American Academy of Neurology Foundation has created the neuro film festival to raise awareness of brain disorders. One in six people are affected by a neurologic disorder. In order to help people realize why more research is needed to find cures for brain disorders, the Neuro Film Festival was started.

The Foundation needs help getting the information out by showing others why more brain research is needed to find cures. And this is the third year of the Neuro film festival. Here is my entry for the 2012 Neuro Film Festival.

The call for entries for the 2012 Film Festival has formally closed. You can check out the films entered here: Neuro Film Festival. Click on the “Watch Video Entries” where you’ll see “2012 Neuro Film Festival Entries. Click again and you can see all 99 entries. I’m number 68. As you watch the movies you’ll hear stories about why more research is needed.

Take a look at the movies then on Tuesday February 7, 2012 when you’ll be able to vote for your favorite entry to the 2012 Neuro Film Festival. Winners will be announced the evening of April 22, 2012, at the Neuro Film Festival in New Orleans.

I’m very thankful that my young friends, Palmer High School Seniors, Grace Bohman and Kara Whisler who helped me create this movie. As I told them, everyone, no matter what their circumstances are, needs to have a movie made about them. I know we all have wonderful traits and listening to people record them is a blessing, a great esteem booster!

Take a few minutes and look at the movies that were created for the neuro film festival on February 7th and vote for your favorite!

I would trade my Multiple Sclerosis experience at the drop of a hat, but if I have to weather this storm, I’ll take advantage of the rainbows!  A motorized wheelchair at Disney World is definately a rainbow! 

I adopted a four year old girl from my cousin’s foster home. Lilli grew up to be a happy, beautiful now 17yr old, but it wasn’t always that way. She had a very difficult beginning. After her birth mom, a paranoid schizophrenic, seriously abused her, Lilli was abandoned at the age of 10 months and put into my cousin’s foster home.

The first few years after we adopted Lilli were difficult for her and for us. Suffering from attachment disorder, being taken out of my cousin’s temporary home put into ours made her feel like she was abandoned by my cousin, the only mother she ever knew.

When Lilli was 8 years old, I learned about the Sunshine Foundation  who granted wishes to terminally ill and abused children.

Lilli’s greatest wish was to go to the Cinderella Castle at Disney World. Her wish was granted and the Sunshine Foundation flew the entire family to Florida for 5 glorious days at Disney World! Lilli was the happiest child ever!

The dream came true for my 8 year old and the whole family benefited! We had the most spectacular vacation that we thought would never be possible!

Disney World December 2001
I was in the beginning stages of Multiple Sclerosis. I was still able to walk short distances with the assistance of a cane, but walking long distances and standing in lines for long periods of time was out of the question. My husband rented a motorized wheelchair for under $50 a day and I was as mobile as the kids!

Lilli was the most popular member of our family for getting us there, I took over in the hierarchy of popularity when I was able, by virtue of the wheelchair, to get all ten of us in the front of every line.  I wouldn’t allow any pictures to be taken with me in the wheelchair,  I wasn’t ready to admit that it was a necessity.  

I’ll say it again, I would trade my MS experience at the drop of a hat, but if I have to weather this storm, I’ll take advantage of the rainbows!

Have you had the opportunity to take your children to Disney World? Hopefully you didn’t need a motorized wheelchair, but if you did, was it an emotional stress for you, as it was for me, cutting in front of all the people waiting in line?

I’m a woman of faith, a friend of Jesus Christ, I serve others…

And I’m not walking without a walker! (I know that you Louise Hay followers – I’m one of them – are saying, “If you keep saying you can’t walk without a walker you’ll always be stuck there.” – just know, I’m only repeating that statement for the readability of this post.)

I’ve done everything I can think of!   I’ve tried every available pharmaceutical, almost every alternative therapy,  eaten a healthful diet, done emotional work; EFT, exercised, visualized, affirmed, introspected, prayed, meditated…

And I’m still not walking without a walker!

I know with all my heart that we are here in this life for a purpose and all our experiences are for our good.  I know that my heavenly father could heal me in a blink of an eye…

And yet I’m not walking without a walker! 

