What I did last weekend

by Michael S. Kaplan, published on 2006/04/04 03:01 -04:00, original URI: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/michkap/archive/2006/04/04/567754.aspx


(Nothing technical, yada yada yada)

Monday on Bravo I watched the West Wing episode He Shall, From Time to Time. It is one of those episodes that resonates with me a bit since it was the one where M.S. was introduced into the West Wing universe (and aside from Stockard Channing as an MD claiming that flu was life threatening to Jed, it was pretty accurate in how some people react in that sort of situation).

Interesting timing for a rerun, actually. Not ironic, in the regular or Alanis sense (though perhaps in the Katie sense, if you've seen that movie).

What am I talking about? Well, last week ended up being pretty stressful.

It didn't start out that way, mind you. Great music, great company, great food -- and that was just Tuesday. But I digress....

It was basically just some end-of-the-week stuff that I felt like I could have gone a long way to avoid if I could have.

How much I could have done without I did not know until late Friday night when numbness started up my legs. And by Saturday night to my hands and arms.

Summary: Multiple Sclerosis exacerbations suck.

Anyway, I was pretty much stuck at home for the weekend and a bunch of Monday (I took Monday as a sick day), though I am starting to feel better and will probably make it back into the office at some point tomorrow, I do find myself asking whether I can report the weekend days as sick days so I can at least be paid for my ruined weekend?

Probably not, I suppose....

Oh well, it's no big deal, I had no serious plans or anything like that. I do hate the kind of mood it puts me in though (mostly angry), and it did cause me to not post anything on April Fool's Day (I'll save my post idea for next year).

In any case, I am pretty much back now, enough to feel okay blogging about all this, at least. Sorry to anyone who either saw me being angry or being plastic; I promise I was not trying be either to anyone who didn't deserve it, if you know what I mean....

To those who left blog comments over the weekend, thanks for helping to take my mind off it all. I knew there was a good reason to be blogging; it's the kind of stress that I enjoy. :-)


# Jason on 4 Apr 2006 7:20 AM:

I'm not a regular visitor to your blog, I caught it in the MSDN Blogs list, but as the son of a father who has been fully disabled with MS, it's interesting to see you write about how it has affected your life.

My father essentially gave up on life when he was diagnosed with MS, and is now a 67 year old invalid who has alienated everyone around him due to his anger and attitude.

I'm very glad to see that you haven't gone down that same path, and that you fight it.  I can't fathom the pain and discomfort that MS brings, and I know it's truly one of the most debilitating diseases on earth, but fighting it is the only way to have it not destroy you .  Best of luck in your fight, and here's hoping they can find some kind of cure soon.

# Zach on 4 Apr 2006 1:57 PM:

Sorry to hear that you were not feeling well, and hope that you are feeling better soon.

-Z

# Brian A. Manlove on 4 Apr 2006 3:19 PM:

Michael - I used to argue with you back around 1996-1997 about different MS Access stuff... at that time I was trying to keep my  software company alive by migrating my product to the Access world.  I always benefitted a lot from your knowledge, even if I was a kurmudgeon sometimes.

I was kind of shocked to read about your situation... I am very sorry to hear it and I hope you hang in there...  I have made a pretty decent living for the past 10 years thanks in part to your influence!

Since those days I found out that I have Hepatitis C, so I can relate a little bit to being knocked around by disease.  I sincerely wish you the best and I will keep you in my ethereal communication attempts.

# Sandra Calcote on 6 Apr 2006 1:29 PM:

Just read your blog, and I was in the hospital for 5 days i.e. accute exacerbation !! Taa Daa !! So instead of being mad I decided that I'm in an old black and white movie on my sick bed abd damn Clark Gable didn't come in>>> I have to meke it a positive thing so it will get better. Hang in there*****

# Michael S. Kaplan on 7 Apr 2006 10:43 AM:

Hi Jason -- hang in there, it is easy to see how a problem like this can get a person down, but the best thing to do is be around anyway; one day it will matter.

I always tell people that MS is not a death sentence -- it is a life sentence. Which can be pretty bad, too. :-(

# Michael S. Kaplan on 7 Apr 2006 10:45 AM:

Hey Zach -- I am feeling better now. These "mini-exacerbations" that are brought on by illness or stress only last for a little while "real" exacerbations can last for weeks or even months....

# Michael S. Kaplan on 7 Apr 2006 10:46 AM:

Hey Brian -- yes, I remember you. Glad to know I was of some help! :-)

I am hanging in there -- you be sure to do the same, kay?

# Michael S. Kaplan on 7 Apr 2006 10:48 AM:

Hi Sandra -- hey, I've been there too, in fact I started seeing my current neuro after a hospital stay that was actually an intervention (a friend who was really not liking me staying home because I was having trouble walking for over a week).

How about we both hang in there? Though I'm not going to hope for Clark Gable (or a modern equivalent), I hope you understand. :-)

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