For me and anyone else on this side of the mountains, Advocacy Day became a no go. Just look at the picture. It is nuts up there! The pass only opened for a short 4 hours yesterday and then had to be closed due to a snow slide that took out all the western lanes. The latest report shows that the pass will be closed at least through Friday at 9am when the WSDOT can re-evaluate the danger. Honestly, I can't remember the last time we got this much snow. Here in Richland the snow is just lingering. Most of it has melted. Now it is just windy and cold.

Yesterday I spent some time on the phone with the legislators offices since we were no longer going to be able to make the trip. I had a nice talk with Rep. Shirley Hankins Aide, Jane, who also has MS. I was very much looking forward to meeting her as she was out sick last year when we were there. She stated that once the sessions are over we should be able to make appointments to meet with the legislators here in the Tri-cities. They live here and unless they are in session they are here. So, that made me feel better about not being able to make it. I just feel it is so important to be able to sit down one on one and talk to them about issues that effect us. Knowing that we will still have that opportunity is a good feeling. I was pretty much told the same thing by the other legislator's Aides. And, as you may have guessed, we were not the only ones to cancel due to the weather.

Last year, you may remember, that I attended the Greater Washington Chapter of the NMSS Advocacy Conference. (See the Advocacy video off to the right.) This year I am scheduled to attend again, however mother nature may not allow me to make it.


Advocacy Day this year is this Thursday, January 31st. I am schedule to go to Olympia and meet one on one with the legislators for District 8, Washington State. I am scheduled to meet with Senator Jerome Delvin & Representative Larry Haler at 1:00 and then Representative Shirley Hankins at 1:30. I also have been in talks with the Governors Office and have the opportunity to meet with Christina, the Governor's Executive Policy Advisor on Health Care.

The Greater Washington Chapter is mainly focused on a bill that would provide tax exemptions for prescribed durable medical equipment. This would be great for all of us with MS as it would help us to better afford devices like wheelchairs, walkers, etc. Although these things may be covered by an insurance company, often times there are large deductibles involved or they do not pay the full amount leaving a portion for the person with MS to pay that may be more than they can afford.

My hope however is that not only will we have the opportunity to speak with these legislators about why this particular bill is important, but also speak to them about issues that directly impact us. I think it is important that we can put a face to an issue. If I can make it personal then hopefully it will make more of an impact.

Time will only tell. Currently the pass is closed and 1 to 3 feet of snow is expected. If that happens we won't be going. As much as I would like to. My hope is that maybe if we are unable to make it that we can reschedule for another time (outside of Advocacy Day) to meet with them and talk to them about issues that directly impact our area. So, keep your fingers crossed that one way or another we can get our message to our legislators.

So much for Global Warming! I wish I had a picture to put up for you. It is absolutely crazy here.

Yesterday afternoon it started raining, only it was freezing rain with some hale. By time Justin was supposed to leave for work at 8:00 there was a nice thick ice rink built up on the roadways. Almost 2" of solid ice. Poor Justin had a hell of a time getting to work. As if it was not bad enough that he HAD to go in to work in this horrible weather, what was even worse is that he had to drive no more than about 20 mph and then did not make it there with his car. You see when you get off the freeway, Columbia Center Blvd has an incline and with the amount of ice, his car was not going very far. He ended up having to park his car at a mini-mart parking lot and walk the rest of the way. I felt so bad for him. It was 11:00 by time he actually made it to work and he is still there. :(

This morning we woke up to several inches of snow and it has not slowed down at all. I am not sure how much is actually there but it goes past my bumper on my car. Good thing I didn't have any plans for today. Justin has to work again tonight so he just got a room at work to sleep in and hopefully tomorrow they will have the roads plowed and sanded. It sure is pretty out there though, and my dog and Nathan have been having a lot of fun playing in it.

Now, I know for some of you this type of weather is probably not a big deal. And, I have lived in places that snowed, but the ice is what I don't like. I have never seen an ice storm like this! Not to mention that my body does not like it this cold! I feel okay, but my joints hurt.

So, wherever you are, I hope that you are warm, happy, and healthy. Take care!

I just checked on the Team MMSJ website and I am happy to report that currently we have raised $500. I am so grateful for everyone who has and will be donating to Team MMSJ this year. As you may already be aware, the MS Walk this year in Kennewick will be held on Saturday, April 12th. So, there is plenty of time to help us out. We would love to have you on our team!