I recognize what multiple sclerosis, active MS, feels like. What I’m experiencing is active MS,  again. Not every minute, but throughout the day, my head seems foggy, I’m not thinking clearly, my vision is sort of blurry, I have numb, almost achy fingers and toes, and undeniable fatigue to the point of not feeling like lifting my arms up to type on the computer or legs off the ground to walk.  I don’t feel MS fatigue all day, every day, it’s on and off throughout the day.

I tell you these things not to make you feel sorry for me, but to help you understand that it is not as easy as it sounds, to relearn to walk – as easy as I thought it would be. 

Why am I not walking without a walker?!

A couple months ago I wrote a post about defining a new reality.  When I wrote it, I was feeling very focused on healing, believing I would be walking without a walker by now.

I’ve concluded that I need to stop broadcasting my walking updates! I have no idea what will happen in my future. (Does anybody, really?)

I have a great life and I’m happy!  I’ll continue to reach out to others and help those around me realize they can have a happy life, no matter what their external circumstances are!

If we can’t change our circumstances, we can change our attitude!

I won’t stop exercising! In fact Chris McCargar sent me some new exercise equipment, the Beach Body 10 Minute Trainer!  I’ve gotten busy with this already!

I won’t stop doing all that I’m doing, living the lifestyle that deserves health and healing! And I won’t stop enjoying life, no matter what! 

You can look forward to another walking update when I can walk without a walker!

PS. Until then, let me help you develop an impressive web presence and become successful online!

Multiple Sclerosis is an eventful experience. It is in your mind ~ literally. It is all in the central nervous system.  As you know, MS is an auto-immune disease. The immune system, which is supposed to be attacking any disease, instead attacks the protective coating of the nerves.

With enough attacks, the protective coating is gone and eventually the nerves themselves are injured. As the nerves are injured, the signals are unable to get from the brain to the body (in my case, mostly the legs). A serious attack is called an exacerbation and it’s crazy! I experienced about one every month for almost two years. So I really was able to identify what it felt like to head into an exacerbation.

When I started to get weary, a fatigued feeling, to the point that it was hard to pick up a pencil to write a note, or lift a spoon to eat a bite of soup, I new I was heading down. It felt like I was standing on the top of a very steep hill, almost a cliff.

Then it would just take a matter of hours, and it was like I had jumped down the hill.

It always made me think of Princess Buttercup in the movie Princess Bride when she tumbles down shouting after Wesley as he screamed, “as you wish!”

Unfortunately, it wasn’t as easy for me to get up as it was for Buttercup. I would be totally knocked out ~ flat in bed for days. The Dr. would give me mega doses of steroids to decrease the inflammation caused by the immune system’s malfunction.

A nurse would come to my house to give the steroid infusion, I’d tell the kids I had my own private nurse. The drugs would pick me back up but never to the point that I was before the attack. I’d have a couple weeks of feeling good before I’d roll back down again.

A very good friend gave me a journal so I could write about my experiences. Writing it all down was very therapeutic. I didn’t realize this benefit until years later.

Mar 11, 2001 2:00pm Sunday “I must have gotten a little better, I was sitting out in the kitchen after lunch and I thought I’m not rushing back to lay down, I must be feeling better, I hope I’ll continue to improve.”

Mar 19, 2001 “I need to ‘enjoy the moment without looking to the future with hope or fear or anything just ‘ENJOY THE NOW’ like Eckhart Toole said. “I realized that I had begun to EXPECT an exacerbation. I decided instead to ACCEPT what I couldn’t control.

In July 2006 I participated in a test study at Johns Hopkins -  the chemo put my MS in remission. Because it was a test, the neurologist didn’t know what would happen. He suggested I use a pharmaceutical called Copaxone for a year to re-program my immune system. I used the daily injection for almost a year and a half. I had it in my mind that given the proper nutrition and life style, my body would heal itself.

