tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24189547478015872932024-02-02T02:25:01.345-08:00Stephen King's Odysseysking789http://www.blogger.com/profile/05717360772515692028noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418954747801587293.post-43610251989971113172010-04-03T18:23:00.000-07:002010-04-03T18:48:18.479-07:00Depression and Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:150%">I was first prescribed antidepressant when I was 17 years of age as a way to help me cope with the challenges associated with the progression of DMD. At the time I thought little of the connection between depression and DMD, I was just not happy.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>My parents noticed my downward spiral before I did.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Unbeknownst to me I was losing interest in my friends and things I enjoyed doing such as reading and playing video games. So, it was decided I should seek a solution to the problem at hand.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I started taking a medication called Effexor, a mild antidepressant.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I felt results immediately with little to no side effects.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I felt care free and excited about the renewed possibilities of the human condition. It was smooth sailing until 2002 when I was hospitalized with respiratory failure, which lead to a tracheotomy in May of that year.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I was confined to ICU for three months.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>My second downward spiral began. People were dying around me consistently and the isolation was getting to me. I was put on a higher dose of Effexor and began taking the mood stabilizer and anti-anxiety meds. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Getting accustomed to a machine breathing for me was very frightening and panic inducing.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I began having panic attacks once I was back home.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>But those where subsiding as I built up my strength.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:150%"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>Fast forward 6 years to late 2008, I caught pneumonia and was hospitalized again.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>My anxiety began to sky rocket and I was having full blown panic attacks.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Pneumonia makes you extremely weak and makes breathing difficult which just added to my anxiety.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>As I regained my strength and health, the anxiety ebbed. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:150%"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>In November 2009, I had another major bout of pneumonia. My anxiety was going gang busters and I was mildly sedated most of the time.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>My doctor got the insane idea to take me off my antidepressant. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I suffered horrible withdrawal symptoms which agitated my anxiety and depression.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I was quickly put back on a powerful antidepressant med called Celexa. Unfortunately it took 2 weeks to fully begin working.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>But time passed and I regained my strength.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>As of now, I’m very happy and everything is going to quite well.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>My depression and anxiety are well in check.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:150%">(This post will also be available on the <a href="http://dmdpioneers.org/index.php">DMD Pioneers Web site</a>) </p>sking789http://www.blogger.com/profile/05717360772515692028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418954747801587293.post-38845979301863466172010-04-03T16:11:00.000-07:002010-04-03T16:16:40.189-07:00Movie review: Clash of the Titans in 3DI just returned from watching Clash of the Titans in 3D. I really enjoyed it. They told the story quite well. I would recommend this film! <div>Family friendly if you you don't mind monsters...</div><div>7/10 stars</div>sking789http://www.blogger.com/profile/05717360772515692028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418954747801587293.post-64265434079305547722010-04-01T20:57:00.000-07:002010-04-01T21:09:05.207-07:00Learning<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">I have began a training course on how to </span></span><a href="http://www.becomeblogger.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">become a blogger</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">. It's akin to a creative writing course but teaches the technical aspects of running a successful high traffic blog also. Add that to my </span></span><a href="http://www.livemocha.