One Benefit of MS

Since my MS is affecting my lower spine, I have decreased sensitivity below my waist. What better way to take advantage of this than to get tattoos! I've gotten two tattoos since I've known about my MS and I could barely feel them. This could be dangerous......

This one was done by my friend Danny Warner from Classic Tattoo in Grass Valley, CA. There is a tattoo expo in town and he just happens to be there so I took advantage. I asked for a sugar skull and gave him total artistic license. The Day of the Dead is probably my favorite holiday and since I've lost a lot of loved ones over the last year, I thought this could be a tribute to all of them.

This one took close to five hours

It's still really swollen and will look MUCH better in a few days. All of the different colors colors will stand out once my skin isn't so hard, pink and irritated.

This one is in the middle of my low back (AKA Tramp Stamp). It was done by my amazing friend Megan. It is her artwork and it is a symbol for grief. I had her place it directly over the area of my spine that is being affected by the MS and giving me all of my grief. The cool thing about this one is that, if I want, I can have her fill in the cross and the symbol will then mean love.


If I had more money, I'd be covered in tattoos...especially now that I can barely feel them. Since I'm stuck with this disease and all of it's annoying side effects, I'm going to be taking advantage where I can so don't be mad Padre. I'm not ruining my body, just adorning it with things that make me happy.

Spinal Tap Results

I saw my doctor today for the results from my spinal tap last week. There were no surprises. The proteins they expected to see were there which confirms the diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis. I was sort of relieved because if they were not there, then we would have a hard road trying to figure out what was actually going on.
Dr. Copass said, "We are going to wrap you up and try to sell you to the University but if they won't take you then I'll keep you". He says that the University MS Clinic caters to money and not patients but he would like me to be treated there. If they won't treat me (since I have no sponsor and no insurance) then he will treat me himself. He is going to pull some strings and try to get me into the clinic. If anyone can accomplish this, it is Dr. Copass. He said it's going to take a couple weeks for him to get it all sorted out and that he would like to see me again in a month. In the meantime, I will be looking into Yoga for people with MS and continue taking my Baclofen, which seems to helping the pain and weakness in my legs.

Spinal Taps Suck

I had my spinal tap yesterday and I hated it. Do you know the feeling at the dentist when they give you the Novocaine shot in your gums and they pull in and out and poke around? Well, imagine that in your spine. That's what it felt like. He hit a nerve and I sorta yelled but he immediately moved the giant needle and the weird pain went away. I had some pain in my left SI joint right after the whole thing was over but it went away by the time I went to bed. I can't believe how fast I fell asleep last given the amount of caffeine I took in. I guess the stress of the whole thing just knocked me out.
So far I've followed the doctor's orders (except for sitting at the computer right now) and drank tons of caffeine and stayed flat on my back all evening/night yesterday and have managed to avoid the headache. I have some back pain that feels like a bruise deep in my spinal column but it's manageable. I go to see the Neuro next Thursday for the test results.
Supposed to take it easy today too and stay horizontal and drink plenty of fluids so back to sofa I go......