Being unsocial is part of MS for many. I would rather not be a wet noodle. Even if you are an extrovert, say “no” to the soggy social butterfly. I would rather be perky than soggy. Butterflies can’t fly with wet wings and MS can drench them. Be social inside. Air conditioning is our friend. Stay cool and they will come, so to speak.

Drink slushees and smoothies. I find sipping semi frozen drinks help me, if I can get through the brain freeze. When available, ice cream is my BFF. Ice being the main word for me. Wear ice and consume it.

Cool feet housed in sandals, a cold drink, air conditioning and various cooling items are my shields in the war on summer heat.

I also picked up a trick from my aunt years ago for fashion purposes. Now, I use it for MS. Swim trunks make great shorts, with the mesh cut out. They can get wet, thus a glorious moment of reprieve. Bonus, they dry fast and allow for multiple cooling opportunities.

I used cooling wrist wraps, when I rode horses for therapy. I need new ones, however. Their farm smell was offensive at my last theme park visit.

While the kids rode some puke inducing roller coaster, I waited in the shade. Many folks didn’t embrace the earthy smell my wrist wraps were omitting. So yeah I need new ones.

Cool is cool. We are not going to gain brownie points. I often pay for trying to be outside. Stay where it is cool. I personally have days of paybacks just for letting my butterfly be social. If I get hot, then paybacks are longer.

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