Our First Formal

     

     Instead of taking one big long holiday we thought it would be better to split up the summer, so  Hunny took a week off each month. I was having bladder problems and knew if we went on a car trip we would have to keep stopping for me to visit the bathroom.  It is hard to find an accessible bathroom where Hunny can take me where we both are comfortable and a clean facility. We did not want to stress over this.  This MSA was sure affecting my bladder, which is one of the main symptoms.

     The first part of Hunny’s vacation started with a beautiful wedding.  We are going to this wedding at the Watson’s Mill 

in Manotick. This was a beautiful old building, which is older than Canada itself. It was built in 1860 and is suppose to be haunted. This was the first formal event with my wheelchair.  Since diagnosed Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) my walking is very bad and I have to use my wheel chair when we go out.  Thank goodness we knew a lot of the people there. At one point I had to go to the bathroom, so a friend had taken me to the washroom. Afterward I told my husband how I felt; now I would have to learn to use the bathroom and pee on command.  Like we say to our dog, “Go potty, go potty”, not that anyone said anything but you know how you feel when someone is waiting for you. Well I survived this and we went back to join the party. It was a wedding mingle and there was only a couple of tables and chairs.  The bride and groom realized without us saying anything that sitting in this wheel chair always looking up was hard on my neck and trying to talk loud enough to be heard would be difficult and so they had a table for me. Due to the MSA I was having trouble with voice projection as well. 

                                                   

     The bride and groom looked so happy, the weather was gorgeous and the fact that so many people came to help celebrate this happy occasion. It was great to be surrounded by so much love and joy. At one point Hunny went to sample the 20 year old scotch. There were so many happy faces, dancing and so much life all around us. I was glad we came and even though I was in my wheel chair so happy we came.

      I had to go the hospital to have a throat swallowing video done. With the diagnosis of MSA also came the problem with swallowing for me. Often I choke when swallowing and have started to avoid foods that seem trigger this effect.  It sees if it is too juicy or there is too much acid it will cause a choking episode. During this video they take different textures of food and mix them with barium so they can watch how you chew and swallow your food. Sometimes when I choke it feels as if my throat takes a Charley Horse and I have to wait until it passes or relaxes.  They didn’t really tell me anything new except give it names and provide validity to what I was feeling. As a result of this video and the MSA we know I have lyngrospasm with a deteriorating esophagus.  I can no longer eat cereals or stews, crackers,lettuce, celery, pop, oranges or orange juice or grapefruits, all my fruit have to be peeled and cut up, this is just a few of the changes we have made to my diet. So instead of taking a chance on choking I just avoid foods that bring on these spasms but sometimes it is just swallowing my own salvia.    

     

      We spent the rest of the week enjoying each other’s company, going for long walks and visiting Starbucks. There was no pressure and we got to relax. It was definitely another Us week!