It's Likely

Catch up here, here, here, here, here, here and here before you read on. If you want.

Sheesh!!!

I've already been through a lot.

If you already know the deal, here's where the story starts again.

I'll make this as quick as possible.

After taking a break from the whole MS thing, I visited a NEW neurologist yesterday. He is an MS Specialist working out of a highly accredited facility.

We talked for an hour about all my past tests, symptoms, and what's currently happening in my life. I was so pleased with him, there are not enough words to express my appreciation for a doctor who actually cares and listens.

He is the first doctor who actually viewed my brain MRI scans. He also viewed all my past test results and a symptoms list that I've been adding stuff to since May 2009. After all of this, he decided that he wanted to do a Spinal MRI, another EEG, and an Optic Neuritis test.

He said that it is likely that I have MS, but that he didn't want to make the diagnosis until viewing the results of these new tests. He's doing the EEG again because he wants to see the results for himself and have his practice perform the test. Luckily, this time it'll be completed in the office and I won't have to wear it for 72hrs.

I was fine during the entire appointment but had a little breakdown in the hallway when my husband asked if I was alright.

The Doc explained 4 different treatments I could follow. He grouped 3 of them together as sort of working the same way and then mentioned a seperate one on it's own. He said he would give me some information on each so that I could decide on my own. Each treatment requires self torture, I mean self injections. Some daily, some as 'little' as 3 times a week. Yea!

From here, I expect a few more breakdowns, a few more tests, and finally an answer. Whether it's the one I want or not. I'm willing to bet it's the one I don't want. Especially since he's already telling me about ways to "treat" it.

FYI...there is NO treatment for MS. It can NOT be cured. The "treatments" will only slow the deterioration of my brain and possibly, my spinal cord.

I'm numb.

On to the...

Educational Portion:

I think I've said all this in previous posts but I'll say it again for my newbies.

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system attacks the myelin coating that protects the central nervous system and the brain. The inflammation and scarring of the myelin interrupts the usual communication between nerve cells and can result in a wide variety of symptoms depending upon the affected areas. These may include blurred or double vision, loss of balance, trouble with coordination, muscle stiffness, bladder problems and memory loss or other cognitive concerns.

Not all people will experience the same symptoms as the disease's progression is unpredictable and personal.

Her Name was Lola, She was a Showgirl

Meet Lola. She is the newest member of the Ellis family. Lola is a 4 year old Great Dane who weighs in at 134.6lbs. We adopted her from a family that could no longer care for her.

Lola has a few issues that we just discovered today, 3 days after her adoption. We'll get to those later.

I think she's happy with her new family. She's got a thing about licking my face.

Bean and her new best friend.

Bean layed Bear on Lola while she was napping.

She doesn't care.

Showgirl!

In the yard. You can see Max in the background, he can't even reach her face.


Watching TV with Bean. Her previous owners had her outdoors and she only layed on cement. The light patches you see are where she has lost hair from that. The vet says it should grow back.

Lola is the sweetest dog I have ever came in contact with. She's great with the kids, doesn't fight with the other dogs, which is good because Max acts as if he's on uppers 24 hours a day and Kouma needs to be put in his place every now and then. She plays ball with Max, but can't keep up with Kouma. LOL!

I took Lola to the vet today. I wanted to get a general check-up and also have a 'sore' on the bottom of her paw looked at. We confirmed her weight (above), learned that her right eyelid has no pigment (which is fine) and may be red just because of UV rays. The vet put her on an ointment just to be sure. If her eye is naturally that red, then there's no harm. If it's not, the ointment will help with the irritation. That's why her eye looks watery in the first pic.

We received some not-so-good news about Lola's paw.

The Doc said, "it may be a tumor". It's definitely not an irritated or enlarged pad. The "tumor" is to the side of her pad. The Doc was squeezing it and looking all around it and he said he felt something hard inside of it. He's not sure if it's bone or what and he said he's never seen anything like it.

He told us many different things that we could do from here but I think we're going to get a second opinion first. Lola doesn't show that she has any issues or pain with that paw. She plays, she gives you 'five', she runs, jumps and is like any other gentle giant. :)

We're hoping that it's something easy, like a cyst or just a wierd thing that she has. An extra bit of padding for her right front paw.

