Christmas 2011

    

Merry Christmas!

    


     We got up at 8:30... things were so different this year. There was no one to wake us up this year, so we will have to change that tradition. Usually, our son wakes us, and then I go and put the lights on the tree and then the coffee, but things are different now.  I guess everything is new, even some new traditions!

  
   The kids are coming over in their PJ’s of course we are opening the gifts and then we will be having breakfast.  Our son-in-law had to work so we will have a celebration for him later. The kids arrived around 9:30. Let the fun begin!

      
      We had been looking for a print to put above the sofa with some color and we found the perfect picture at English Butler.  We wrapped it and hung it on the wall as a joke.  Turns out this is an actual spot in Toronto, it is a street with lots of cafes and a restaurant called the Kit Kat, hopefully we will be going to check it out this summer.

    We usually hide their major gifts with clues in the other gifts. This year we will have improvise. I had been collecting change for a couple of years, we were going to go to Scotland, but we will not be doing this now. It would be difficult with the MSA.  I wanted to be rid of the change so I counted it, and split it up evenly. I found two metal Christmas tins and put over $300 in each and placed it under the tree. Everyone just thought it was part of the decorations. We took the one can and told the kids who ever guessed the amount closet to the real amount got the can and could keep the money. Our son guessed the closest so we gave him the can, they were surprised that we were going to give him the can. Then, they were even more surprised to learn there was a second can, and of course our daughter guessed the closest to the real amount in this tin.

     Usually, I would be the one handing out the gifts but because of MSA and bending over tends to make me lose my balance more easily, I will not be doing this this year. I do not produce enough dopamine in the brain and so the signal from the brain is not a smooth transmission and sometimes things get lost in transmission.  My son wanted a Pea Coat, which we got him with a few other gifts, and my daughter wanted a Key to my Heart Pendant (which she will always have). My Hunny got me more charms for my Pandora bracelet, one was a Forget-me-Knot and the other Four Leaf Clover both very relative. I love this bracelet, the kids got me it last year and it is like a story to me. My children got something I have been wanting for a long time, a professional family photo with Love Bunny Photography. She took the pics for my daughter’s wedding so, we are familiar with her work.  When our son- in- law got off his 12-hour shif,t he had a celebration all to himself.

    
      Hunny got a head set and a leather jacket. The headset he had been wanting for some time and will come in handy, and the jacket just looks good on him.   

     

    
     We put the dinner in the oven and spent the day together just like old times. It was a perfect day. We have to cherish these moments and take it all in. It felt good to be around so much love and support.  

 Now time to get ready for Winter Camp!

Christmas Celebrations

     It is going to be a very busy month, show, Christmas, wedding and home to Cape Breton for three weeks. Hunny got us tickets to see Shen Yun at the NAC, an early Christmas gift. We have Orchestra seating. The colors were amazing and the show was good. But I did not realize the seating was in long rows, so we had to shuffle past others who were already seated. We did not realize it was a barrier-free establishment, the things you have to learn the hard way.  Another thing with MSA, is that it is hard to shuffle.

     


     My friend has been taking me to do a lot of my shopping and to get my hair dyed and outfit for the wedding. What would I do without friends like her? I am so thankful she is in my life. Especially now, I know I can depend on her and she only lives three kilometers away.

     

     Now that all the prep work was done it was time to celebrate. Usually, we have everyone over Christmas Eve.  I awoke early because I was so hot, so I went to change. This unusual because one of the symptoms of MSA is I do not sweat. This makes it easy to over heat. I got up to change and had a big fall, I bent the nails all the way back on me left hand trying to break my fall. Nothing broke though, just my left hip was bruised and my left arm swell just about had it. My Husband was at work so I did not have to tell anyone until after the event.  Another symptom of MSA, is loss of balance.

      

     Since my sisters and their families were here, that would make 21 of us. My sister from Toronto decided to surprise us and came as well. We had a huge family here in Ottawa now. We played a game where you have to bring a wrapped gift, which usually has a certain dollar value we all agree to. You place the wrapped gift under the tree and then when everyone has placed his or her gift under the tree you pick a number. The number you choose determines the order you pick a gift. Now, the person who picks 1 can pick a gift, the person who gets 2 can take 1's gift or choose a gift under the tree and then 1 has to pick another and so on until all the gifts are gone it can be a lot of fun if someone has enough guts to steal. After the gifts, we eat and have some laughs.  Everyone was great,the family prepared lots of food. One of my sisters and her huband arrived with lots of homemade squares, so we would not have to worry about that, My other sister brought a homemade Santa to add to the decorations. Then everyone goes home and gets ready for Santa.

