Please stay with me, as I will get to Multiple Sclerosis later. First some personal stuff.
We have had several animals in our life. Speaking personally, I am a dog person. I grew up with dogs and I understand the personality and realities of dogs. My wife and I have been rescuing and finding homes for some dogs and keeping others. The most interesting thing comes from the naming of these animals. For example, Capone, Scarlet, Nikia, Tempest, Elvis and Elizabeth Taylor. These names come from several places and experiences.
The best examples are Scarlet, Elvis, Capone and Elizabeth Taylor. Scarlet was rescued just before Hurricane Katrina that ravaged New Orleans. We had just moved back to New Orleans, and this giant storm was approaching our area. I came home from work and the kids were playing with a puppy. The black dog puppy rottweiler markings. My wife declared that she would be a small dog. I picked her up, looked at her paws and knew she would be a big dog once she grew into her paws. My wife got Scarlet as a woman was frantically trying to find a home for the puppy because she had to leave town immediately. Starlet’s name came from “Gone With The Wind.” If my wife does not open her heart, she is indeed gone with the wind.
Elvis was cute. He was a Labrador mix. His life was difficult. He lived under a trailer and my wife was feeding him when she had to see a patient. One day we swapped cars. I came home that afternoon to my car backed up to the back fence. I opened the back door to a very sweet loving animal. When Elvis would shake his tail, entire backside moved. Elvis Presley anyone? Capone was the most misnamed. We had just been robbed and we wanted a dog that could scare anybody. He was a blue Doberman. Capone looked like a ghost. Oh, and he never, ever scared anybody. Great family dog, poor guard dog. Once he got loose and walked down the street. The school was having afternoon dismissal. This blue Doberman pranced happily down the street, my wife in a high-heeled chase. People were jumping on cars in fear of a dog that did nothing threatening.
Elizabeth Taylor was a dog in real trouble. My wife fed her in the parking lot of a hospital. “ET” was smart and warmed to her. One day, the dog followed my wife into work. Upon deciding to adopt her, my wife’s boss got out a dog crate and the adoption was on. ET got her name because when she wants love, she rolls over and desires a tummy rub. It is, after all, just about her.
These events happened about 8 years ago. We took her to the vet to be evaluated. ET is a cockapoo, a mix breed of cocker spaniel and poodle. We wanted to get her fixed to present any more puppies. The doctor found her internals had been overused and proposed she had lived in a “puppy mill.” Her insides were a wreck from several pregnancies.
How does any of this have anything to do with MS? Well, we are all beautiful people who found ourselves in a difficult, shared place: Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. No cure, no hope. Yet, as a community, I pray we are stronger.
Elizabeth Taylor is getting older. She has had some bathroom accidents in the house. There have been moments of mental lapse. Over the past few days I have felt commonality with her over one daily challenge: climbing stairs. Dogs should approach stairs and go up and over. Not anymore. To get to our bedroom, one must go up and down two stairs. She can still do the stairs, but with hesitancy. I must take the stairs the same way.
Tomorrow I will begin taking Gilenya. I feel so close to Elizabeth Taylor because we both are going to be observed. She gets it daily. Looks hungry? Bathroom trip? I brink up Gilenya because I am going to be observed tomorrow after taking my first pill. FOR SIX HOURS. I have an EKG at first. Take pill. Sit down. Do nothing. Wait to make sure my heart does not slow down. Another EKG.
I have been observing Elizabeth Taylor closely lately. Watching her walk, eating and basic living. I feel like I am going to be watched in the same manner. I will get very paranoid if I see a one-way mirror. After 6 hours if my heart is viewed acceptable, I may go home. If not, I may be hospitalized. Open the mouth, clean the gums, look out hospital, here it comes. I asked the doctor if this is how the drug is usually dispensed. No, she replied, this protocol is how my colleagues have been doing this to follow the protocol. Other doctors are just passing out the script and on we go.
My wife is taking me to the hospital tomorrow. I hope and pray that all goes well. I hope to sleep in my own bed afterwards.