Christmas 2009

It's hard to believe Christmas is over and gone and 2010 is just days away. We had a blessed Christmas with family and friends. I Love Christmas - always makes our house look bare when we take down the tree and Christmas village. I told Eric that I think our house is made for Christmas... I just love it in the evening with the tree and village glowing. Evan wanted 2 things from Santa - a pogo stick and an air hockey table. Originally I had found a smaller air hockey table at Target but after attending a little boy's birthday party who had a mega daddy air hockey table Evan let us know that was the kind he wanted. Luckily Santa got a crazy deal and pulled through. Santa sent Evan an email video this year and that made Evan's eyes almost pop out of his head. Christmas morning Santa sent Evan on a Scavenger hunt to find his air hockey table and that was right up Evan's alley. My favorite gifts are the Shark floor steam cleaner and waterpik shower head. I love a clean house and a long shower! This year there was something new in Louisville to do at Christmas - http://www.louisvillemegacavern.com/pages/lights-under-louisville.php. We were excited and headed out with our BFF's. Two hours and $20 later I'm just glad we had friends with us so we can at least say we had a nice visit! Santa came through our neighborhood this year thanks to our local fire dept. That was AWESOME! I was so glad we were home and Evan even had some friends here so they got to share in that excitement too! We took Evan caroling for the first time this year. We went to a few nursing homes and the joy on the older peoples faces was priceless and Evan was a good sport and I believe felt good about the joy he was giving them. When saying prayers Christmas Eve Evan added "Happy Birthday Jesus." That made me smile... I hope we are never too busy to remember the real reason for the season. I've enjoyed Christmas and Evan's excitement. It's been a wonderful time and I'm sad to see it end.

I've dreaded tomorrow for a week now. Christmas ending meant the last of my test were a few days away. I've undergone most of the test already from the neuro and from the results of them he has confirmed a diagnosis of MS. The first meeting with the neuro did not raise many concerns and I was pretty sure nothing would come of the symptoms I've had the last few years. When the MRI came back with 11 lesions on my brain I cried for days. I'm mostly worried about not wanting to change (I know.) I want to be the Mom I am today still tomorrow and although I realize that more than likely I will be, I'm scared. I went through an electrical study and visual test a few weeks ago and they too came back abnormal too. These results haven't changed the way I feel (pretty normal) but hearing that diagnosis has definately been stressful. Guess what? Stress causes outbreaks of MS symptoms so that has been fun too... I'm stressed because I find out I have MS so I cause my legs to go numb because stress causes MS episodes. My symptoms started the Dec. after Evan was born with vertigo and then in 2007 and 2008 a period of leg numbness and some eye things that weren't explainable. I also started getting very very hot the last few years (early menopause?). Lately I've started having trouble getting up with my legs and bottoms of my feet hurting the first few seconds until I get moving. Come to find out all of these are MS symptoms. I go for my final test tomorrow. I'm dreading it. I'm having a spinal tap to confirm the diagnosis and to rule anything else out. Pray for me and for my neuro to know what medicine I need to slow the progression. I feel like I know lots about hearts (I don't but I feel like I do sometimes) but I'm clueless about MS so I have lots to learn.