   Another tradition I got from my mother is that we all received flannel PJ’s Christmas Eve. My mother always laid them in a row on the back of the couch. So we always get PJ’s at Christmas for the family. Well, about seven years ago with work, and everything else I ran out of time to get myself PJ’s but bought just for the kids and dad. So, that Christmas Eve I put them on the couch (a bit earlier than usual) and my kids said, "where are yours?" I told them I had lots so I will just grab a pair I already have. Then I went out to prepare for the evening, the kids said they were going out and would be back. Just before the guests arrived the kids called me in the room to look at something, here they had gone to mall to get me some PJ’s and they laid them on the back of the couch with theirs. This I will always remember, their thoughtfulness. So, each year now, I get the three PJ’s and the children get me a pair.  So, this year when everyone left, we did the clean up and I opened my PJ's they are teal and have Merry Christmoose on them. The kids and my Hunny took their PJ’s off the back of the couch and will be back early in the morning with them on for breakfast and gifts. Merry Christmas!

Making Christmas Part Two

     Now that the chocolates, squares and other goodies were ready it was time for fruitcake and decorating.  My mom made this fruitcake each year and she taught me. Now, I will teach my kids.  It is a big production but it is tradition. First, you have to cut up all the fruit, which I cannot do.  Not only is it hard because of the back and forth action, I do not have enough strength. Whenever we have steak, or beef or something that has to be cut my Hunny does this for me.  Even pizza he cuts into strips for me, and also puts a non-skid placemat under my plate for me. All of this is done without me having to ask. I cannot mix or stir, these are all symptoms of MSA.  My kids are very interested in tradition as well, so they will make the fruitcake and I will supervise.  We have lived in many places with the military so traditions became very important to us. It is a whole day affair to make this. Usually, I would make a lot and give it away but this year will have to be two dark and two light. We had a good day, lots of family time and the cakes turned out great.

      Time to decorate. It would   be the first time decorating  this Condo. How I miss my house right now, I did not realize how much we got rid of to move into the Condo. So many memories! But I would not let that show; it will just ruin Christmas for everyone. We were already facing enough challenges, not only MSA, but first time we will not wake up Christmas morning with  our children. We will just have to make new memories! 

      My daughter and I usually make hot chocolate, listen to Christmas music, which she brings, and decorate the tree. When we get to the top Hunny puts the angel on and when we are all done.  Every ornament usually has a date and year on it so we remise as we go though the box. My daughter was so patient, because of the MSA I cannot lean over because that will cause me to lose my balance, therefore, my daughter had to hand me each ornament to hang on the tree. But we got to discuss a lot of theses ornaments. I have some of my mothers ornaments and the kids from their from the time they were a baby. Each year I get them an ornament. Lots of good memories!

Making Christmas Part 1

       It is that time of year again, when we start the prep work to make Christmas happen. It is a big production in our family.  Usually, this time of year, I am busy in the kitchen making goodies but I cannot this year, I cannot put stuff in or take it out of oven, so that won’t be happening.  It is also usually the time I sit with our contact list and write out Christmas cards, but since I cannot write anymore, this will not be happening either. Both of these are symptoms of MSA, loss of balance and writing. Luckily, everyone in our family loves Christmas as much as I do, so we are going to one of my other sister’s to start it off.

     My sister, whom lives by the St. Laurent mall, came and we got the bus out to the "Workshop" – which was at my sister’s in Barrhaven. It was our first time taking the bus there and we had to transfer. We missed the connection, so it took us a lot longer to get there. When we finally did arrive (two hours later), I was so cold. It is another symptom of the MSA, bad circulation. So, when we arrived, I was putting extra clothes on instead of taking them off.

     Now that we had arrived at the workshop, it was time toget to work. We had peanut butter cups to make, chocolates and coconut balls. Amazing how long it takes me to do things now and also the things that are repetitious give me problems. MSA has affected my motor skills, which I use for tasks like rolling the coconut balls. My sister's grand kids arrived and wanted to help with the chocolates. It amazes me how tender, conscientious and courteous they can be. The grand daughter always was checking on me. She would open the freezer without me having to ask and even took my hand to help me. The children were so attentive and without judgement, if only we could all be more like this.

     It was my second oldest sister’s birthday coming up this month as well, so my other sister wanted to make a special cake. She makes amazing cakes! Martha Stewart has nothing on her. My sister had made a cake but it didn’t rise, so she threw it out and made another that didn’t rise either, so my brother-in-law who was at the store bought some baking soda, which we thought was the problem. We come to find out that that afternoon when organizing the kitchen she had mixed up the baking soda and baking powder, and that was the reason the cake wasn’t rising.  We had a good laugh and the birthday girl still got birthday cake, store bought, but a lesser penalty than Martha Stewart.




