Sweet 16

Well, time certainly flies when you're not paying attention.

The holidays were a mixed bag of tricks and emotions. Sad to be away from family and happy to be making new friends, but the roller coaster of emotions takes its toll.

However, it is new year. Speaking of years, it was 16 years ago this week that I was diagnosed with MS. Sweet 16.

I was concerned, after accepting a job so far away and all that the move entailed, that the stress of all of it might exacerbate one or more of my MS symptoms. In the past, I've noticed that I will get a little more fatigued, have a little more pain, or whatever at the 6 week mark. Meaning 6 weeks after a stressor, I will have more symptoms.

Well, here I am, 3 months post-decision, and 2 months post-move, and no signs of any flare up or worsening of symptoms.

So that's the good news.

I suspect the cold weather has assisted my current health status. It's freakin' cold up here. And dry. Yeah, that famous dry cold. And that was before that polar vortex. At least the frizz has left my hair.

I have a neuro appointment in a couple of weeks, but it's in Edmonton, which means a few hours on a bus to get there, a stay overnight in the city, then home the next day. I need to be assessed by a neuro in the Alberta Health Services, despite having been on Avonex for 14 years (albeit in Nova Scotia). That seems a little foolish to me, but that's the way our health system works in this country. Sadly, each province handles things differently, which means red tape here and there.

Interestingly, Alberta has a high number of MS cases. To be fair, the country has one of the highest rates in the world, if not the highest. I keep reading different numbers on different websites about who leads in that race. I still haven't reached out to the MS Society, Alberta division, but hope to do that soon.

I have met a couple of people who know other people with MS, but haven't met any of them yet. Maybe they're hibernating.