Changes

Fall has arrived.  We are having warm temperatures during the day and cooler temperatures at night.  We actually opened our bedroom windows last night instead of using air conditioning.  This has not happened for a very long time.

The electric bills have not been extremely high because our house is very efficient with keeping a good even, cool temperature.  Thank goodness!

I had three MRI's done in the last couple of weeks.  One for my head, one for the spine, and one for my neck.  Everything is stable with the MS but the MRI showed a mass on my thyroid, about an inch and a half.  The doctor reading the MRI or my Neurologist could not figure out what it was showing, so I was asked to go to an Endocrinologist to have it checked.

Being in Bluffton, South Carolina has great advantages with location, easy living, and good friends that were made.  The biggest problem, though, is finding good doctors.  I have had to drive to Savannah, Georgia, for some appointments, which is about 30-40 minutes, which isn't a bad drive.  I have my Neurologist in Port Royal, SC, which is about the same distance from us only going North.

The other issue is finding a specialist that takes our insurance too.  I thought I found one in Savannah, who takes our insurance, said they were taking new patients, and had my Neurologists office send all my information.  I was told I would be called to make an appointment, either on Monday afternoon or sometime on Tuesday of this present week, September 24 or 25.

I waited and waited, but I did not hear from anyone.  By early afternoon, on Tuesday, I placed a call to the doctor's office in Savannah, Georgia.  I was put into voice mail and I left a message with her nurse.  I did not receive a call back on Tuesday and I am still waiting for a call today, Wednesday.  I even called my Neurologist, on Tuesday late afternoon, to let them know I had no response yet from this doctor and they placed a call to get someone but also was put into voicemail.  How can a doctor's office calling another doctor's office, not get a response back?

S o o o o, I let my fingers do some walking on the Internet to find a doctor maybe in Charleston.  Charleston is a longer drive, about 2-1/2 hours but we are willing to go anywhere to get the help we might need.  I did find another doctor in Charleston, who takes our insurance, called my Neurologist's office today, gave them the information, and they were going to try and get an appointment for me.  Again, I have not heard a thing!  If this new doctor I am trying to get, does not respond either, I have another one to call.  Why is this being so hard?  Can't someone understand that the person who has an issue with any part of their body, needs to have an answer to put their mind at ease or for them to determine what their next step would be, to handle the problem?

This is so frustrating!!!!

I have hooked up with a local support group.  I am not actually a leader for the group, but someone that will help them out.  The group is mainly made up with people from Sun City, though there are a couple of us "outsiders".  It has been hard to fit with this group, as conversations tend to go with the doings at Sun City and they want to socialize.  So far, not a lot has been accomplished, but I hope I can help out with this issue.

I have a hard time following conversations when multiple conversations are going at once.  I get distracted, from the main speaker, when people are having "side bar chats".  I have decided now to ask people to not talk while someone is talking.  As I usually say, "One Conversation at a Time".  You would think that this would be common sense but I also realize the need to say something before it is forgotten.  We just have to learn to take our turns.
      

Where is the time going?

It is almost Fall!  The start of craft shows, warm apple cider, fires in the fireplace, cooler nights, and beautiful days.  Before you know it, it will the holidays.

We have had a busy summer this year.  We spent a good portion of July in California and in August, we had Gabe and Sophia, our grandchildren, stay with us for a few days.  Tony and Abby were finally able to see our house in South Carolina and that was very special.  We don't get a chance to see any of the family much, so this visit was wonderful.

We continue to change things around the house.  Right now, a bookcase is being built for either my craft room or maybe the office.  We are not sure where it should go.  The craft room is looking pretty good as we had put up a shelf above my work table, that holds baskets right now but it looks great.  It has given the room a more finished look.  It is still a work in process.

I will have a girlfriend from High School visiting this weekend, September 15-18.  We have stayed in touch all these years, since 1971.  I have a few other friends that I also stay in touch with from High School but Cathy will be the first one to visit.

I have to come up with ideas for sightseeing.  She likes history and there is definitely history around here.  We only have a couple of days to visit so we need to plan the best sites in a short amount of time.  I guess it is time to let my fingers to do the walking on the Internet.

I did get good news about my eyes.  They are both doing just fine.  The specialist said he saw a couple of small spots that looked to be swelling but it was not anything for him to worry about right now.  I am to have my ophthalmologist keep an eye on them, which I see every three months.

I also had two MRI's done, one last week for my brain, and this week for the neck and spine.  I will see  my neurologist in a couple of weeks to get the results.  I am still on the oral drug called Gilenya.  This may change once I see the doctor.  I have had issues with walking and stumbling but I haven't fallen, which is a very good thing.

We keep looking at trips or cruises but we haven't decided on anything.  My issue is the walking of places.  I would like to see so many different things but I have to either not see them or to figure out a way to do so.  So far, the figuring out has not been very successful.  It is so very hard to not be able to do things without a second thought.  I have to plan for my energy and the length of time of walking.  I have to make sure I am not in really hot heat for a long time without getting my body core back down to better temperature.  If not, I won't be able to function for very long.  You would think that the cold would be better for me, but if the cold is too cold, my legs won't function either.  Can't win either way!

We are doing well in South Carolina.  We have really gotten into the slower pace.  We don't seem to worry about things as much as we did in California.  Going out on the boat is so relaxing.  We go about 4 mph. and that is all the way in speed.  It is OK, as we have nothing else to worry about right now.