Getting Ready to Go

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Getting Ready to Go

There are many things to do when getting ready to travel to the other side of the globe. Finding the right clothes after checking the weather in Tel Aviv for the time of year, getting plane tickets, hotel reservations, making a to-do list for your husband because he is going to be home without me for 6 weeks with our oldest son, 3 dogs and a cat, etc... This is all getting done a little everyday. As I do one thing, there is something that I didn't think of that just pops up!

The big part of getting ready to go are all the medical test's that I have had to get done. Here is the list that Ruth sent me:

Total body CT (head, neck, chest and abdomen)

MUGA- (Multi Gated Acquisition Scan)

Dental assessment

Pulmonary function (profusion and lung capacity )

ECG

Blood tests (This is a whole different list - they took about 10 huge vials of blood)

I had to have my neurologist order all of these. Yes, this is a very long list!! The total body CT was with and without contrast, so I had to have an IV put in. Thankfully I was able to have the MUGA after the CT so they didn't have to do another IV.

All of these test results will be emailed to Tel Aviv and then I will carry them with me on the plane. We leave on April 22nd. The clock is ticking....

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What is MS

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic degenerative disorder affecting the Central
Nervous System: the Brain and Spinal cord. MS is one of the leading causes of
neurological disabilities in young adults. MS affects both genders, more
commonly in women than men.

The Mayo Clinic lists four main patterns of Multiple Sclerosis:

Relapsing remitting: This type of MS is characterized by clearly defined flare-ups,
followed by periods of remission. The flare-ups typically appear suddenly, last a
few weeks or months, and then gradually disappear. Most people with MS have
this form at the time of diagnosis.

Primary Progressive: People with this less common form of MS experience a
gradual decline, without periods of remission. People with this form of MS are
usually older than 40 when symptoms begin.

Secondary Progressive: More than half the people with relapsing remitting MS
eventually enter a stage of continuous deterioration referred to as secondary
progressive MS. Sudden relapses may occur, superimposed upon the continuous
deterioration that characterizes this type of MS.

Progressive relapsing: This is primary progressive MS with the addition of
sudden episodes of new symptoms or worsened existing ones. This form is
relatively rare. (MayoClinic.com 1998, 2004).

The signs and symptoms of MS are fatigue, weakness, numbness, and difficulty
with coordination and loss of balance. A percentage of patients complained of
visual disturbances including blurry vision, patchy blindness and total blindness.

The disease process of MS involves the nerve cells called neurons. In Multiple
Sclerosis nerves are hardened in multiple locations of the body, the breakdown is
scattered irregularly throughout the body, decreasing aspect of functional abilities,
depending on which nerves are affected.

The cause of MS is unclear at this time. Presently research is done in the areas
of viral, immunology and genetic factors. Autoimmune response triggered by the
exposure to a virus or environmental trigger in genetically susceptible individuals.
The exposure to a virus causes reactions that form antibodies to fight the virus.
Antibodies attack the myelin instead of the virus- an autoimmune response.

There is no cure for MS. The medications given to the patient are for pain
management and relief of symptoms. Side effects of these medications are:
weakness, fatigue, grogginess, decrease in alertness, all these symptoms can
interfere with the performance of Activity of Daily Living (ADL).

Kristin's Trip To Israel - Stopping MS

Tuesday, April 7, 2015