After the 18 months on Copaxone, I went on what the doctor called a medicine holiday. Eight months later, I realize that proper nutrition and life style doesn’t seem to keep everyone healthy. The MS was in remission until I stopped using Copaxone. I’ll go back on the Copaxone as soon as I can get in to see the Doctor.

As with all of us, the learning will never stop. I’ve been preaching to IDENTIFY and ENJOY THE NOW no matter what the external circumstances are when my external circumstances were good! Now the real learning begins! I have to say I’m really tired of this lesson!

Tell me your story and what you’ve learned!

Time flies! I’m so grateful that I have this accountability with my new-found friends online. It is much easier keeping on with multiple Sclerosis when I have friends tracking my progress! Creating these movies helps me see where I am, it gives me a purpose to keep on!

I have to stay focused on hope and possibilities because I am easily saddened when faced with the reality of my condition.

Having said that, it is what it is. I choose not to focus on the loss.

I have defined a new reality.

This reality is awesome! Whether or  not I’m able to live my life the way I planned, (and I’m working every day to learn to walk again,)  I will continue on this journey! This life is exciting and fun!

Jodie Thompson and Kimberly Castleberry have created Profit Being You, a membership community that has a free tier where you can join to get the support and education to create success online!

Everyone can succeed online, whether or not you have limiting medical conditions. I enjoy helping people recognize success.

Very soon Profit Being You is joining forces with Tribe Syndication Alliance. Now is the time to join for free!

So many of you reading this post, have already joined PBY and TSA! I’d love to hear how you discovered this entire community online!  For you who haven’t, click here Profit Being You and join PBY for free!

A childhood friend, Mysti Palmer found me on Facebook the other day and we had a wonderful reunion online!  She told me of her friend that was recently diagnosed with Progressive Multiple Sclerosis.

Talking to Tom made me remember where I was back in Jun 2005. It was then that I realized I had to define my new reality.  I want to share what I’ve learned.

I have learned many things on my journey.  A very important piece of advice came from my physical therapist at the beginning of my MS journey. She told me to keep the knowledge of MS in the back of my mind, always taking care of myself, but not putting it in the front of my mind where all the focus is.

I’m not saying to stuff it down inside with all the other junk that we’ve emotionally  stuffed inside over the years.

You probably all know the grieving process. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross is famous for her understanding of grief. She identified 5 stages:
1) Denial
2) Anger
3) Bargaining
4) Depression
5) Acceptance

During my MS Journey, living through the 5 stages of grief, I learned many things. One of the first things I learned is that every person is extremely valuable.

No matter what our circumstances are, we possess unlimited potential.

I began to understand that we must learn to be honest with ourselves and feel the emotional pain.

I started to comprehend that we can reprogram our minds and truly love ourselves. I began to internalize that we all deserve prosperity.

I was actively learning these lessons and  when I admitted to myself that this MS experience was really a bag of gold and my gold was “enlightenment”,  I didn’t understand why I wasn’t healed.

I was realizing in today’s society, death is viewed as a failure of the medical profession, or with this new understanding of the Law of Attraction, a failure in ourselves.

Dying can be our finest hour, or our most terrible.  Regardless, it is our own personal experience and our ultimate challenge.  How we deal with this experience is entirely in our hands… not in the hands of the doctors, our family or our friends.  This is our experience and we must take control.

Barbara Karnes  said about dying “We need to try to heal ourselves in whichever way we feel inwardly directed.  For some it will be conventional treatment, for others it will be alternative methods, and for still others it will be an innate sense of knowing that no treatment is the best treatment.  Whatever your choice, know that disease is one of the ways our spirit chooses to leave our body.  At some point it’s all right to say, “I quit!”  You’ll know when that time comes by how tired you are of living.  Sometimes it’s just too hard to keep on living.”
Recognizing Elizabeth’s book about grieving was written for terminally ill patients, acceptance of death was the end result.

I had accepted my life as I was experiencing it.  The life-expectancy is not severely diminished with Multiple Sclerosis, it is often the quality of life that is affected.  And I had done as Elizabeth encourages us to do, accept death.