So, now that I have reported on Team MMSJ.....

How is everyone? I hope that now that everyone is well into the year and done with everything holiday related, you are all doing well. The holidays can bring such stress for so many people and we all know one of the worst things for MS is stress. So hopefully this finds each of you stress free and doing well.

Things here have been slow. As mentioned in my chemo post, I have not been feeling well. That has finally turned around. I am still REALLY tired, but overall I am doing a lot better. The whole chemo experience has been so different this time. The whites of my eyes turned blue, my urine was green, and although I always knew these are possible side effects of the "smurf blood" I have not had these effects since about my 2nd dose. Then with the severe reaction with nausea and overall not doing well, it is almost as if I got a larger dose than normal. Of course I know this is not the case, but for some reason it seems to have really made an impact on my body. What I am hoping for (trying to be positive here) is that since I had such a strong reaction to the chemo that will mean that it will work extra hard this time around and I will feel that much better! One could hope. :) Only time will tell of course.

I do have to say there is something to doing your best to have a positive outlook though. Yesterday the nurse at the oncology unit where I get my chemo (had my post-chemo labs) said that she was just so amazed at how positive and happy I always seem to be. I do my best, but the reality is that my family would probably not agree. I do my best to not go out on my bad days and if I have to (for like an appointment) then I put on a happy face. I find that I function better, even if it is difficult, when I tell myself everything is okay. And, 9 times out of 10, everything is okay!

So here's to thinking positive and doing some good! Take care.

Hey everybody! It's that time of year again. The time to start raising awareness and raising money for people with MS. I am once again committed to having a team walk this year. Team MMSJ! The website is already created and if you click on the icon to the right you can get to my page.

Last year we raised almost $3000, so this year I am hoping to raise even more. You can help! I ask each person who is able, to donate to this wonderful cause. Washington State has the highest rate of MS in the nation and the second highest rate of MS in the world. I know there is a lot of great research going on in this area to figure out why. Is it the air, water, rain, Hanford? No one really knows what causes MS, but we are determined to figure that very question out so that we can one day (hopefully soon) have a cure! The NMSS has even created their own website to give information and ask that very question.....why is there more MS here in the Northwest then anywhere else?

Also, I know many of you may have MS walks in your area that you may be involved in and I want to thank you for that! I really believe that every cent will help. If you are not involved in a MS Walk in your area however, and you would like to get involved, please join me! I would love to have you on my team. This year you can join my team as a virtual walker if you can not physically be here. This would give you the ability to raise awareness and money for all of us with MS. And, if you want to help out by walking in your area, raise money in your area....then join me as a second location. Sign up as a team leader for Team MMSJ....let's create a group of MS bloggers walking for a cure!

Quick Note: Thanks to Dave & Arika who made the first donations to our team! You guys ROCK!

What a way to start the year. 4 days in and I'm off for my 6th dose of Mitoxantrone (chemo). I am hoping that I will respond as I am already tired of being at home not feeling good. Okay, so I actually spend a lot of time at home, but when I have no energy to do anything, my nausea is bad, and I am basically just waiting to feel better....well that sucks!

Today is a better day however. I think I am finally on the way to feeling better. Usually within a couple of days I am feeling back to my old self after the chemo, this time, well lets just say it is 5 days after and I still feel like crap. Up to this morning I could not even hold anything down. Not a reaction I usually get. Justin made a comment that he wondered if maybe my body is getting used to the chemo. Hmm....maybe, but I am hopeful that is not the case as this has been the best treatment for me. Not to mention there are really not any other treatments out there left for me....so here's to remaining positive. :)

Speaking of being positive. This year I am hoping to get back to some of the things that led me to creating this blog in the first place. My hope for this blog was originally not only to have a place for how I am doing, but to explore new possibilities, advocacy, treatment information, and MS news....and most of all to be able to discuss all of these things with all of you. So, if I were to have a goal for this year, that would be it. Now that I have said that I am not making any promises as I am not real big on making new years resolutions (or goals) because if there is nothing else I have learned, what I do know is that life (especially with this illness) is unpredictable and you just have to live it day by day!

I hope that this finds each of you enjoying your new year, living life to its fullest, and happy! Take care.