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Spanish courses</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> I'm taking online and I should have plenty to do. </span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">I absolutely love to learn new things, so that is what I'm doing. </span></span><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>sking789http://www.blogger.com/profile/05717360772515692028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418954747801587293.post-65971101646641266082010-03-28T14:13:00.000-07:002010-04-06T14:56:29.248-07:00Expensive PPV Events<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Last night I ordered the </span></span><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">UFC</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> 111 pay-per-view, which was $60 for the </span></span><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">HD</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> showing. It was well worth the $$$, cause </span></span><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">GSP</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> won! Tonight is </span></span><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Wrestlemania</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> 26 on </span></span><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">ppv</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> but in standard definition so we all can watch. Only $54. I only order the one </span></span><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">WWE</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> event a year so it's survivable. April 10</span></span><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">th</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> is the </span></span><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">UFC</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> 112 </span></span><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">ppv</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> from </span></span><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Abu</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Dhabi</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> with a stacked card!</span></span>sking789http://www.blogger.com/profile/05717360772515692028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418954747801587293.post-35780959862851014742010-03-14T20:00:00.000-07:002010-03-14T20:11:23.839-07:00Caregiver's Bill of Rights<span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;">by Jo Horne<br />Author of Caregiving: Helping an Aging Loved One<br /><br />I have the right:<br />To take care of myself. This is not an act of selfishness. It will enable me to take better care of my loved one.<br /><br />I have the right:<br />To seek help from others even though my loved one may object. I recognize the limits of my own endurance and strength.<br /><br />I have the right:<br />To maintain facets of my own life that do not include the person I care for, just as I would if he or she were healthy. I know that I do everything that I reasonably can for this person, and I have the right to do some things for myself.<br /><br />I have the right:<br />To get angry, be depressed and express other difficult emotions occasionally.<br /><br />I have the right:<br />To reject any attempt by my loved one (either conscious or unconscious) to manipulate me through guilt, anger or depression.<br /><br />I have the right:<br />To receive consideration, affection, forgiveness and acceptance from my loved one for as long as I offer these qualities in return.<br /><br />I have the right:<br />To take pride in what I am accomplishing and to applaud the courage it sometimes takes to meet the needs of my loved one.<br /><br />I have the right:<br />To protect my individuality and my right to make a life for myself that will sustain me when my loved one no longer needs my full-time help.<br /><br />I have the right:<br />To expect and demand that as new strides are made in finding resources to aid physically and mentally impaired persons in our country, similar strides will be made toward aiding and supporting caregivers</span>sking789http://www.blogger.com/profile/05717360772515692028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418954747801587293.post-72663336830180852042010-03-08T15:20:00.000-08:002010-03-14T20:10:30.988-07:00my weekend<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;">I had a pretty good weekend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Saturday night, my friend Ken and I, went to the movies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We saw the 7:50 pm showing of 'The Wolfman' (7 out of 10) at Silver City in Windsor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The place was full because of 'Alice in Wonderland', 'Shutter Island', and 'the Crazies' but our theatre was practically empty which was nice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Sunday we celebrated Cody's (my youngest nephews) 3rd birthday. He had a good time and got some cool stuff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Tim (my brother-in-law) made a huge amount of penne in meat sauce for dinner, I actually stopped my tube feed to have a small plate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Only had swallowing issue once, with no major chokage. Haha! I topped the evening watching an episode of Grey's Anatomy with my friend Jon and then the Academy awards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My pick for best picture, 'The Hurt Locker' won.