Flu season is upon us!

Avoiding getting sick is a new hobby of mine.  My kiddos are older so this is easier now than it used to be.  Although, they are getting sick of  me, due to my constantly reminding them to wash their hands.  Of course, if you are around people you are going to be exposed to germs, so other than becoming a recluse, here are some suggestions from the CDC:

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
• If you are sick with flu-like illness, CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.)
• While sick, limit contact with others as much as possible to keep from infecting them.

I don't think I have ever taken the flu vaccine.  However, I am thinking about it this year.  I really don't like to be sick in general and a fever tends to affect my walking ability these days.  The National MS Society posted an article recently regarding which flu vaccine MS patients should take.  You can read it here.

In short the article states that MS patient's SHOULD take the INACTIVE VERSION in the shot form.  They should AVOID the FLUMIST.  The mist contains the live version of the virus and is NOT recommended for people with MS.

So shot, not mist, got it?  What's one more shot in the grand scheme of things, right?  (Yes, that is sarcasm.)

Have a great day and don't forget to wash your hands!

How am I going to pay all these medical bills? Some practical advice.

After the initial shock of a diagnosis with Multiple Sclerosis wears off you realize that this is a very expensive disease.  If you are lucky you have good insurance and a healthy savings to help with the expenses associated with diagnosis and treatment.  If the previous sentence describes you, you can stop reading now.....this post is not for you.

You may also be behind on other bills as a result of trying to maintain your medical coverage.   If you are still reading you have already probably begun to wonder what to do with the mounting medical bills that are flooding your mailbox.   Kindling?  No, just kidding.  The answers are going to vary depending on your situation which can include but likely are not limited to the following:

• No insurance.
• Medical insurance with high deductible.
• Medical insurance but still just finding it hard to cover all of the bills.
• Medical insurance with prescription drug limitations.

Over the course of the next few weeks I am going to share tips for each of the above scenarios. 

If you know of additional ways to help please feel free to add comments or helpful advice as appropriate!

You mean not every health issue I have is related to MS?

When I start to feel "not right", I automatically assume that I am experiencing a relapse or an exacerbation of existing symptoms.  But guess what?  Sometimes I have the flu or a cold or low blood sugar, or high blood pressure.  Or better yet, (and the one I like the least) is I am just aging!?  

The truth is that people with MS have just as much likelihood of catching the same bugs that everyone else does.  They also have the same odds of having coronary artery disease, diabetes, cancer, etc. as the general population.  

So what does that mean?  It means that MS is not responsible for everything that goes wrong with your health!  Here is what you need to do: 

• If you have a new symptom, no matter what it may be, let your doctor know.  
• Maintain a good relationship with not only your neurologist, but also your General Practitioner.  Visit them when you are well so they have a baseline for your overall health.  
• Get yearly health screenings just like you should, including physicals and blood work.  
• If you are a woman don't forget (or avoid) your annual well woman exam.  

Keeping a handle on your overall general health will be beneficial in your maintenance of your Multiple Sclerosis as well.