Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Battling MS Enemy #1

In my expert opinion (and those of us with MS are the TRUE experts, don't you think?), lack of sleep is Mortal Enemy #1 to MS.


When I don't get enough sleep or my sleep is interrupted and therefore unsatisfying, I am a BEAR to the awakening offenders--animal, human, or electronic.I also don't feel as good ALL DAY LONG when I don't get adequate sleep and I have been known to take it out on everyone and everything that crosses my path.

This morning, the culprit who started it all was my cat Bella followed by my lovely daughter Ruby. Since Ruby came from my body and lives in my heart, I've decided it's in all our best interests to blame Bella.

When we rescued Bella via the Milton Animal League Shelter, we were warned that she would not do well in a house with other pets. They did not tell us, though, that "other animals" includ her own reflection or animals on television.

They also did not mention the fact that Bella is offended by closed doors and scratches at them incessantly until they are opened.  Nor did they remember to tell me about her obsessive attraction to toilet paper rolls and her propensity to shred them down to the roll while we sleep. I guess the fact that she views any jewelry lying about as her personal cat toys slipped their minds, as well.

I keep a spray water bottle on my night table in anticipation of these nocturnal antics. Unfortunately, it's all become a game for Bella. If you spray her for batting about my jewelry, she just moves on to the toilet paper roll in my adjoining bathroom.  If I kick her out of the room and shut the door, she starts scratching until she is let in.. If I let her in and she jumps up on my dresser, she sometimes sees her own reflection and all hell breaks loose, with wailing and hissing at the mysterious white cat in the mirror.

I've had it. I love Bella but I need my sleep. Before I resort to locking her in the finished basement at night, and potentially waking up the entire neighborhood with her lonely cries, Ruby has volunteered her room as the banishment spot. So, I'm off to do my situps and then put  Bella's litterbox in Ruby's very large room and shut Bella in there for the night. 

I'm adding another thing to my "They shouldn't give MS to..." list. They shouldn't give MS to people with crazy cats that don't let them sleep.

Friday, January 08, 2010

Out and About

I am very fortunate to work full-time from home. I only go into the office about one day a month Since a lot of the staff travels, I don't see all my colleagues on the days I make an appearance in the office.


A couple times a year, though, we have work events after hours, usually something fun that gives us an opportunity to bond socially. Yesterday, we all went to a Boston Bruins hockey game with seats in one of the executive boxes that had a bar, cocktail tables, and comfy seats with an amazing view of the ice. Since I don't drink and I don't really understand or appreciate hockey, it was all a bit wasted on me. I wasn't really there for the cocktails or the hockey, though. I was making an appearance and schmoozing with my colleagues. Not that that requires a lot of work. I like them. Well, most of them.

Last night, I had the opportunity to talk to one particular salesman that I hadn't seen in several months. He's a nice enough guy. Truly, but he is a sad eyes kind of guy.

When I first met this man shortly after joining the company, I made the mistake of Facebook friending him. Or rather, I accepted his Facebook friend request because I didn't know how to say "no"without being rude. I got over that a couple months later when I decided to set up a work Facebook account and keep my regular Facebook account to personal friends that I know in real life and/or people I know through the online MS community. I have anorhwe special account for all my online cybersex buddies. I jest. Or do I....?

During the few months that I was connected via Facebook to this guy, he must have happened upon the fact that I have MS. As you know, it does not require CSI credentials to find this blog and I am kind of all out there and here and everywhere with my disease so I shouldn't be surprised when he started talking to me about the MS. The thing is, he doesn't exactly talk to me about the MS. He just gets the big eyes and hugs me (and I should point out that I don't work at a huggy place with huggy people). Then, he usually asks me how I'm FEELING. He says it exactly like that with the oral equivalent to capitalized italics in his tone. Well, last night he upped the pity ante. He said, and I quote, "How ARE you? It's so good to see you out and about."

Excuse me?

Out and about? OUT AND ABOUT? Am I bedridden or just housebound and pitiable?  I should mention that I think I looked pretty damn cute last night. I was a little tired but SERIOUSLY.....OUT AND ABOUT.

I did, of course, say none of this. Instead I smiled and moved on with my schmoozing, resting assured that I could say what I wanted to say here.  So...what did I want to say?

Maybe this:

"Seriously? You're pitying me? Really? Why, pray tell?  I have a wonderful job that I get to work at home. Yes, I have a disease but everyone has something and mine has a name. I live in one of the best parts of the country to have my disease treated. And by the way, I look damn good and not just for a woman with MS. So, please, do not pity me, do not give me sad eyes, and do not hug me unless you are just trying to press up against my fabulous body in which case, eat your heart out."