</span></p>sking789http://www.blogger.com/profile/05717360772515692028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418954747801587293.post-62783002711556090922010-03-03T14:49:00.000-08:002010-03-14T20:09:38.148-07:00Movie Reviews; quick and easy<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;">Yesterday I watched the movie 2012. It was just okay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Sure there is a Mayan prophecy, is it going to come true, not really.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There have been doomsday prophecies since the beginning history that never came to fruition, why would this one be any different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We don’t even use the Mayan calendar! I gave it 6 out of 10 stars.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Today I watched Where the Wild Things Are based on the children’s book by Maurice Sendak. It was dark and depressing and would scare most children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I gave it 5 out of 10 stars. I loved the children’s book when I was little.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p>sking789http://www.blogger.com/profile/05717360772515692028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418954747801587293.post-70003012401917797382010-03-02T15:32:00.000-08:002010-03-02T15:35:15.971-08:00Finally an update<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">I know it has been quite a while since my last post, entirely too long. I had a bout of pneumonia at the end of November and was hospitalized for about 10 days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Having pneumonia twice in 2009 did not constitute a good year, but I did have a healthy Spring, Summer and part of Fall. My goal for 2010 is to not get sick and stay out of hospital, seems doable to me. I hope you all enjoyed the Olympics and Canada’s 14 gold medals (the all time record for any country in history)! <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Please check out my money making opportunity (not a get rich quick scheme, just for making a little extra money). Follow the link in the previous post or click on the banner ad above.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>All you need is a PayPal account to sign up so you can get paid for reading commercial e-mail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You get $10 for signing up and $.02 per read e-mail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It’s not going to allow you to retire but will give you some extra spending money. It’s free!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>sking789http://www.blogger.com/profile/05717360772515692028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418954747801587293.post-25337916371097153212010-03-02T14:38:00.000-08:002010-04-05T12:49:02.180-07:00Still Reading Commercial Emails For Free?Hey everyone,<br />Are you interested in making a little extra money by reading commercial e-mail? It's free to do! All you will need to do is click the link below to get started.<br />Thanks for your time.<br /><br />Receive Emails On Topics That Interests You<br />And Get Paid For It!<br />If you have access to your own email account, you<br />can get paid. Refer others and get paid up to two levels.<br /><br />Hits4Pay is one of very few highest paying advertising<br />program in the industry.<br />Signup for free and receive $10 as a Free Reward:<br /><a href="http://hits4pay.com/members/index.cgi?sking789">http://hits4pay.com/members/index.cgi?sking789</a>sking789http://www.blogger.com/profile/05717360772515692028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418954747801587293.post-59146488252110739052009-04-23T11:20:00.000-07:002009-04-23T11:22:56.411-07:00In other newsIn other news, I decided I can't keep my puppy Joe. My mother can't keep up with my care and house breaking a dog. Luckily the woman I got him from is willing to take him back. I e-mailed her and I'm just waiting for a reply.We love him to death but I don't want to kill mom. I'm going to miss the little shit.sking789http://www.blogger.com/profile/05717360772515692028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418954747801587293.post-20833515745165902152009-04-22T17:49:00.000-07:002009-04-22T17:51:10.561-07:00PneumoniaI still haven't recovered totally from my pneumonia, part of me thinks this is as good as it gets. And for the first time in my 32 years I seemed to develop some sort of outdoor allergy. I may had the allergies for some time but this is the first time I have really noticed.sking789http://www.blogger.com/profile/05717360772515692028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418954747801587293.post-88687405902130422009-02-10T11:26:00.000-08:002009-02-10T11:36:17.779-08:00Shiley 6It turns out that my concerns about switching from the Shiley size 8 back to a size 6 were for not. The size 6 fit perfectly and I'm far more comfortable. I bought the Alison Krauss & Robert Plant album Rising Sand from itunes. It recently won the Grammy for Album of the Year. It's a very unique sound and quite