Winter photos.
I never appreciated good health until it slipped away, gradually at first, almost imperceptibly. After I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in 2004, I accepted the effects of Avonex, a medication that made me ill for at least a day a week for over 10 years. During that time, I had no relapses. I thought the weekly headachy fatigue, like a bad hangover sometimes extending for several days, was the price I paid for being able to work and play without restrictions noticeable to anyone but myself.
My neurologist recommended discontinuing Avonex in August 2014, hoping I would remain relapse free. I almost immediately lost the "hung over" feeling and several MRIs and neurological evaluations showed no change in MS status. However, in early 2014 I began to notice symptoms like nausea and diarrhea that worsened over time, especially after January 2015. Thanksgiving last year I was so ill that I didn't have enough energy to make myself a cup of soup or venture outside. In December, I spent 6 days in the hospital, and was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease.
I finally had an excellent medical team headed by Dr. Justin Howard at the University of Minnesota. By Christmas I was feeling much better and in January I began to think I would recover. I improved over the winter when I was diligently followed by Dr. Howard and nurse practitioners Jennifer Bottom and Ann Bolkcom, all of whom share credit for my general feeling of wellbeing.
Two months after illness claimed most of my strength, I am enjoying a month in Florida. The prospect of the long road trip filled me with apprehension as recently as ten days ago, before we left home. I knew that my stamina was still lacking and I felt somewhat fearful of my heat tolerance and ability to step up my physical activity.
Last year, dismayed that even one lap in the pool tired me out, I attributed fatigue to my age and the fact that I don't swim very often any more. This year, I've been swimming every day in a mostly empty pool and I feel strong, much like my old self, so I'm giving myself a "pass" so far on the physical activity test. The heat test is still in the future: the temperature has never been higher than 74F.
I'm daring to think that good health is gradually returning. I get a good eight hours of restful sleep most nights, for the first time in many years. I don't worry about "wearing out" or needing to know the location of a nearby restroom. I can go over to the beach and know that I won't be exhausted 15 minutes into my walk. While I still have a long way to go in my recovery, I finally feel like a normal, healthy person, and I'm so grateful.
