Merry Christmas

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas! This photo was taken at the Amana colonies. We went for brunch at the Ox Yoke for their Sunday buffet. It was outstanding. Too many things for me to sample all of them. Afterwards we went to the Tannenbaum Forest for their Christmas tree display. This is where the photo was taken.

When we went inside someone who was working there at a little dog tucked in the lapel of their overcoat. It was sound asleep. I wish I’d gotten a picture, it was unbelievably cute. I would think it weighed under 2 pounds. I asked about it and find out it was a West Highland Terrier. I know a friend who has a West Highland Terrier and it is an excellent dog.

I hope to get a photo of Macy with her antlers on and Atlas with his on. I want both of them in the same photo. I’m not sure if that’s possible. Right now I have individual photos and will post them later if I can get a combination photo. Have a great holiday season everyone!

               

Evil – Differing Aspects Part One

As all of you know there have been a number of events across the world in which evil has reared its ugly head. I have so many thoughts on this I find it difficult to sort them out. There have been terrorist attacks by “Islamic extremists” and there have been attacks against Planned Parenthood by a “religious extremist”. Perhaps this document will help me.

My first thought is to disagree with the use of the word extremist. To me extremist suggests they are following the teachings of their religion to an extreme. I don’t believe this is true of any religion. No religion teaches the execution of those who are born and live in a different country. I know people say that Israel did this when they went into the land so many years ago. I will have more on this subject in the following post.

We see evil in the world and really I find no human explanation of these crazy acts. These terrorists complete military training and then vent their anger on innocent groups of people. Strange and cowardly. Why do they go to this training and then attack where anyone could attack. Of course they think themselves brave but they are not. I repeat they are cowards!

The Bible teaches us there are two sources of evil working amongst us. In the book of Job, Satan (the evil one) moves major forces and wreaks evil upon Job. We also, find in the letters of Paul, evil resides in the hearts of men (all men). For each individual there is always the path of faith in Jesus Christ to deliver us from the power and penalty of this evil. Coming to Jesus does this in our hearts and gives us the power to ignore it (reckon it dead) and live as Christ wants us to. This leads me to my thoughts on differing aspects of how to deal with evil. I hope to write more in a later post.

 

 

 

Donald Trump – Friend or Foe?

In today’s Cedar Rapids Gazette was the following letter to the editor. I found it very interesting and feel constrained to comment on Donald Trump. I understand he has some valid points and concerns. His solutions are nonexistent or bizarre. I know a lot of people support him but I have some questions.

People portray him as a great businessman who will run America well. My questions are these:

How many times did his businesses is go bankrupt? When his business went bankrupt why did he have enough money to start a new one? What happened to his investors in these dealings? I really don’t see he has enough business acumen. Has anyone told Donald Trump that the president has to work with dozens if not hundreds of people. You can not just announce “you’re fired”. Won’t work. Why on earth would anyone think it would work? The president is not the CEO of the United States and never will be.

I saw him being interviewed along with his wife. He came across human. I understand the media loves his soundbites and exaggerates. I believe his candidacy started out as an attempt to pull the Republican Party in one direction. This Donald Trump movement has probably taken everyone by surprise including himself. I really don’t see how Donald Trump would really want to be President of the United States

Trigeminal Neuralgia Update December 16

I thought it would be good to give a small update even though there’s not much change yet. The doctor said it may be two weeks to three weeks before the new medications kick in. I also have to draw down on the gabapentin over the next week or so. Dr. said not to go cold turkey.

I notice there is a little less pain but not much different. I remain optimistic and have only been on the new med for four days. I can talk slightly better with less pain but eating is still excruciating. It is good thing I like to eat! Drinking from a straw (I normally drink like that now) still hurts but slightly less. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers,
God bless all of you.

Facebook Memory – Santa Cat

This photo popped up on Facebook the other day. Santa Cat stopped by for a visit a few years ago around this time of year. As you can see she was thrilled with her get up. It was similar to when we tried putting a collar on her. Once they were on her she just ceased moving and sulked in one place. She stared into space angrily and was limp if we tried to pick her up.

