Changes

It has been a busy couple of weeks around here.  Sam had been flying back and forth to Canada for about a month, in hopes of landing a large project for Clark Construction.  Alas, it wasn't meant to be as they lost to a Canadian company.  They gave it their best effort though but everyone seemed a little defeated.

I have finally connected with 3 new doctors.  The first being my neurologist.  He is a good looking doc if I say so myself.  He is changing the medication that I have taken since 1997, Avonex.  He is changing it to Gilenya.  It is a new oral drug and it is stronger than the Avonex.  Dr. Bettle said because I had been having flare-ups, the Avonex was not doing its job.

Gilenya has been talked about a lot in the news because of a serious side effect.  It can affect your heart.  Some people have died but those looking out for things like this, are not sure if it was the new drug or something else they were taking.  A report on their findings should be out tomorrow.  I have NOT started it as they will have the drug made, mail it to me, and then I will call Dr. Bettle to set up an appointment with him at his office.  The first dose is done in the office so they can keep an eye on you for any complications.  They have many of their patients on this drug without any problem.  I have to stay for 6 hours during this monitoring and I will be checked every hour.  Your heart could slow down and this is why you take the first dose with them.  It does recover but it doesn't happen real fast.

Based on this, you may be saying to yourself - why am I doing this?  I trust what my doctor has told me, I have checked online for information, and I won't have to give me a shot every week into my thigh.  I have an opthamologist, taking care of my eyes, to make sure there is no problem with them on this drug.

I have a new psychiatrist for my depression.  He also changed my medication by increasing one of the drugs.  He seems OK but I will wait and see how it goes.  He is different.  His office is on the second floor and I have to go up stairs to get to it.  I don't have a problem doing this feat right now but I am not sure what would happen if I am not able.  I am not sure if he has another office.  I guess I will cross that bridge when I come to it.

I also have a new urologist because of an over active bladder.  I have dealt with this problem for many years.  What my doctor is going to do is use Botox to calm it down.  I will have this procedure on Monday, April 23.  I am not going into details on what will be done unless someone wants that information.  Just let me know an I will send the information by separate email.

We still need to find a general doctor and my female doctor.  When you can't get a referral from someone, you just have to close your eyes and pick one.  We also look for someone close to us if we can, though we have had to drive into Savannah for doctors.  Savannah is about a half hour from us so it doesn't take much time to get there.

We still haven't straighten out the 2nd bedroom.  It doesn't have as many boxes as before but the room needs a makeover.  This was my room to do my scrap booking and other crafts in and so far it is a catch all for everything we don't know where else to put it.  We do have nothing but time so it isn't a big priority  except maybe to me.  he he.  We did get new pillows for the chairs and couch in the family room.  They look pretty good.  I went and used a brighter color to give it a little pop!  Sounds like one of those home shows.

We are planning a cruise to Western Europe September 1.  We will fly into Barcelona, Spain, and depart from there.  We will then go to Naples/Pompeii, Italy, Livorno (Florence/Pisa) Italy, Cannes, France, Marseille, France, and then back to Barcelona.  It will be a 7 day trip.  We will probably stay a day in Barcelona before flying back home.  This will be our first trip to Europe.  It will take us about 17 hours to fly there between the layovers and time changes.  On the way over, we will stop twice but on the way back, it will only be once.  Why they don't have a flight like that going, is any bodies guess.

The MS Walk happens next month but we will be missing it this year.  In June will be the golf tournament for Betty's Builders, so we decided to fly then rather than for both.  We haven't missed that walk in over 10 years, so it is a little strange not participating.

We are meeting the neighbors on our street and everyone has been wonderful.  The last house will be built on the lot right next to us and this will be the last one.  Our street will be finished.  We wished we had purchased this lot but we were too late.  We will just have close neighbors.  It will be good ...