Author: Jen Rios

‘Pic of the Day’

This was my ‘Pic of the Day’ right before New Year’s:

This was from the fall of 2010. The second fall I lived in this house, but now the tree next-door got cut down so we’re not going to have that many leaves anymore.

I have two small mulberry trees in my backyard so I will just be getting the neighborhood leaves from here on out.

Involuntary Moans

Well, I have had MS for 25 years and three days. What I can tell you is that now, 25 years of having MS is filled with involuntary moans. It totally surprised me when it started happening, but it has not stopped in these past three days. My bones hurt! It hurts to move! I am having another bone density scan on January 22.

It’s made me a little bit nervous that I am going to see the podiatrist on January 20. I did that last January, had to make additional appointments off the cuff and 2025 was ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE and my credit card is still recovering!

I just hope these moans are NOT an everyday thing, but it has been for the past three days so I’m not looking forward to days ahead…

A Quarter of a Century

Well, I woke today to the sound of slick wheels on the pavement. It was raining. This hurts. I realized that before I even opened my eyes. I laid in bed for a while, not moving and listening to an audio prayer on Hallow.

I am really slowing down now and waking up takes me a while! The weather doesn’t help either, 25 years into this disease.

Seriously?!

I really can’t believe that it has been a quarter century that I have had this horrible disease. I am just coming off of a really brutal 2025 and I’m still trying to process it.

I’m homebound now. I have known that since December 2023. I started using a power chair in July 2018. I have told my Mom and she doesn’t agree but it’s true. I just exist between doctors appointments.

I am a little bit nervous because I just scheduled a January appointment with a podiatrist. I really hope that doesn’t lead to more appointments because that’s what happened in 25. I kept having to add new doctor appointments and my head swam at the same time that my credit card was getting a workout!

I don’t know what 2026 is going to bring in terms of doctor appointments. All I know is that my disease is progressing and it’s a bit scary!

Blowing my Mind!

I shared this meme on what was yesterday now because it is 12:05 am:

I know exactly what day it is! It was December 27. That was Sean’s due date. I told him that today and he was surprised and said, “My birthday was a long time ago!” I told him that I knew.

It also is my childhood friend’s birthday. Now it 12:09 am. I still feel like it’s the 27th but when I wake up, it will be 25 years that I have been diagnosed with MS.

That fact is completely blowing my mind and I never would have thought that I would be as disabled as I am right now! My head still is swimming, but I’m just going with it. Tomorrow I will be quiet. I always am.

#ItSucksToSuck!!! and #MSsucks!!! 😒😒😒…

Wait. What?! OR Attacked

I watched this video probably four or five days ago and I didn’t want to share it because I watched it and felt COMPLETELY ATTACKED!!!

I want to first start off by saying that we had a wonderful Christmas! It was so laid-back and Sean liked all of his presents! I thought that I would just not think about this video ever again, but I have to share it here because what he said, cut me straight to my heart!!!

And it didn’t happen once, it happened for all three songs that he despises!!! I felt so attacked. At first, when I heard it, I thought, Wait. What?!

here is the video:

Everyone in my family knows that this song is ABSOLUTELY my favorite Christmas jam! It’s not Christmas until I hear this song!

I have been a member of the virtual front pew since week 17 of ordinary time of 2021. I watched Fr. Mike every week for mass and I listen to him every day when I’m reading the Bible. I am going to go on to my fifth time next year and it is so wonderful!

I have listened to his homily every week and I thought we are almost contemporaries. I think that he is five years older than me.

I havewatched videos from Fr. Mike all the time and I thought this one looked fun with his Christmas coat. I was not expecting what I heard!!!

I told my Mom about this a few days ago and she couldn’t believe it either. I told her that he says it is just a break up song and it’s not even a Christmas song. I looked at my Mom and said, “Have you seen the video?!”

It is completely a Christmas song and my favorite one! I will put it here just to have it one more time before the end of the season:

“Tap Shoes”

Sean came by yesterday and he was able to transfer me back to my chair after my Mom and me did our routine. He cuts out a 45 minute transfer by just picking me up and placing me back into my chair.

My Mom put my legs up and Sean looked at my feet. He has told me more than a few times that my feet are really small! He told us that it looks like my shoes are, “Tap shoes.”

My Mom and I laughed and I told him that I have my small feet from my Mom and my small hands from my Dad‘s mom.

I thought about it and I remembered seeing black shoes on SpongeBob. I look for it and I sent this to Sean.. I told him it’s my shoes:

A Lot.

I pillaged today. I have vitamins that have not arrived yet. I ordered them on Wednesday and they should have arrived by now. I have a new supplement and I ran out of another supplement so I’m down two pills until I get the new package.

I do the same thing every day and today it’s just feeling like a lot. #ItSucksToSuck!!! #MSsucks!!! 😒😒😒…

4 Blog Posts

I woke up today in the late morning and my head felt clearer than it did yesterday. I am so relieved that I have nowhere to go until January 20. This past year has been absolutely brutal!!!

I did not feel well at all yesterday and I read four blog posts that have stayed in my mind, crystal clearly, for 25 years. In nine days, it will be 25 years. I can’t believe that at all!

I am going to repost those four blog posts because in reading them, I can see everything in my mind still!!! I never imagined that my MS would be where it is today… #ItSucksToSuck #MSsucks!!! 😒😒😒…