After the first time of trying to collar her I took it off and never put it back on. She is an indoor cat and does not seem to ever want to go outside except for a couple times. We have taken her outside in the backyard and she wants back in immediately.

I’m showing this photo as a prelude to her new headdress. We hope to have photos of Antlered Kitty later this month. We really hope to have photos of Antlered Kitty along with Atlas with his Christmas headdress.

Weekend

The photo is of Tom’s dog Atlas and Tom’s friends dog Gronk. Gronk is an old English bulldog. He and Atlas are best friends. Atlas and Gronk chased each other, fought over the same toy and wrestled for over two hours. Tom and I got the UFC fight on pay-per-view. Tom friend Jared and another friend Al came over to watch. Howe left his dogs at home. He probably didn’t know it was doggie UFC night.

My wife went to Chicago with one of her sisters and her husband. They went to visit our niece whose son is Carson. That is why Tom was here this weekend. He came to babysit me. I’ve gotten to hang out a lot with Atlas.

He and Macy slept on the bed with me at the same time. We have a new comforter on the bed and it is shinier than the old one. Macy really seems to like the fabric. So Macy makes a little nest between my knees. When she scrunches it down. She Doesn’t want to move even when the dog comes in.

It has been an enjoyable weekend with Tom and his dog. Course I miss my wife but it’s nice that she can get out. The UFC telecast had five fights in it. Couple were good. One was especially bloody. The last one between Connor and Aldo was supposed to be good. It might’ve been if you like Connor. It was over in 13 seconds. Connor caught Aldo with a knockout punch and it was over.

Right now I am home alone with Atlas. Tom is running an errand. Atlas is pouting. He was barking at the neighbors and I scolded him and told him he was a bad dog. He went to the bedroom for a while and now he is back but pouting. He’s a good dog though.

Trigeminal Neuralgia Postdoc Update

My son Tom took me to the neurologist today for my mouth pain. Dr. switched me to a different medicine similar to Tegretol but is better tolerated by MS patient. It may take two or three weeks to be effective and I have to decrease slowly the amount of gabapentin.

I am optimistic that this will help. I did ask what is the next step if this doesn’t work or becomes less effective over time. The neurologist said the next step is to go in Iowa city. They would perform something called a gamma knife on the nerve. Not sure what that is but if  the pain can be decreased or eliminated by that so be it.

I am optimistic this next medication will help but my experience says to plan for the next phase so what happened is not a surprise.

Porch

Yesterday it was warm enough that I was able to go out and enjoy the screened porch. It was a little chilly but I spent about an hour and a half. I find it that my MS makes me very sensitive to heat. I can handle called now and am fine unless I start shivering. Yesterday actually felt comfortable even though was in the 50s.
The trees are pretty barren but the wind was moving them around pretty good. Macy came out and joined me but got all agitated by the blowing leaves. I’m sure she thinks there birds. It was a very enjoyable afternoon.

Trigeminal Neuralgia Yet Another Update

I heard back from the neurologist yesterday and have an appointment tomorrow. He had told my primary care physician that it is rare to perform a procedure to alleviate this problem. So far, in this progression with MS, he has been a bit of a stick in the mud. Not looking forward to this visit. I really can’t live with this pain and I fear he may say “too bad so sad” in effect.

Please pray for me. My son Tom is taking me due to a scheduling conflict for my wife. Please pray for her because it will be tough on her to not be there.

Pebble

Almost 50 years ago I was in the Boy Scouts. We are scheduled to go on a hike of almost 20 miles. To prepare we read some things to help us. One of the things I remember was “putting a pebble in your mouth, under your tongue, helps prevent thirst”. Of course we tried this, my cousins and I. We found it worked and none of us swallowed the pebble by accident.

Earlier this week I spent two days waiting for a call back from the neurologist. It was for my mouth pain. I found that waiting for the call changed my behavior considerably. Everything I did I had to consider “what if they call while I’m doing this”. I didn’t go far my phone for two days. This reminded me of our hope as Christians. I remembered these verses – “how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.” 1 Thessalonians 1:7, 9-10 KJV

The portion “to wait for his son from heaven” has been the pebble in my mouth so to speak. I have thought on this verse all week. It is these pebbles that have kept me from having a “thirsty soul” for many years. One does not need to memorize large portions of Scripture to get the benefit of just a small section.

