Post Doctors Visit and Other Stuff

This was written September 21, 2013

So I had the doctor's visit the other day. It went a lot like I thought it would. He did not believe that I have MS and told me flat out that he does not think I have it. He would not say what he thought I did have, just that he did not think that I have MS. That is fine but it was pretty annoying to have someone just think that I am making up issues or that they do not really exist. But he agreed to give me a referral for an MRI.  This is apparently the definitive test for Multiple Sclerosis.  (I think it is important to capitalize ms so it seems so much more important).  Anyways I am not going to go to that doctor again--if it is at all possible anyways. 

I talked to my mom about possibly having MS and she thought I might be right, obviously she does not know but she was saying that she had some numbness in her face and that the doctor said it wall all because of stress. So that might only be it. I am going through some stressful time right now. Even though I don't feel that stressed, probably am.

I was thinking tonight about how when I was the NAV that my main job was to prepare my guys to ensure they were ready for war. We were on a warship and needed to be ready at a moments notice. I felt that I had done a pretty good job of doing that but what at the time all my focus was on the boat and that I had failed to do my primary job which is ensure my family was ready to fight in a way more important war that is going on right now all around us. 



This is the war with satan. As a father, I have been sent two very precious children of God and one of  my most important duties in this life is preparing them for the battle that is going on all around us. The battle field is all of the earth and our eternal salvation is at stake. I need to make sure that my family is ready for the fight. My kids right now are 5 and 3 years old so satan cannot tempt them, but he will in the future. I need to prepare them right now, I need to train them right now so they are ready for the fight.

 Also I have been realizing that this is not an individual fight but a team fight. Our fellow saints are on our side. This is what Home teaching is all about. Also we have the Savior. He will NEVER leave our side. He will carry us and He will make sure we are safe--as long as we will let Him. I need to make sure that I use all available resouces to get my family ready for this war.

First Doctor Visit For multiple sclerosis

This was written on September 16, 2013

It is 2:30 in the morning right now and like a lot of nights, I am wide awake. I am pretty confident I have multiple sclerosis. I have not yet been to the doctor for this but I am pretty sure that I have it. Actually I am confident that I do have it, I just need to convince the doctor to have all the tests done that will verify it.
Some of the symptoms that I am having include the following:

1) Last June my left foot was starting to go numb and I went to the Corpse Man about it, with other symptoms mentioned bellow I thought it might be Diabetes so I was tested and it was not. It was decided that it was just a pinched nerve.

2) I have been waking up in the middle of the night for years now to go pee. I used to never have to do this but when I was 25-26 this started to become more regular occurrence. Now I never sleep the whole night with out having at least one pit stop.

3) I have insomnia. It has been getting worse the last month. Now it is almost routine that I will wake up at 2-3 am and be awake for a few hours. This also means that around 7 pm I really get tired and really just want to go to sleep.

4) Then this last week and a half I got a cold but at the same time I am pretty sure I have been experiencing a ms attack. Here the symptoms, all of these sort of come and go.

A) Face has been numb. Before the past couple of weeks there would be brief times that it would go numb but recently at least some portion of my face has been numb for about three or for days. It started around my cheeks and then would spread to the rest of my face. Now sometimes event the top of my head or the back of my head will be numb

B) Along with the numbness, I have had some random episodes of either needle point or dull pain on my cheeks or other parts of my face.

C) I have been having balance/dizzy spells. It is NOT like the world is spinning but it is more like being out to sea. Where the world feels like it is rocking in an unpredictable way. So the ground, walls or what ever will come up to meet me or go away unpredictably.

D) I have been having vision problems. I have been having problems focusing on objects. Like right now typing this on the computer screen, normally I would be able to see the full screen clearly, but right now about 50 is blurry. It has made typing this pretty hard. Most of the time it is for objects that are close. I seem to have no issues seeing things that are far away.

E) Tingling/burning/itching in my hands/fingers and the bottom of my feet. I have had all these sensations and they usually never last more than a couple of hours but in the past week at least one extremity has always had at least one of these symptoms.

F) I have had one experience abut a week ago that I woke up in the middle of the night with my leg twitching ALOT. If I focused on the leg I could make it stop, but if I just tried to relax, then it would just start up again. I ended up getting up and doing the dishes since if I was standing on it it did not shake.

G) I have had stiffness and soreness in my neck. It does not seem at all like my muscles but it seems like my actual spinal cord that has been sore. This comes and goes.

5) I don't thin these are really related but I want to mention the following that I have been experiencing:

A) migraines have been more regular, I have been having them about once a week for the last month and a half. The Rizatpitan medicine has helped but I am about out (I only have three left)

B) I have had ear aches for the past week. They come and go and some times I have ringing in my ears but it has not been constant and I am wondering if they might be more infected than anything to do with multiple sclerosis

To kick off my blog

Hello Cyberspace

I never thought I would be a blogger, it seems like such a girly thing to do, but a lot has changed in my life the last year.  There was a collision on the USS Jacksonville, while I was the Navigator.  As a result, I have had to change assignments from navigator to working in public affairs.  But most recently I have been tentatively diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and I just feel that blogging is what the Lord wants me to do.  I don't really care if anyone reads or thinks about my blog.  I have been keeping a journal and some parts of my journal I don't mind sharing with the world.  If someone can find use in the thoughts and feelings of my heart then my efforts in sharing are worth it.

Love

Joe