Back to school

Kinda at the last minute I decided to sign up for classes at MATC (local community college). By last minute, I registered for classes 2 days before they started. It has been a bit of an internal debate about whether or not I should go back this semester but I finally decided that I want to. There was a brief period where I was considering not going back at all. I just wondered what was the point if there is no way to know how long I would be able to work. I didn't want to spend all the time in school and then only end up working at my career for a year or two. I have know way of knowing how long I might be able to work, and I still won't like it if it were only for a short period, but I have determined that finishing college is still important to me. 

I am glad that I took last semester off because I wouldn't have been able to have finished all my classes. It just would have been too much with all the doctor visits and the feeling terrible. I'm feeling less terrible so I'm hoping I can handle this semester. I signed up for "easy" classes, ie no calculus or physics. I hope to go back to MSOE in the fall (to finish my dual degree in mechanical engineering and business management) so this is kinda like a test run. I'm taking four classes and all but one of them are online. I only have to drive to campus one day a week. Hopefully, this means I'll be able to do my work when I'm having a good day and won't have to worry as much about trying to get to school if the weather is bad. 

Registering for classes was interesting. I was registering later so that limited my choices. Then I was looking for "easy" classes that transferred that were scheduled at a campus close to me. I didn't want classes that started before 10am and ended later then 3pm. And I wanted to minimize the number of days I was driving. Despite all these restraints, I seemed to have found a schedule that works. I'm taking a leadership principles class, supply chain management, personal selling and supervision. The leadership and supervision class are a bit confusing because the same professor teaches them, the course number is only one digit different, and right now the material is very similar.  

Other than the first day I'm off to a great start but more on that later.

Drugs are working?

I have been on Gilenya for a month now. People keep asking if it is working and I have no idea. It is too soon to tell. Even if i had been on the drug for a few months the only way to know how the drug is working is through an MRI. And even if there are fewer lesions, active or not, on the MRI that doesn't mean that it is because of the drug. I could just be "in remission". And my MS could be progressing without any bad stuff showing up. Bad stuff referring to new or active lesions, brain shrinkage or any of other that fun stuff. It doesn't seem fair that I can get worse without it showing up but I suppose that's pretty much why MS is so hard to treat. 

Anyways, I think I'm doing well on it. I haven't had any new flare ups since I started the Gilenya. My symptoms don't seem to be getting worse. For awhile it seemed like my legs were almost totally back to normal but now they can be good or bad at anytime again. I have experienced very few side effects from the Gilenya. For the first few days, it was extremely painful if I wasn't laying down with my back straight but now the back pain is completely gone. The only side effect I have now is dry skin which is just horrible. Just kidding, it isn't that bad at all but if you know of a good scalp lotion please let me know. And I have either another month or three month supply coming for free on Friday. I get to spend 12 hours waiting at home because apparently I'm the only one that can sign for it? Whatever, kinda a small sacrifice for free drugs. All in all I can't really complain. 

I'm not dead yet

I haven't written in a while because I haven't known what to say. I have a lot rumbling through my mind that I'd like to write about but I have figured out how to accurately put them into words or complete thoughts yet. 

I never did follow up with the ophthalmologist like I was supposed to after my ER visit. They would have dilated my eyes and everything which I need to lay down for a few hours after otherwise I get a bad migraine. I didn't want to miss my extended family's Christmas party so I didn't go. I'm glad I skipped going since that was the first time the entire family was together in three years and it was nice to see everyone. 

Anyways I talked to my doctor and the doctor who was on call. They think the steroids had raised my blood sugar which is what caused my messed up vision. The call doctor had wanted the ER to take my blood sugar but they didn't so we will never really know the cause. I didn't see the eye doctor when I was there either so the whole trip was kinda moot and a waste of time. Oh well, at least insurance paid for the whole thing. It is a little worrisome that I have never had a reaction to the steroids before and then this popped up. I was on antibiotics at the time and they could have speed up the metabolism rate of the steroids? Not sure but I'm glad that Dr. Maas isn't saying no more steroids in the future. They make me feel so good I don't want to give them up.

After the Christmas party we drove down to visit my family in Tennessee. It was a nice trip but I feel bad because my health limited what we did. I had some bad fevers and just overall wasn't feeling good. Seems like I spent half the trip laying down. Apparently all that resting just wasn't enough because since we got home I have had pretty bad fatigue. 

2012 is off to a great start? I guess I can't really complain because so far no doctor appointments. Soon...I have another dozen appointments coming up in a week or two. Most of which I need to schedule yet...hey it's been nice pretending that I don't need to go. Wow can you believe that January is almost over already? Maybe it is just me because I have been Lady Van Winkle lately but I keep thinking its like January 6th.