Making Christmas Part 2 comig up....

A Pre Christmas Visit

     I have mentioned that I have a large family, so if they each take a different month to visit it will take a year to go through them all. Isn’t it great!

      I realized how tough it is for my family to see me melting away. I was always strong and healthy before MSA, now I am weak and fragile. In one year, I went from running 42 km, to a walking stick and now a walker. You know what is down the line, and how far we do not know, for MSA progresses different for everyone.

 

    So, the next oldest sister next to me is coming for a visit. I have not seen her in a year and although I send regular updates of my condition it is different seeing someone and hearing from someone. The last time we saw each other, which was only eleven months ago, I was walking on my own accord, now I have Sky, who assists me. The first encounter will be tough.

 

     So, we picked my sister up at the airport, she is coming for two weeks. It will be nice to have some one on one time with her. The first night I planned a surprise potluck.  My other two sisters who live here in Ottawa,and their families. We had fun and lots of laughs!

    

      Over the two weeks, we took my sister to a few of our favorite spots, like Starbucks on the weekend and walking along Richmond Road, the Byward Market, and the Rideau Centre. It was the first time taking my walker on the bus. Thank goodness I was not alone for this, because I never would have been able to lift it on the bus. It is hard to believe just a few months ago I was getting compliments on my “pipes”. I would ride my Spinner while lifting weights. I had a routine of weights that I did 3 times a week...those days are over.

     We went to St. Laurent Mall where she got a beautiful dress at Melanie Lynn’s, another favorite store of mine. It is funny how the mind works. We were going to visit our other sister who lives close to the St. Laurent mall. First my sis who was visiting wanted to go to Cinnabon to get a treat to bring with us, we did that, but, when we get to my sister’s she tells us she made us homemade cinnamon rolls when she knew we were coming for a visit.
                        I suppose that is why they refer to it as comfort food.

      The highlight of her trip was when we went with my children to see the Transiberian Orchestra. It was a laser show to Christmas music. I knew she had not seen something like this. It was a great night!

     It was time to take her to the airport but it was not as hard to say good-bye because I knew I would be in Cape Breton for New Year’s, since my niece is getting married. So, Christmas and then I will be in Cape Breton to bring in the New Year!

Not Only

     It has been just over one year since my (our) lives were turned upside down. This MSA has sure taken a hold of my body, and we are trying not to let it control of our lives. This is not a milestone you want to celebrate!

     I often hear I should not be doing so much research, that I should curl up with good book. People do not realize how harmless that one expression can mean. There is no such thing as curling with a good or bad book for that matter. There are so many books I want to read, but it is so hard to focus on anything but medical, and  not only this, but it is impossible to curl up.

     When given this kind of news, it takes so long to absorb, and there is still hope they made a wrong diagnosis. You are always searching for a new angle, or something that may have been overlooked. You try not let your mind wander, that you will not only never be able to play or carry the grand kids,  you will never be able to be left alone with them...  Not only will you never dance, run, bike,  you will not walk eventually or talk. I love shoes but not only will I never wear heels again, but when choosing from the wardrobe you have to consider how easy is it to get in in and out of the clothing... We are in a beautiful Condo because not only will you never be in a house again, you would not be able to maintain it.   

     Earlier in the month, I was still going to aqua fitness three times a week. The ladies in this group are fabulous. I thought I might have to give it up soon because not only, can I not  last the whole class without having to go to the bathroom, but I am disturbing the class. Also, not only am I disturbing the class, I cannot speak very loud to tell them that I am going to the bathroom, and then I try not to slip on my way there. When I do go they worry about me until I get back. They are so sweet. It is not good for the psyche if you feel you cannot keep up with 70 year girls.

 

     The physiotherapist from CCAC came and was here for a while. I showed her around our gym and we developed a routine for me. We were going to use the Thera bands and alternate with aqua fitness. We ordered a TENS machine for my shoulder. When I lose my balance I tend to go to left side and have fallen on the left shoulder at least five times. I am sure if I had not been so active before I would have broken something because I have fallen on this shoulder so many times. So exercise does make our bones stronger. 
      We also decided to order a walker, to help this shoulder and not fall so much. I was becoming a wall walker. I got my walker; I was very upset with myself for a few days. I cannot do the floor workouts like before, and not only am I practicing things like talking and walking, but they are getting worse. Just another fact of life, with the new me! 

     I decided since I have to use this walker might as well give it a name and decorate it. I liked the name Sky because it could be Sky Walker or the Sky is the limit. So that is what she is referred to, Sky. We went to Westboro Sport store and bought a disco bell, it also has our family coats of arms on it and various other stuff. So I have a new companion now, Sky!