Five years ago, I wrote in my journal, “OK, Here it is in a nut shell – I’ve gone thru the five steps in the grief process but I was totally stuck in the emotion of it all.  I didn’t know there was a “next step.”  My friend, Susie Morgan, helped me see. Susie said “It’s time to define ‘your new reality’ – then invest in it.”

You know, I needed to figure out what I can do, what I want to do, and do it!”

Then I understood my physical therapist’s advice. I must put the disease in the back of my mind, not in the front.  When Susie suggested that I define my new reality – I understood.   I took Elizabeth’s advice and mourned the loss of life as I had expected, then began to identify my new reality.

I then experienced a miracle.  I feel I was given a second chance.

With this second chance, just as Susie helped me to see, I began to define my new reality – then invest in it.”  You know, I needed to figure out what I can do, what I want to do, and do it!”

That’s what led me here, online.

I’ve found an entire community of people who love to work from home either due to illness or by choice.  I’ve partnered with an amazing company that is making history!  I’ve learned how I can have it all!  I have identified my new reality, something that I can do, that I enjoy doing, and a place where I help others along the way.  My new reality is wonderful!

Tell me what your reality is!  I’d love to hear!

Elaine Delack works on a new compound that seems to show promising results in the treatment of the symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis!Two years ago I went through a test-study at Johns Hopkins. You can listen to my story. The test drug was actually a chemo, Cytoxan. The Cytoxan annihilated my immune system which had been attacking my central nervous system and put the MS in remission. Unfortunately as my immune system became strong again, it came back still attacking the protective coating of my nerves.

I’ve taken control of my eating and am following Ivy Larson’s Gold Cost Cure. Ivy claims her MS was cured with the food she chose.

Even following Ivy’s diet, I was still feeling the effects of Multiple Sclerosis.

My friend, Darlene Davis suggested Elaine Delack’s Prokarin patch. I studied the information and decided to give it a try, using the ‘Patch’ everyday. Prokarin is not one of the MS society’s drugs of preference. My alternative doctor, Dr. Vincent, prescribed it for me. 

I’ve been using the patch for about 5 months and I’m feeling better than I’ve felt for 10 years!  I feel energetic and excited about life! 

I’m not able to walk everywhere I used to be able to, but I want to! I’ll work hard, and I will someday!  I’m grateful that I feel so well! 

Elaine Delack has a great story~ she’s an impressive lady! I’m grateful she created this wonderful alternative for us to try!

I know from experience that one drug or supplement doesn’t work for everyone.  I’ve tried almost all of the drugs that are endorsed by the  MS society. Some worked for a while then my body build up resistance.

I’ve tried many alternative treatments also.  I waited until I tried everything else before I did bee venom therapy.   I was scared thinking of a bunch of bee stings- who wouldn’t be? (no pun intended) When I received 20 stings 3 times a week I knew why! I know Bee venom helps some people, all it did for me was give me a two hour adrenalin boost. That was definitely not worth the pain!

One good thing, I became great friends with Suzanne!  She’s like me~is not afraid of honey bees, or setting them on me to provide the sting!

I tease about  MS being a popular disease to have right now.  Prokarin is really helping.  I want to get the word out for anyone who wants to give it a try!

It will be fun to see what my future has in store!   

Mom, you can follow my progress here with my monthly updates!

Leave a comment below if you, or someone you know has MS. Then pass this information on to them!   I know I always like to hear what’s out there!

PS. I’m doing my exercises 6 days a week!

I didn’t plan on it! I wanted to exercise! I didn’t mean to stop exercising! So many things got in the way!

Excuses are like armpits, everyone’s got ‘em and they stink!

As far as walking goes, I’m in the same place I was last month what a surprise-

I’ve done the same things.

What’s the quote? Insanity is doing the same thing expecting different results? Then it’s a fact, I’m insane!

Last month, June 1st, this is what I said:

“To Do List:
Physical Therapy 6 days each week:
Ride stationary bike 20 min.
30 modified pushups
Walk every two hours using a cane
1 hour physical therapy 5 days/week
Sleep 7 hours each night (that’s what I need)
I can do it~ I know I can! Next month it will be fun to see my progress!
I did that for about a week.

