[misc.handicap] Shalom/Hello Again

Nadine.Thomas@p59.f1.n360.z1.fidonet.org (Nadine Thomas) (10/26/90)

Index Number: 11281

Hi Aaron.......
Glad you are back. Sorry you are having such a difficult time with the
MS and the neurologist.
My neighbor has MS and she has the same problems with her exacerbations
and the doctors.
She recommends the following books written by Nancy Mairs :

"Plain Text" 
"Carnal Acts"

Reach out - your friends will be there for you.  There are
community services that are available for just such help - call
your local information and referral hotline for phone numbers.

Nadine

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Charlotte.Ferris@f5.n382.z1.fidonet.org (Charlotte Ferris) (10/26/90)

Index Number: 11335

        Shalom, Aaron.....
                Your last post sounded kind of blue, so I wanted to give you 
an electronic pat on the back. Hope you're feeling better by now. I agree, 
the scary part of the whole schmeer is organizing help all of a sudden when 
you need it.  That happened to me 2 summers ago when I caught pneumonia and 
came out of the hospital 9 wks later with a tracheostomy and a portable 
ventilator.  I had needed attendant care before that point, but all of a 
sudden, I needed a whole lot more.  It kind of threw my household into 
disarray for awhile and was a very unhappy time for me. But just hang in 
there.
        And another thing: don't let your doctor totally control your 
reality for you.  Some doctors are real jerks, and ignorant besides. If you 
do not believe it is "all in your head," then don't let your doctor try to 
insist that's the reality.  I have had a number of fights with doctors over 
various conditions I have had in which I have been PROVED RIGHT.
        The insurance thing: is there some reason you don't have Medicare? 
If you do have it, find a doctor who won't hold it against you or treat you 
like a second-class citizen because of it. For lack of any more information 
about your situation, I'll stop preaching now.....but the best of luck to 
you. Keep posting to us. 
 

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Aaron.Feldman@f204.n260.z1.fidonet.org (Aaron Feldman) (10/26/90)

Index Number: 11341

Nadine thank you for your reply. Yes you caught the word for 
me.."violated and powerless". I realize that perhaps these people are 
well meaning but when it goes beyond saying "Yes thank you, I do have a 
permit" and there is still doubt and questioning, I felt I was violated 
beoc it appeared that according to *him* I did not qualify. I know the 
angry is still there. I read something that anger masks sometimes wounds 
to our self esteem. This I believe. Thanks again, Aaron

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Adrienne.Barhydt@p15.f41.n105.z1.fidonet.org (Adrienne Barhydt) (10/27/90)

Index Number: 11352

Hi Aaron,

I hope you are feeling better.

 AF> I called a 
 AF>neurologist and he asked me after 2 days when he got to the phone if I 
 AF>felt it was a *reaction formation* since this was not the typical course 
 AF>of my MS. My leg was completely numb and I had painful parathesias in the 
 AF>back and legs and I thought "Im crazy" on top of it all. Today I have 
 AF>some feeling back in my leg but the rest is about the same. I have been 
 AF>staying to myself. What is there to say. I feel so foolish sometimes with 
 AF>this invisible disease. 

IT IS REAL!  The sypmptoms we experience with MS are real, and unpredictable, 
and they vary.  The only meaningful way to talk about the typical course of 
your MS is retrospectively.  There is no reason to expect it will continue 
to behave the way it has in the past.  

>Oh, the neurologist gave me an appointment in 
 AF>about 2 weeks to see if my symptoms will have subsided by then. The real 
 AF>issue I believe is the first question I was asked is what kind of 
 AF>insurance to you have? I said none and then I was told there would be 
 AF>quite a wait for an appointment.  

That stinks!  The neurologist I see is in the MS clinic at the local 
university hospital.  I don't recall ever having a situation where I needed to 
see her right away.  But they have things set up so that you can call with a 
problem and one of the nurses from the MS clinic will call you back.  That way 
I get to talk to someone quickly who is knowledgeable about me and knowledgable 
about MS and has access to the doctor if there is anything she needs to check 
on.

Take it easy....but take it!

Adrienne 

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