The picture of Lola's paw was sent to another vet by a very kind lady. That vet said that it may be best to take a piece of it and have it biopsied.

We didn't expect this.

I just wanted to adopt a Gentle Giant. And that's what I got, plus one little extra thing that I wish would just go away.

Put Your Thinking Caps On

This girl is a WHIZ! She put her bucket on, um...I mean 'thinking cap', and POOF! she could magically read. She read the whole book all by herself.

Now, the book was pretty easy and I have read it to her a million and 1 times. But it was so cute how she picked up her ''cap'', put it on her head, and climbed in the chair with her book, Ah Choo.

She started at page one and read, AH...Choo!!! She then turned to page 2 and again read, AH CHOO!!!

LOL!

She's so smart! And she's an excellent fake sneezer.

The Girls

I don't think this post needs words. :)

Looking for Dad

I had a pretty great childhood, and I think my mom did a beautiful job at raising me. :)~

She was Mom, and she was Dad. And from the time I was born to the time I left the house, temporarily (but we didn't know it then), she was always there. Sometimes more then I wanted her to be. But now I can look back and say, my mom dedicated her life to me, and my sis. She made sure we were taken care of, she went to work, she came home, she went to work, she came home. Her life, her wants, and her needs, were put on hold for sis and I.

I look back and truly appreciated all my mom did for me. And continues to do for me.

But there has always been something someone....'not there'.

The story of 'Dad' is a long one, I'll give you the condensed version. The biggest interruption, alcohol. My dad was an alcoholic. And from what I've learned from many trips to AA for Teens of Alcoholic Parent(s), once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic.

My parents divorced when I was young and I'm assuming it was because my mom couldn't handle the drinking any longer. Many bad things happened and almost happened to me and my sis because of his drinking, but my mom did everything she could to protect us.

As dad went down the road of recovery, he hit many bumps along the way. Eventually, he was sober long enough for my mom to allow him to come around again.

I remember when I was in middle school (and high school), he would catch a bus to mom's house to visit me. We would grab our tennis rackets and head across the street to the middle school courts. We never stayed on the courts very long because we both sucked! We decided to play doubles. Me and dad against the massive wall of AMS.

Other times we would take the basketball out for a round or two of H.O.R.S.E. I can't remember who won but I was pretty good then, we'll say it was me. On days when the sun brought too much heat to southwest Houston, we stayed inside and played games. Mainly dominoes. That's why I always kick the hubs' ass today. Ha! Ha! (Love ya Babe!)

Now that I'm thinking about it, I remember days when I would visit him at the halfway house and play pool for hours. I loved playing pool with dad. I also remember him working at a dog kennel, or something like it, and I would walk through with him and pet all the dogs.

Anyway, after his visits we would pile in the car and mom would drop dad off at the bus station. He'd give me a kiss and we'd say our goodbye's. As we drove off I'd watch him walk to the bench, drop his bag, and take a seat. When we turned out of the station and headed back home, I would look at him from a distance. Sometimes he waved, sometimes he didn't.

I guess this isn't the condensed version. Sorry.

As I got older, spending weekends with Dad didn't sound like much fun. His visits became few and far between.

Graduation approached and I remember he was very excited to see his only child graduate. The day came but my dad didn't. Some time in the year of 2000 was the last I saw or talked to him.

It's been 9 years and many things have changed. Two kids, a new house, new husband (not in that order), new job, new problems and a new me.

So where are you Robbie Jim Cochran?

I have a few things to show you. Bean and D are wonderful children. Sean aka 'The Hubs' makes everyday a good one (most of the time), and I'm still your little girl. Just all grown up.

And I know this is a loooooooooooong shot but, if you know him, just tell him I love him.

San Diego Sun

We traveled to San Diego on "business'' but decided to take in a little pleasure before the pain, I mean business.

The view from our hotel room.

Again. Right before sunset.

The Hubs.

Again. Mid-yawn.

Checking it out.

Another view, you can see an aircraft carrier in the distance.

Let's go eat!

The view from our table.

Goodnight San Diego.

Good Morning San Diego. And...

Goodbye.

Going on 'Vacation'

Hey everyone! I'm going to be away for a while, I'm having surgery tomorrow and it'll take me a good week to get back to normal.