National Registries

Hi, For some reason I never saw your comment until I was browsing through things today.  And there it was!  I'm sorry for not responding sooner.  Yes, I have been in pain for many years, sometimes worse than others.  My basic pain is from my spine and radiates down my legs; I've had 4 major spine surgeries including a double fusion in my low back.  I still have constant pain, but since I had an intrathecal pump implanted that delivers morphine, bupivicaine and baclofen to my central nervous system in a constant and steady flow, I can honestly tell you that my pain is very manageable and most of the time I don't have to take any additional pain meds, unless I have bad breakthrough pain, but that is rare.  

I do have new pain from my MS, although this is nerve pain, a burning, sometimes aching pain, which is different than the pain I have from my back and it isn't helped by the meds in the pump, except for the baclefen, which helps the spasticity.  When this nerve pain becomes unbearable I have to take something for it, but I try to hold off as long as I can, hoping it will go down on its own again.

I am like a new person since I got the pump, of course it was 3 years after I was diagnosed with MS so by the time I was able to manage my pain level through the pump, my MS had progressed and I was having a lot of difficulty with my eyes, mobility, spasticity, etc.  It was the combination of these two things that made me end my career, the most difficult thing I have had to do in my lifetime.

I'm glad you don't have pain with your MS, although I know there are many people that do.  I know from reading your posts that you are affected by MS in many other just as debilitating ways as pain can cause, and I admire you for how you continue to work through things and keep your voice strong on this site. Thank you.

Thank you for commenting on  my Post, I apologize for taking so long to respond. The money for MS research in the Dept. of Defense Budget is new money allocated for research on MS as a result of the number of soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan who are developing MS.  We will all benefit from whatever findings come out of this research.

We have to always advocate for additional research funding and other items the MS Society identifies as priorities on the national and state level.  If you are not already you should join your local chapter and then volunteer to receive Action Alerts whenever the Committee responsible for legislative advocacy wants members to send letters or make calls to legislators or other policy makers.  This was the case with the Registry and a while back to encourage Representatives to join the MS Caucus that one of the members of the House started.  It doesn't take much time but your small effort can make a big difference.  

Hope you are feeling well and having a good day.

Thank you for your post.   I have a friend in Iraq who has been there since 2003 and will be until 2011.  One of his soldiers told him she didn't feel quite "right" so she called her dad in California who was a neurologist and asked about her symptoms...they transported her home for the MRI and LP - the MRI showed almost 7 plaques in the brain.  She got meds, and went right back to Iraq! 
This woman was bitten by a brown recluse spider and survived, got diagnosed with MS and went right back to the sweltering heat of Iraq so I figure she was a survivor (oh, also hit by shrapnel from a IED!)
My friend put her on a lighter duty station where she is able to keep a bit cooler and have less duty out in the hottest times of the seasons. 

I'm doing just hunky-dory compared the above mentioned solder!  :)

I hope you are doing well too.