quotes from Karma

*U CAN'T TELL ME WHAT MY (GOD) CAN'T DO DOCTORS MIGHT SAY MEDS WILL GET ME UP AND GOING BUT I SAY (GOD) IS MY DOCTOR FEELING GOOD TODAY BACK DRIVING DOING 4 MYSELF HE HAS BROUGHT ME FROM A MIGHTY LONG WAY WHAT A AWESOME (GOD)*

*I MIGHT HAVE (MS) BUT IT DOES NOT MAKE ME (MS) NUTHIN BUT A DEMON THAT'S Y I STAY PRAYED UP AND READ DEMONS FEED ON SICKNESS GET ALL IN UR HEAD MAKE U FEEL SORRY DEPRESSED I HAVE 2 LAY HANDS ON MY (MS) EVERYDAY THAT'S Y WE MUST FIGHT EVERYDAY IT'S TRULY A BATTLE WITH THE ENEMY IS TRYING IT'S BEST 2 TAKE US BUT IT'S A LIE WITH (GOD) ON MY SIDE NO DEMON IN HELL WILL GET ME DOWN STAY STRONG BE BLESSED*

*CLAIM IT,SPEAK IT,RECEIVE IT I AM HEALED NO NEED 2 BE DOWN CAUSE OF (MS) A.K.A. SATAN U HAVE 2 LET HIM 2 KNOW WHO'S THE BOSS AROUND HERE CAUSE IF U THROWING A PITY PARTY U LETTING OL SATAN WIN NOT WITH ME CAUSE HE KNOW I DON'T PLAY HE KNOW I WILL JACK HIM UP*

*NOTICE ME NOT MY DISEASE*

*TO DO LIST:*

- LAUNDRY
- CLEAN HOUSE
- COOK DINNER
- BEAT (MS)

One of Life's Miracles

A smile is one of life's miracles. It brings hope to a really bad day.
It brings to a heart that is empty and bare a reason to trust, come what may.
A smile can lift the sadness that falls heavy inside a soul.
A smile can brighten a little child's heart when his home is lonely and cold.
A smile can say "I love you."  A smile can whisper, "I care."
A smile can shout, "Cheer up, my friends; your burden, I will always share!"
Be generous with your smiles today; give a smile to your loved ones dear.
Share a smile with each person you meet; work a miracle, spread some cheer.

(from Mature Living by Shirley Scruggs)

.I thought it was a great poem for all of us dealing with MS.

HOPE

 If I can put new hope within the heart
         Of one who has lost hope,
         If I can help a brother up
         Some difficult long slope
         That seems too steep for tired feet to go,
         If I can help him climb
         Into the light upon the hill's far crest,
         I shall begrudge no time
         Or strength that I spend, for well I know
         How great may be his need.
         If I can help through any darkened hour,
         I shall be glad indeed.
        
         For I recall how often I have been
         Distressed, distraught, dismayed,
         And hands have reached to help, and voices called
         That kept me unafraid.
         If I can share this help that I have had,
         God knows I shall be glad.

  - Grace Noll Crowell
(received this as a special "Happy Birthday" this morning).
Enjoy, Leola

over my shoulder

As I looked over my shoulder
To all I thought I’d lost.
I cried as I grieved
For what my MS had cost.

I missed my old body
And what I used to do.
How I made plans freely,
And met my friends at noon.

When I didn’t worry how I’d feel
As I began each day.
When I didn’t continually struggle
To find the words to say.

I kept looking over that shoulder,
Crying for what I missed.
I would go through my mind
Making a mental list.

Then a funny thing happened
I realized something true.
While I was looking over my shoulder
I almost missed something new.

I had learned to count my blessings
To really budget my time.
I had learned to value what’s important
And appreciate what’s mine.

I found out who my friends were,
I knew who’d be there through my pain.
I learned to be spontaneous,
And saw what I had gained.

I made new friendships
I put my health first.
I spent more time with my children
And hugged them til they burst.

I valued the time with my friends
And I learned when to say “no”.
For my time was much more valuable
I could choose when to stay or go.

I loved with all my heart
And gave a part of me away;
But only to the ones deserving
Of the best I had to give each day.

The saddest part of this story
Is what I stood to lose.
I forgot what I had in front of me
That I had the right to choose.

While I was looking over my shoulder
To all I thought I’d lost.
I almost missed what I still had
And what my regret would cost.

I stopped looking over my shoulder
I appreciate what’s new.
I have a new life now
And MS is included too.

But now I live each day
Finding my smile in my heart
I laugh, I love, I live my life
Cuz MS is just one part.

~Tammy Malkowski (1/21/2011

I'm still me

MS hides, inside of me,
Invisible to the naked eye.
I can feel the MonSter
Trying to make me cry.
...
It’s a part of me, it’s true.
That, I cannot forget.
It rears it’s ugly head
And some days are filled with regret.

There are some bad days
You’ll hear me complain.
But if it consumes me,
Then what will I gain?

I am still “Me”,
The person you’ve known.
Even though inside
The disease has grown.

I won’t allow it
To take over me.
To steal my laughter,
My smile or faith in “HE”.

I choose to laugh
About my life.
To handle it with grace
Dignity and less strife.

So laugh with me, smile with me
But please remember this:
There is rarely a moment
That MS does not exist.

But through it all, the highs & lows,
I have my family & friends.
Remember I’m still “Me”.
I will not let MS be my end!
By Tammy Malkowski 1/30/2010

Bee therapy

found here It is estimated that between 5,000 to 10,000 people with MS in the United States use bee sting therapy, so some people must find that it helps them and isn’t unbearable. Read on for more details.

What Is It?

Bee sting therapy is one type of “apitherapy,” a term which refers to the use of bee products to treat medical conditions. Other forms of apitherapy include the use of bee pollen, propolis (a waxy substance produced by bees), raw honey and royal jelly. Bee sting therapy, also referred to as “bee venom therapy,” is pretty much just what it sounds like -- getting stung with bees in a controlled setting.
What Is It For?
It is used by people with many different autoimmune disorders, including MS, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and scleroderma. It is also used for a number of other diseases and conditions, including depression, skin conditions, menstrual cramps and varicose veins.

How Is It Supposed to Work?

It is claimed that bee sting therapy works with the patient's own body to reduce inflammation. The theory is that because the stings produce inflammation, the body mounts an anti-inflammatory response. Presumably, this would then work to reduce inflammation where the myelin is being attacked by the immune system in a person with MS.

What Happens During a Treatment?

Bee sting practicioners include nurses, acupuncturists, naturopaths and interested laypersons, including beekeepers. Some patients eventually just order some bees and perform the sessions themselves. Bee sting therapy is also given by physicians, who use venom in an injectible form and inject it under the skin, rather than live bees.

Before the treatment begins, the therapist may inject the patient with a weak form of the venom to test for an allergic reaction. A bee (usually a honeybee) is held with tweezers up to a part of the body. The stingers are left in for up to 15 minutes, then removed with tweezers. Between 20 to 40 stings are done each session, and a patient typically gets three sessions a week.
What Does It Feel Like?