For the rest I of the month, I rode my stationary bike for 20 minutes and did 30 modified pushups 6 days a week. The same thing I’ve been doing for two years.

I could tell you lots of excuses as to why I didn’t do anything differently, but excuses stink. (You need to know that MS showed up active in my June blood work. I tell you that not as an excuse, but to let you know that if I can, you can.)

We all need to assess our circumstances and plan accordingly. What ever our situation is, exercise is a must.

So I’ll just recommit to adding a smaller amount of basic physical therapy exercises to my usual 20 minutes of stationary bike riding and 30 modified pushups.

This is what it looks like:
Stretches
20 sit to stands,
20 leg lifts from a sitting position.
Walk around the house with a cane 5 times a day

I spend so much time online (sitting), there is NO REASON not to do them. OK, Darlene Davis started an exercise challenge and I accepted. I won’t stop exercising!

If Darlene and I can do it, so can you!! Come on, join the Exercise Challenge!

Tell me in the comments below what you’re willing to do each week~ what ever exercises you’re able to do will improve your health!

Continuous effort not strength or intelligence is the key to unlocking our potential. ~Liane Cardes

As visitors came to see me when I was sick, in bed, my friends would start to talk about their significant experiences, and then they’d interrupt themselves saying, I’m here to listen to you! You don’t want me to do all the talking!

On the contrary! I was so sick of thinking about Multiple Sclerosis, I had learned more than I ever wanted to know! And I was totally bored with my condition!

As long as my visitors shared their stories, I was able to be distracted. I enjoyed listening to all of the experiences others were going through.

It was then that I started to see that just as Deepak Chopra taught, every experience has a purpose. Even though I recognize Deepak’s eternal truth, I believe in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

I’m sure that God could delete all pain and suffering in the blink of an eye. And He has allowed adversity in each person’s life. The trials are different, all for the same purpose. To get us back to Him.

This is one of the first great lessons that I learned on my MS journey. We all have adversity “God allowed trials”. All trials are Personal Growth Opportunities. Our job is to say to the Lord, AS YOU WISH!

I would love to hear your stories; the experiences you’ve had and the lessons you’ve learned.

I’m having a blast online! I am still learning so much!! I have found many new friends! I am so blessed!

As far as my health goes, everyday I run the gamut, I feel weak, strong, clear-headed, foggy, spacey, coordinated, walking (without a cane, very slowly), walking needing a walker. Honestly, my ‘up-date movie’ shows it like it is much of the time.

Usually in the evening I walk the best. Everyday I walk at least 2 times (not every hour like I said I would) around the house. I sometimes get a good night sleep and try to drink at least 1½ courts of water.

I eat a very good diet, mostly vegetables, nuts and cheese.

To be honest, I haven’t been doing my physical therapy like I promised my self. For exercise, all I do is ride my stationary bike 20 minutes 6 days a week and do 30 modified push ups.

I’m still watching myself use MS as an excuse. I work with the youth at church and I’m not able to help out at camp next week (a walker just won’t get me around. I was talking to one of the young woman tonight, admiring her art work as we waited for the other girls to complete their “pack checks”. Holly isn’t planning on going to camp, even though her dad wants her to. I asked her why she wasn’t going and she said she isn’t into camping. She doesn’t like the uncomfortable sleeping arrangements, no plumbing, and mostly that she can’t work, can’t draw. Her dad joined in with, “You can draw while you’re camping.” “No dad,” she said. “drawing and camping, don’t get along.  I learned that last year.”  I told her I can relate. For me, it’s being online.

I thought I already got it. But I know a situation will keep presenting itself until the lesson is learned. I don’t have to stay sick. I can choose to “just say no.”

To Do List:
Walk every two hours using a cane
1 hour physical therapy 5 days/week
Sleep 7 hours each night (that’s what I need)

I can do it~ I know I can! Next month it will be fun to see my progress!