Welcome to each of our new members!

[Guest guest]

There are so many new members that my already

rotational vertigo prone head is already swimming!

It is never good news to hear that any of you has

been diagnosed with MS--even possible MS. Not

a good thing. Save for one fact: you get to join this

group and with the able leadership of our fearless

leader, Sharon and the moderating of her daughter,

Challis, be guided through some pretty choppy waters.

Then there are all the rest of us--hundreds of us wMS,

with or without other complicating conditions, possibly

having MS; diagnosed, de-diagnosed and re-diagnosed

with MS--you get the picture.

And just to make it really easy for us each to welcome

you, we each have different forms, patterns, courses

of MS. Much as we share so much, we also differ in

how this MonSter of Multiple Surprises effects each

of us.

However, I am convinced that each of us has in common

with every other member of this group at least one thing:

When we try to locate a word, by typing, speaking or

even web-searching--guess what? The very word dives

under one of our plaques and just HIDES there. I mean,

the NERVE, pardon the pun.

I am n Rojas, of Oakland (just next to Berkeley on

the north) here in California. I live in HUD/Section 8 Housing

in a lovely apartment which gives me a view of four of the

five S.F. Bay Bridges, including the Golden Gate Bridge,

which is in fact, RED (rust-proof paint). It is called Golden

Gate due to the ocean gateway to the gold rush--long before

there was a bridge. I get a great view (on the days when I am

not having optic neuritis) of San Francisco, the bridges, the

Pacific, even, those lovely oil tankers coming in and out.

And I get a spectacular view of all the birds on land and on

sea.

I was diagnosed with MS at the age of 19, in 1956, by the

now deceased neurologist, Roy Swank, then of the Univer

sity of Oregon Medical School. And, alas, Dr. Swank was

correct. Those MRIs and spinal taps are astonishing.

I have Relapsing-Remitting MS, but as you will discover

from reading our posts, MS eventually is more busy relapsing

than it is doing any remitting. There are more severe types of

MS than mine, but those people can tell you about theirs.

I also have peripheral neuropathy (feet numb up to beyond

my knees) and this weird thing called "the MS hug," or the

MS squeeze." Feels as if someone with giant hands had

his fingers on the front of one's abdomen--charming. And

not even sexy!

I am now 71, and still coping pretty well. I am widowed

and the mother of four adults, grandmother to 22 grand

children, and four great-grandchildren, and--I hope--friend

to many.

This evening I have been invited to the 14th Birthday party

of my granddaughter who lives in Berkeley. She is a ter

rific kid, bright, entertaining, talented, and (wonder of wonders)

has not even come close to getting into trouble--ever, gets

terrific grades, has lots of friends and is now in the process

of getting her parents and younger sister (by 4.5 years) to

accomodate to her wishes. So far, all seems calm.

Getting correct or even useable glasses prescribed is a

trial with MS, as one's vision can and often does change

quite a bit. I am currently working on all this.

Just dive right on in. In this group, the water is usually

fine, even if one of us is in crisis. We just all dive in

to our imaginary pool of comfortable water to dash to

the rescue!

So, to all of our new members, thank you for joining us

in our ongoing frustrations with Multiple Surprises!

Love to each of you--as I have long lost track,

n