good.sking789http://www.blogger.com/profile/05717360772515692028noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418954747801587293.post-45968783088170593962009-02-07T15:30:00.000-08:002009-02-07T16:19:42.000-08:00JanuaryIt's now 2009. The New Year did not start so well for me. I was hospitalized for 16 days, starting New Year's Day, with a bad pneumonia which involved my entire left lung. I was in ICU on one of the hospitals fancy vents. The first procedure they did was a bronchioscope, where they would put a camera down my trach to see how bad the pneumonia was and suction all the crap out. But before they could do it, they had to change my trach from a Shiley 6 to an 8 so the doctor could get the scope in. Once that was over with I felt somewhat better. The Shiley 8 doesn't fit very well and air leaks from my stoma like crazy. It also sticks out. I still have it in. I want to go back to the 6 but I'm not sure I can. I'm concerned my stoma is now too stretched out to go back to the 6. Maybe I'm missing something?<br /><br />When I was discharged I was only home for 3 days before I had to go back. This time I was in for 9 days with pneumonia that was in my right lung. After about 5 days, we discovered it wasn't a second bout of pneumonia but it was my vent malfunctioning. So they sent it back to be replaced which takes 48 hrs roughly. I was released the next day after receiving the new vent and have been home since. I'm about 80-90 % and getting stronger at a pretty good rate.<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300213189488772338" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvcs7-Ffs-_ZIArnMV3ca1-0BmVesaofim5xY72v3_KyZHrLnv5hXqApRldcroBIB_xjx7XuAX_VYuIQoVtFMQWYL61JJAhTM9FAhTol8dCQINBh6qFw1QCW6MxMackqsAxR7g7asUO8o/s200/!cid_0202091026.jpg" border="0" /><br />My sister got me a puppy. He is a day over 2 months old, a Jack Russell/Chihuahua mix also known as a JackChi. I call him Joe. A very nice homecoming gift indeed.sking789http://www.blogger.com/profile/05717360772515692028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418954747801587293.post-40260721129561064712008-07-01T16:17:00.000-07:002008-07-01T16:18:20.831-07:00I love technologyI spent $322 at future shop today! I got my network up and running again. I should also be getting my laptop tomorrow from Dell. I bought a 500GB desktop hard drive and a new mouse for Mom.sking789http://www.blogger.com/profile/05717360772515692028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418954747801587293.post-71811122117066206702008-05-08T15:39:00.000-07:002008-05-08T16:58:29.473-07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihgnKUuotG5guse-3BCDkCkUW6AIsLwLgrO5MKboM1Ck9-NPqLClgbBzXRU8S3Umq_u4r_h_GWXerxh86JqeOI-Zn3LxfhymfkfTd_Ph5Ms8mZAEQ9miKF1Ga92xcuD0JhNdnhdGCoKAQ/s1600-h/100_1601.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5198160436032843746" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihgnKUuotG5guse-3BCDkCkUW6AIsLwLgrO5MKboM1Ck9-NPqLClgbBzXRU8S3Umq_u4r_h_GWXerxh86JqeOI-Zn3LxfhymfkfTd_Ph5Ms8mZAEQ9miKF1Ga92xcuD0JhNdnhdGCoKAQ/s320/100_1601.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Well much to blog about this evening. Two events I'm excited about attending, the first is the Redbull Air Race which will be held on the Detroit River on the weekend of May 31st and the second is Reba McEntire at The Colosseum at Caesars Windsor on July 17th (My sisters' 30th birthday, she understands, she'll just receive a larger $$$ gift from me) . </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Today my attendant Janice and I went to the city. I bought my Mom a 19" flat screen monitor for Mother's Day at Best Buy and had a nice lunch at Moxy's followed by a stop at Green Earth my favourite retail store. I picked up a cool cd, African Sunrise, very good traditional music. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>It was Janice's first time taking me out alone. She did a great job! </div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>sking789http://www.blogger.com/profile/05717360772515692028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418954747801587293.post-58118581139388558182008-04-09T18:08:00.000-07:002008-04-09T18:13:50.265-07:00little rantWhat a crazy last couple of days! I broke up with my same sex boyfriend Monday night, came down with a bug the same night, and I can't download Dexter: Season 1 on itunes because I'm Canadian. Canadian Content Laws suck!sking789http://www.blogger.com/profile/05717360772515692028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418954747801587293.post-19294640001887889632008-04-06T21:23:00.000-07:002008-04-06T21:38:12.536-07:00gift of givingYesterday I went to the mall with Dave to get component cables for my dvd player. Then we went into Green Earth, I bought myself a ipod case and bought my sister a Night Fairy statuette, also I got Landon a paperweight with a bug inside. And I bought Jon a kangaroo webkinz.