Macy, the Scowller Kitty

My wife took a picture of my two favorite cats. On the right is Grumpy Cat the Internet superstar. On the left is Macy, the Scowller Kitty. She is scowling a little bit in this picture. She does not like her picture taken.

She is a good kitty. She doesn’t climb in the tree. Sometimes she tears around on the tree skirt and attacks it. If one of the bulbs falls off she may bat it around a little bit. For the most part she leaves the tree alone.

There is also a picture of Macy and the little boy. She is scowling because he is brushing her but not the correct way. She couldn’t leave because she loves getting brushed but had to show her displeasure that it was imperfect. Silly kitty!

Trigeminal neuralgia

I have wanted to post on my blog but I haven't been able to. I called the neurologist yesterday. I still have a lot of pain and my primary care physician said he had done all I could and I need to see the neurologist.
I called yesterday morning and waited all day for a callback. I drop my phone around 430. Of course they call a few minutes after that but I couldn't answer. Today same story. Been waiting all morning and no call. I can't use my PC to post until the call. Oh well.

Faith Bible Church

It has been a while since I’ve been able to make it to church. Our home church has been Faith Bible Church for years. Fortunately the sermons are published on their website. Each Monday morning I listen to a sermon and now they’ve included the preliminary music. I really enjoy the preaching at Faith Bible Church and am very glad for this opportunity. They added music and I find this very uplifting.

http://www.faithb.org/sermons/

Atlas Has a New Fetch Partner – Servant

It’s a beautiful day. My mouth pain is a tiny bit better but it hurts to talk. My spirits are up though. We are treated to a four-day visit from Atlas. Our son Tom, is doing some tests related to his work and then going to the Big Ten championship game in Indianapolis.
Atlas has figured out what my limitations are. He needs to put the toy right where I can get it with my right hand. Then he has another servant to play fetch with!

t’s a beautiful day. My mouth pain is a tiny bit better but it hurts to talk. My spirits are up though. We are treated to a four-day visit from Atlas. Our son Tom, is doing some tests related to his work and then going to the Big Ten championship game in Indianapolis.

Atlas has figured out what my limitations are. He needs to put the toy right where I can get it with my right hand. Then he has another servant to play fetch with!

Four types of Multiple Sclerosis

Recently there was an excellent website article about the four types of multiple sclerosis. Some of the types are very foreign to people because the effects of the disease are rare and uncommon. I have one of those types.

This is the website – http://ms.newlifeoutlook.com/types-ms/

The following is a comment I wrote on that Facebook post.

I have Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis. Unknowingly I was afflicted with it since 1999. I was diagnosed in 2009. At that time I was walking with a cane. Since then I have I have progressed to a wheelchair that tilts and belts me in. My left arm no longer works. I can slightly move my left leg and my right leg a little too. My right hand and arm barely function and my thumb no longer works very well. Most of the time I can force my right pointer finger out enough to run my iPad. Some days I am able to log into my PC and use my voice recognition software.

This article is really good at explaining the different types of MS. My type is somewhat uncommon so people get the wrong impression when they hear I have MS. When I was first diagnosed I looked into all four types and read about Primary Relapsing. This seemed like a horrible horrible disease and worse than mine. Then I met Justin who has this type. He was diagnosed at 17.

Now it is no longer merely academic. I now know someone who is afflicted. My emotions range from anger to sadness. This is followed by more anger and more sadness. I hate this disease and I hate when young people are afflicted with it. I am in my 50s and have had many unaffected years. My children are raised to being adults. I’ve done most things that you would ever want to do. To find out there is a worse type of MS makes me want to cry out “help stop this disease”. Not for my sake (I am too old for any help to be approved before I’m in my 60s) but for young people like Justin!

Bad Mood Lightened Part 2

When I started this blog I had decided to be as truthful as possible as I make my posts So in that vein I will add more about my mood. My mood this morning was really bad. My mouth hurts in three places. It hurts when I talk, when I eat and especially when I drink. I’m really tired of the pain. Previously I could poke at the pain with my tongue and it would eventually stabilize. That was when the pain was only one place. Now it is in three places and this does not work.

