Trying to Get Medicated and Thoughts on Sleeping

As usual, I’m playing the waiting game with the MS Clinic. This time though, I’m waiting to hear if my prescription has been faxed to my local pharmacy. Once the prescription is in place I’ll wait to hear from another nurse about setting up an appointment to show me how to self-inject the medication. I mustn't forget to ask her some questions about travelling with this medication and the necessary needles. Will I need a note from the doctor? Sounds like fun doesn't it?

I've been thinking a lot about the specialist that I see. I think I’ll request that I see a different neurologist next time around. Perhaps even at a different MS Clinic. Dr. Traboulsee just seems too focused on his many ongoing studies and not on his individual patients. While I understand that his study work may be groundbreaking, highly important... I just don’t feel like being a guinea pig. I want what’s currently on the market that works. I think it's unfair to push studies on newly diagnosed patients before they have even had a chance to come to grips with their diagnosis. Right now I’m feeling a little vulnerable, exposed, lost even. The rapidity at which my MS attacked me the second time shocked me. Clearly, my MS isn’t on the two year plan as I had hoped. The sooner I can get started with medication, the better.

Dr Blaney is hopeful that along with the meds and better management of my triggers (lack of sleep and stress) I'll be able to stretch out the remission periods and minimize the relapses. I'm to review information on sleep hygiene and get my sleep patterns under control. Okey-doke. Easier said than done. Here’s what I’ll try to achieve better sleep tonight: no caffeine after noon, no major exercise after dinner (that will be difficult to keep - ha!). Give Andy a bath and a nice big bowl of cereal. If Andy sleeps better, so will I.

From what I've read on other ms blogs, sleep seems to be a pretty big issue. What’s the deal with that I wonder? Why? I’m sure we’re not all lying there in the dark fretting about our futures. I’m not. I’m losing sleep wondering about the future, I'm concerned about being able to function the following day on next-to-no sleep. This morning is a perfect example of my zombie-like state after a very poor night’s sleep. I’m having difficulty articulating my thoughts, spelling is atrocious, even my foot felt funny on the gas pedal this morning. It was as though I couldn't get the van going - it just wanted to creep along at a royal snail’s pace, very much the opposite of my usual zippy, speedy commute. I felt like honking at myself. “Wake up! Get moving!”