Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained

Fibromyalgia (FM) is noted for its body aches and pains. Because of this, it can be difficult to know when your aches and pains are not FM related. This happened recently to my husband.

My husband is a newcomer to FM, recently diagnosed. And, he has a couple of other serious health conditions. Well, the beginning of this month, he complained of an exceptionally achy body and headache; we both assumed it was the FM. Two days later, in bed all the while, when he didn’t want to get up I insisted he go to the doctor.

Thank goodness I took him. He had pneumonia and they thought he also had the Swine flu. We didn’t realize he had a fever for three days. Since he has restrictive lung capacity, sleep apnea and asthma, I called an ambulance to take him to the hospital. It was a good thing since when going to the hospitals in my area you can sit in the waiting room for hours before being seen. With the ambulance he was taken right into the ER room.

Anyway, he had bacterial pneumonia, and did not have the Swine flu. He was in the hospital two days.

So, the moral to this story is to be careful. I know it’s difficult, but pay attention to those aches and pains and try to notice when they are different.

As a note, this is also important with some medications such as the cholesterol lowering ones. Doctors will usually warn the patient to inform them of any body aches while on the medication. If you have FM, you wouldn’t know if those aches were from the FM or the med.

You’re in control.

Quadriplegia, also called tetraplegia, is devastating for the patient and his family. Being a caregiver to a quadriplegic family member it is both physically and emotionally challenging.

Spinal cord injuries are most often the cause of quadriplegia, but it can also be caused by nerve diseases such as multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s Disease ). It is the paralysis of all four limbs (both legs and arms). According to Spinal Injury Network, quadriplegia can have different levels of functionality; the location of the injury on the spine will be the determining factor. Quadriplegia usually affects other bodily functions as well.

To read more go to Suite 101.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a devastating and costly illness. To add to the stress of this illness, getting a diagnosis is difficult.

With many chronic illnesses, such as Multiple Sclerosis and Lupus, getting a diagnosis is usually a matter of getting specific laboratory tests to confirm the disease. But, CFS is a sneaky mimicker which makes a diagnosis more difficult. There are a few reasons why a diagnosis is problematic.

Click here to read more.

Along with writing health articles, I also write articles about writing and marketing. Within this genre, I write reviews for children’s books and non-fiction books.

My most recent review is a fiction children’s book that deals with a child learning her mother has MS. This is a must have book to help children gain an understanding of what MS is, how it’s diagnosed, and what to expect. It’s also full of great resources.

While it’s not available for sale yet, keep your eye out for it:

Title: Mom’s Story – A Child Learns About MS
Author: Mary Jo Nickum
Publisher: Chalet Publishers, LLC
ISBN: 978-098408365-7

Mom’s Story is a 74 page quick and easy read. It is a story about a nine-year-old child who learns that her mother has Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The book delves into the processes involved from the first symptoms to a diagnosis, all while depicting the main character’s emotions and reactions as well as those of her siblings. The family goes from the initial fear that is common when a loved one is diagnosed with MS, to learning about the illness.  Knowledge about MS helps a great deal to alleviate those initial fears.

To read the entire review at BookPleasures.com, CLICK HERE.

Karen

Simple changes in eating habits can have a wonderful effect on you health. A number of studies point to a low-fat and low-carb diet for a healthier you. But, there is more to it than just this.

In addition to eating a low-fat and low-carb diet, there are foods that should be avoided, especially for those with Multiple Sclerosis and other autoimmune illnesses. While there are a number of foods on the ‘to avoid list,’ two in particular are essential to take note of.

Check out the entire article:

Foods to Avoid with Multiple Sclerosis
Autoimmune Diseases, Chronic Illnesses and Your Diet

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2377450/foods_to_avoid_with_multiple_sclerosis.html

Karen

Healthy Eating is an important factor in everyone’s well-being, but it’s especially important for people suffering with autoimmune diseases and other chronic illnesses, such as Multiple Sclerosis.

The old expression, “You are what you eat,” is absolutely true. There has been a great deal of research that points to the benefits of eating healthy. This research also lets us know what we need to eat to improve our health.

Read more at:

http://disabilities.suite101.com/article.cfm/changes_to_your_diet_and_multiple_sclerosis

Karen