Later in the morning my left foot was turned on edge because of spasms. This was not a big deal but around 1130 it started hurting where the side of my foot was resting. I tried a couple of my tricks to get it to move but no luck.

I tipped back hoping my left foot would move but it didn’t. I started praying and that was when the tears came. I’m not sure I prayed very well and I cried for about 10 minutes. I don’t say this so you’ll feel sorry for me but it is what it is. I always feel better after a good cry and this time was no different. My mood was still not very good.

When I stopped crying I heard a noise. It was a little chirping type noise mix with a meow. Macy (the multiple sclerosis cat) was meowing at me because she wanted me to tip my chair so she could jump up on my lap. She must sense my moods because she was in my lap for most of the morning and part of the afternoon. This is very unusual. She usually gets up once and when she gets down she doesn’t come back until evening.

As I stroked her for she tucked her head under the arm of my wheelchair and went to sleep. I now have my priorities straight. It is kitty first and then kitty second and kitty third if needed! She always seems to improve my attitude.

Bad Mood Lightened a Little

This morning I woke up in a fairly bad mood. Part of it I was feeling sorry for myself. In the mornings I listen to Christian music and read a book that has religious characters in. These books are fiction but the characters and plot are usually very interesting. This morning my bad mood was lessened by reading two of the characters discuss some of their history. The story was beautiful and is following:

 “How’d you handle it, losing your mom, I mean?”

 “I don’t know. The only good thing was we both knew she was dying. We knew she only had a few months left. She really wanted to prepare me for it. We did her will together. We picked out songs for her funeral. Flowers. The whole thing. I remember she once heard a sermon about a woman who’d also died of cancer. And the woman had come to her pastor and told him exactly what she wanted at her funeral and what Bible verses to read and everything. And then, when she was all done, she told him that she wanted to be laid out in an open casket with a fork in her right hand. And the pastor says, ‘A fork? Why a fork?

’ And she says, ‘When I was a little girl, I used to love church suppers. And when the meal was done, and people were clearing the dishes, one of the older women in the church would always come over and lean down and whisper to me, save your fork. And I loved that. Because I knew it meant something better was coming—apple pie or chocolate cake or blueberry cobbler, or something. And pastor,’ she said, ‘when I die, I want people to come by and see me and then ask you, Why’s she got a fork in her hand? And I want you to tell them my little story, and then tell them the good news—that when you know Christ, you know there’s something better coming. There’s something better coming.’”

My mom loved that story. She had a tape of that sermon and she played it over and over. So she asked me to make sure she had a fork in her hand at her funeral. She wanted her friends to know—she wanted me to know—that when you know Jesus Christ in a real and personal way, there’s something better coming.”

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Trigeminal Neuralgia Update – December First

I heard from my doctor on Monday. He discussed my pain with my neurologist. The conclusion is that the Gabapentin at its highest dose is the best my primary care physician can do for me. The neurologist expressed doubt there was any kind of procedure to eliminate the pain permanently. I’m supposed to make an appointment with him.

I’m now on the maximum dosage allowed of Gabapentin since last Friday. I still have a significant amount of pain but it seems to be held at bay somewhat after I get going in the morning. While I eat breakfast the pain is excruciating. The more I move my mouth seems to decrease the pain. If I go for more than 10 minutes without moving my mouth the pain reverts to the same as if I just gotten up.

When I first went on gabapentin it took 2 to 3 weeks to become effective. Hopefully this high dose leads to elimination of this pain. I’m going to make an appointment with my neurologist but he has already said procedures for this condition are very rare. He tends to be a bit of a Butthead so I have very little hope he will help me.

This brings up something I found out on Thanksgiving. There was a new wine there called Pozzan. It was a red wine that was neither dry nor sweet. I’ve never tasted the wine this good. Long story short, I drank a little too much wine. I think I was enabled by my wonderful sister-in-law’s. I was warned that the little kids would think I was drunk uncle Phil. The problem was I found this red wine helped with my mouth pain. I certainly can’t drink that much wine each day to help with the pain. “I did try singing a little of John Denver’s “sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy”. Of course my singing is awful so I was asked to quit!