The Day-To-Day Changes MS Brings
Most people start their day when the alarm clock goes off, excited to face another day. Well… perhaps not particularly excited during the workweek.
But regardless of the level of excitement, the workday morning has a definite routine. For most, after a refreshing shower, getting dressed and grabbing a bite to eat they're ready to begin the day. Keys in hand they walk out the door to meet the day and its challenges head on. Confident. Cheerful. Equipped for anything.
Thanks to MS my days and my husband’s days hold no guarantees. First of all, neither of us sleeps all that well. Although I usually go to sleep fairly easily at night, I sometimes wake up during the night for no apparent reason.
Sometimes it's due to the pain of neuropathy caused by MS. Other times it's because I haven't been active enough during the day to get tired. I usually wake up before the alarm clock goes off. On rare occasions I'm still asleep until it goes off. Once it goes off our day begins.
Morning Routine
My husband goes out into the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Nothing too exciting — a couple of eggs each. He eats his while he feeds me mine. Following that he gives me my morning pills, which consist of a couple of prescriptions and various supplements. Fortunately taking pills it isn't a problem for me; I am able to swallow 10 or 12 at a time.
The next part of our routine differs depending on what time of year it is. During the summer months I have the luxury of showering daily. During the school year I shower every other day due to before-school meetings and various other requirements.
From start to finish showering me, dressing me in a nightgown, brushing my teeth and putting on makeup takes just over an hour — my loving husband does all of this without complaining, as he has done years.
Family Impacts
With my needs taken care of he quickly showers, get dressed, grabs his keys and whatever he needs for the day and is out the door. Confident? Not necessarily. Cheerful? Not so much. Equipped for everything? More or less.
Whether he'll admit it or not he's probably ready for a break… from me and my requirements. If he did feel this way, I wouldn't blame him at all.
My husband teaches middle school/high school close to home. When I say close to home, I mean it — the school is exactly one mile from our home. He teaches art and videography, and the subjects he covers range from contour line drawing and self portraits to calligraphy, watercolor and acrylic painting, and ceramics.
He always he introduces each unit by allowing the students to watch him fabricate something using that particular medium. We have examples of his work in various places throughout our house, and there are often several different projects in varying stages of completion floating around.