<br /><br />Jon stayed for dinner. BBQ steak! Yummy. I had a taste of everything to keep my palliate entertained. It was nice to eat with the family. It had been quite a while. Everyone liked what I gave them.sking789http://www.blogger.com/profile/05717360772515692028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418954747801587293.post-44789755052796993932008-04-04T21:31:00.000-07:002008-04-04T21:40:38.597-07:00Reading interestsToday seemed like a long day. Yesterday I began reading a new book. The Darkest Evening of the Year written by Dean Koontz. I just finished reading the Odd Thomas series; Odd Thomas, Forever Odd, and Brother Odd, by the same author. I enjoyed them very much. I'm looking forward to the fourth installment, Odd Hours to being released.sking789http://www.blogger.com/profile/05717360772515692028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418954747801587293.post-77341126445445046242008-03-26T13:03:00.000-07:002008-03-26T13:18:18.180-07:00Something new....It's been way to long since I have even been on this blog. Let alone updated it. Things have changed a lot since October 2007. Fall was pretty uneventful. In January I met someone new. His name is Jon. Also my first go at a same sex relationship. He is the sweetest guy in the world and totally devoted to me. All my family and friends have accepted my sexuality and Jon wholeheartedly. Like it was nothing. Honestly, I am not accustomed to how great he treats me but I am getting used to it. I am very concerned that I will eventually take him for granted, I hope not.sking789http://www.blogger.com/profile/05717360772515692028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418954747801587293.post-81855323454218097542007-10-28T18:46:00.000-07:002007-10-28T18:48:17.448-07:0030 Days of Night<h3 class="entry-header"><br /></h3> <div class="entry-body"> I have my new manual wheelchair now. My independence hasn't really changed, still doing the things I enjoy. Friday night, I went to the movies to surprise my buddy Ken for his birthday. He didn't expect me showing up at all. This was all orchestrated over the past week between his wife Janice, my Mom and myself. Janice dragged him to the show and wouldn't let him watch 30 Days of Night. Mom and I showed up and when he saw us he still didn't know what was up.<br /><br /> He goes "What movie you going to see?"<br /> I respond, "30 Days of Night."<br /> Then he says "I was going to see that with you, Bastard!"<br /> So I said "Why do you think I'm here."<br /><br />Then it finally clicked for him. Janice and Mom went to bingo and Ken and I got to see the movie we wanted to see. By the way, 30 Days of Night was an awesome vampire movie, best I have seen in years. Very hardcore! Afterward we all met up at Kelsey's for drinks. I was feeling brave so I ordered an extra spicy Caesar and some hot wings. That sure warmed me up fast.<br /><br />It was a excellent night.</div>sking789http://www.blogger.com/profile/05717360772515692028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418954747801587293.post-4588297689088683442007-10-28T18:31:00.000-07:002007-10-28T18:34:43.717-07:00411I have Duchene muscular dystrophy or DMD. Just for reference, you may have seen or heard of the Jerry Lewis labor day telethon, well DMD is one of the 40 known neuro-muscular disorders they raise money for. Unfortunately, although it's an awesome program, most of the money raised for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) is used on research and afflicted kids. Don't get me wrong, MDA is a great organization, however, they are just more focused on children and don't do all that much for adult sufferers.<br /><br />Anyway, DMD is a disorder that generally affects males. It's very uncommon in females. It's a genetic disorder that screws up the body's manufacture of the protein dystrophin. It's characterized by severe muscle wasting that can't be stopped. The only thing that can be done is to slow down it's progression. It is eventually fatal.<br /><br />Symptoms begin around 5 or 6 years old, which is true in my case, I was 6. Usually, the elementary school gym teacher notices the early weakened activity that DMD sufferers portray. We just can't quite keep up with the other children, we fall down a lot, and are slow to get up. Gym class helps discover DMD because it's easy to make comparisons to 'normal' children. DMD starts its attack on the legs, making stairs and running difficult tasks. This makes leg braces become necessary. It then progresses to the hips which makes it difficult to walk and stand up. Falling becomes a major issue. For me it was 11 years old, which is the average age. This is when we are often put in manual wheelchairs in order to get around easier and minimize falls. Next, the back, shoulders, and arms start to go. Around 14 or 15, a power wheelchair becomes necessary and walking becomes impossible. This is when assistance is needed for toileting, bathing, dressing and getting in and out of bed. Many victims around this time develop severe scoliosis and need surgery to insert metal rods along their spines for straightening. I got my first power wheelchair at 15 and fortunately I never needed the back surgery.<br /><br />During the late teens/early 20s people with DMD used to die. Usually death came from weakness of the heart or the lungs and diaphragm, which are all muscles. Pneumonia would often cause lung failure. Nowadays with proper care, therapy, and technology many survive into their 50s & 60s. I'm going to be 31. The worst part about that is now I have to use a mechanical ventilator to assist my breathing. But like everything else in life, we must rise to the challenge.sking789http://www.blogger.com/profile/05717360772515692028noreply@blogger.com0