Making Lunch Is a Three-Hour Commitment

My legs keep getting kind of numb, and I keep needing to move them, which helps... But then the numbness returns quickly. It is not enjoyable.

Today during church I wore myself out. I did not do as much interpreting as usual, though. I am training a couple of people who are learning how to sign--they are willing, and it is nice for me to have short breaks. That is just for the first hour, though. I interpreted the second hour but was struggling cognitively and physically. After half an hour, I could not hold my arms up, so I had to stop. I asked someone else to take over for the last hour. After church I was surprised at how much difficulty I had walking--weakness strikes again.

So I got some rest during that meeting and for an hour after church. Then I made lunch. Nothing fancy, just pan fried some pork chops, made a box of couscous, and heated up some green beans. Well, that took it out of me! I slept off and on for an hour, took it easy for a while after that.

I had a conversation with my friend that I live with, explaining that she needs to take on more of the cooking burden. It does not need to be anything fancy. She just needs to decide on what to make and cook it herself. Asking me to plan or decide on it is nearly as much of a burden as the actual cooking, because of my cognitive limitations right now. Organizing is hard! Deciding is also hard, maybe because it is hard to consider the choices. I explained that cooking is half an hour's sacrifice for her. For me it is an entire afternoon or evening, since I will be completely wiped out for hours afterward. I think we came to an agreement. It is hard to have those conversations, though. Of course, I cried. 

After resting up for a few hours, I was bound and determined to go to choir practice. Although I was pretty weak, I went. I was glad that I did, because I had a great time! I love music. Playing the piano is hard, and playing the organ is next to impossible, but I can still sing. Maybe not with the breath support I used to have, but I do not know that that is the MS. I have not sung in a choir in at least six years.

Sensory:

-Pins and needles: 3

-Tingles: 1, one rather insistent tingle is hanging out on one side of my right index finger right now. Raaaannndommm...

-Paresthesias (burning): 1

-Paresthesias (other): 2, some electric prickles in my legs, some itching in my hands (hand? now I forget)

-Numbness: 3

-Vision: 3

-Nerve pain: 5, left sciatic as always

Motor:

-Gait: 4

-Sore muscles: 3

-Fine motor: 3

-Weak muscles: 6

-Spasticity: 3

Cognitive:

-Language processing: 1

-Memory: 0--didn't exactly stretch it today though

-Attention: 0

-Confusion: 0

General:

-Fatigue: 7

-Balance: 2

-Sleep: 1, eight hours plus a bit of a nap in the afternoon

-Bladder: 1, it is definitely better for the last two days, knock wood