Author: Jen Rios

Three’s a Charm?

Today is Halloween and it is the last day for me to watch Hocus Pocus. I have not been able to enjoy it this year at all and I will explain it in November. Because my Mom came in today from blowing the leaves, and she told me that Ray called her from National Seating and Mobility and my wheelchair was approved yesterday.

I cried when my Mom told me that! We have been having nothing but trouble since August 31! But I have a movie to watch now, I think three is a charm and I may get a new wheelchair by Christmas…:

And this picture is proof ofhow badly my hips are feeling! That’s the biggest smile I can give right now! I put in a message to my internist to speak With an orthopedist, but there might be a specific one I need to talk to just like for the other specialties, there is an MS doctor.

A friend from high school, but made this sweatshirt, so I had to rock it today! And for future Hocus Pocus viewings!:

Who knew that my short hair was so wavy?! I sure didn’t!!!

Two Months Shy of 23rd Anniversary…

I clearly remember going to the infectious disease clinic at Henry Ford downtown. I somehow felt like I was in the 15th century or something. But we spoke with Jen the nurse practitioner, and she is the one who treated me for my pressure sores on my heels. Those stores lasted in my feet from April till November. I think we saw her in June and July.

I ended up seeing her twice in clinic and the second time we saw her, she gave me two wedges and a transfer sheet. Well, it was called something like that. My Mom and I called it, My “Ninja Turtle” because it is green with brown padding, so it looks like a ninja turtle!

My Mom told her that we do not need that yet, but she just calmly said, “You will,” and urged us to take it. I used it last night! I never would have thought that it would get this bad for me with this disease, but two months[to the day] shy of my 23rd anniversary,

This is where I am. I am grossly reclined in my chair to keep my hips from hurting. I’ve definitely dealt with a lot of pain these past 22 years of having MS but this pain is so new and so different today that it has me seriously scared right now…

New Development

I awakened this morning with both of my hips hurting tremendously! I told my Mom that I had to get out of bed because I’m still going to be in the same position. She reminded me that I can recline in it. Well, I did, and my hips still hurt! There are tears in my eyes. I my Mom will call Diane the occupational therapist who fit me for my wheelchair. (that is a big huge mess by the way, I should have gotten a new chair in July). I asked the experts in my MS group:

I’m still waiting to get replies in my MS group, but this new development really has me concerned!!!

I Guess I Did!

Sean has told me before, almost apologetically, that he can’t get into U2. I told him not to worry at all, and I LOVE them enough for both of us!

We were talking yesterday after he got home from work, and somehow he said, “ I think my favorite U2 song is, “I’m a little while.” I gasped and told him that that is my favorite song! He just responded, “I know. I am played it all of the time!

I said to him, “Yeah, I guess I did!” Because I did in both of our apartments, and in our house. I still do it!:

3 Bags

Last week, when we went to the Cider mill, I used my Vanilla Maple chapstick. I actually broke the seal on the Vanilla Maple chapstick tube, that was in my box-o’-chapstick, because I didn’t want to mess with my bag-o-chapstick.

That was a complete fluke by the way, and that’s just how it worked out because I change my Chapstick each day. Vanilla Maple just fell on that day. I think it was a fortuitous fluke, though! I think that Vanilla Maple is my favorite fall flavor.

I have one more box of the variety 4 pack for Fall but then I think I will just get a four pack of Vanilla Maple. I think that I will do that in a couple years because I will just start my new tubes of Fall chapstick this year.

Last night, I finished my Pumpkin Spice tube:

So, as of right now, I am just rockin’ three bags of chapstick. Chai, Vanilla Maple, and Salted Caramel. Salted Caramel is my VERY LEAST favorite, but I have one more tube to finish before I never get it again!!! The other day, I had a sweet taste on my lips just before I reapplied, because my lips were feeling dry. But that’s not enough for me to get it again!

I think that it is absolutely amazing that I am even thinking about this, but now that I am homebound, and we know that I am homebound because my Mom read it to me in the Medicare booklet, I think of finishing a complete tube of chips stick as an accomplishment now.

‘What a Dunce’

I wondered why I did not receive a birthday card for Leia from her vet. But then I got this email at 3 o’clock this morning:

I was just about to go to sleep when I got that email and I thought of the Shel Silverstein poem from my childhood the one where he talks about onomatopoeia‘s. He was talking about holiday food and used an onomatopoeia that goes along with the holidays and he ends it with, oh me, what a dunce! I went, and ate them all at once!

Days are all running together for me and I’m still recovering from going to the Cidermill! But then I’ve got another email today from the company who chipped her:

I really can’t believe how tired I am!!!

#MyGirlL: Four

Leia is 4 today. That is not her actual birthday because the rescue we got her from cannot give an actual birthday. When she went to the vet for the first time. they guesstimated that her birthday was today and we go with it!:

This is the most recent picture I have taken of Leia and her skin is still having problems which we keep in check with steroids and subsequently, she is a little bit tubby because of it. But, I am a VERY FIRM believer in, and I can attest to the fact that BIG GIRLS NEED LOVE TOO!!!

And we love her so much! The fact that she is four now makes me want to entertain the fact that I could put my Christmas ornaments up on my tree but it will be terrible if she ruins any one of them, so maybe David lights and beads again this year…

#OurFirstFamilyTrip

This morning, I awakened far later than I thought I would! And when my Mom came into my room, I told her that I am very concerned! My Mom shook her head and waved her hand dismissively and told me, “You were excited, ‘electric excited’ for the entire day! I was excited to see you that excited! That’s why it did not matter that it was raining! it’s just going to take some time to recover!”

Hearing that made me relax! I’ve been extremely concerned that I have not been bouncing back, and I wandered if I ever would. I was supposed to wash my hair today, but I decided, #DirtyHairDontCare because this recovery ain’t no joke, but I wanted to let you all know about #OurFirstFamilyTrip even though Sean was working:


This was Leia’s first long road trip since we have had her. We went to Rochester to Yates cider Mill. She was all alert and at attention for about 10 minutes until she decided to lay down. And go to sleep, but before she fell asleep, she farted which made my Mom yell and roll down the window

Long Weekend.

My MOM and I were on the phone with Sean and about halfway through the conversation, I had to bow out and say nothing more. I just couldn’t! It looks like this is a long weekend recovery! Long weekend because it’s Friday as well as Monday and I hope tomorrow I feel a little bit better. I’m starting to get the feeling that I am not going to feel better… 😒🤔😒