Making New Year’s Resolutions?

Posted on December 31, 2017 by Positively Alyssa

How many of you believe it is important to set a New Year’s Resolution? If you do commit to a New Year’s Resolution, does it ever work the way you planned? I think many people make these monumental changes on the first of the year because it is good starting point but it may add unnecessary stress to your goals. I honestly cannot remember the last time I actually made a New Year’s resolution because I do not feel that making a positive change can only be done once a year.

There are numerous things I would love to be able to change or improve with my life, but do not really want to start a new year with any possible failures. For those of you that have been following my blog over the past 6 months or so, you already know from my posts that stress, healing from a flare up and struggling with daily pain are my key points that need improvement. I know that stress contributes to my pain, so logically I know eliminating or at least reducing stress from my life could drastically improve my quality of life. Acknowledging the problem and rectifying the issue takes time, dedication and patience but it can be done and I will find a successful path in handling stress better.

I feel that love is a vital part of our lives! Not only is it critical to have loved ones surrounding us, but it is just as important to have love for yourself as well. The more we are able to value ourselves the better we can take care of own needs, both mentally and physically. Many of us take pride in caring for our spouse, parents, children or other family members with strong needs, but sometimes fail to take that same satisfaction with our own needs. On that same note, some take a lot more pleasure in caring for their own needs rather than anyone else’s which really does not mean they are being selfish, they may just be fulfilling needs that no one else has the time for. Between both sides, there must be some kind of equal balance point of caring for your own needs and other’s needs that I would love to be able to find. I am the type that will neglect my own needs in order to take care of someone else.

In the upcoming year I want to continue my blog because the past 6 months of blogging has been an amazing experience! Of course I want to continue writing about MS with the hope that some of my experiences will be beneficial to others battling similar issues, but I also want to write about other topics that I am passionate about. As I have already said in a previous post there is so much more to me than just MS and I want to be able to show that more in 2018!

2017 has been one hell of a year and I am truly delighted it is coming to an end! I am hoping that 2018 will come with come with promising comfort, happiness, love, respect and positive changes. I hope y’all have a very safe and Happy New Year! Here’s to welcoming 2018 with optimism and enthusiasm!! Continue to stay strong and always hold onto positivity as it can get you through hard times!! Much love to y’all!!

Always, Alyssa

Hopeful for 2018

Posted on December 28, 2017 by Positively Alyssa

You might be battling with pain. You might be struggling during difficult times life has thrown your way. You might be dealing with heartaches. You may be enduring life altering changes. You might be trying to figure out where life is taking you. This might be a really tragic time in life and you do not know where to turn to. But, no matter what your struggles are you do have the strength needed to get to a brighter tomorrow. It might be hard to find positivity in life right now but the more you look, you will find something that is positive and that will push away all the negative thoughts. It may not be immediate but one positive memory can brighten your path. It could be that kind hand that reached out to show friendship or love. There is always going to be dark times throughout our lives but we need to focus on what we have found happiness in.

We are so close to the end of a year that may have had traces of struggles for some. Some have been diagnosed with chronic illnesses with no cure. Some have lost or given up a job either due to company cutbacks or downsizing, progression of an illness, family reasons, wanting a change in a career or leaving the work force. You may have had significant losses during 2017 which caused much sadness. Some may have experienced many traumatic events causing depression that is so hard to get past. If you already had a chronic illness you may have encountered a relapse that caused some difficulties. You may have decided to try a new medication with the hopes it would work for your illness, which may not have been the success you had hoped for leaving you back to making decisions again.

This past year may have brought on some delightful changes to your life! Maybe you married the person of your dreams! You may have had the exciting opportunity to move to a new city or state to build new memories! Some may have welcomed a child to this world. Maybe you graduated from college and are starting your new career. There are so many glorious events that could have been possible making your year absolutely amazing and unforgettable.

Perhaps during this past year you beat an addiction of some sort. So many people battle addiction to drugs, alcohol and nicotine. It is always common to set a resolution at the beginning of the year to quit whatever you may be addicted to, some succeed but many have minor setbacks. Even if you did have a setback to your goal, never give up on yourself because you do have the strength to win this fight! Whether you did have a slight hindrance in meeting your goal but then successfully won your battle, congratulations to you and be very proud of yourself! Many do have to try again to win the battle and that is okay, just never give up on yourself because you really can do this!

While you look back over 2017, what were the great things that occurred in your life? Did you have numerous misfortunes that required new outlooks on life or forced you to reevaluate your life? Are there any events you wished you could erase? What were the most wonderful things that occurred during the year? Did you have any massive changes during the course of the year that were either encouraging or discouraging? Are there any changes you want to make going into a new year?

Personally, I am looking forward to the New Year! With only 3 days left of 2017, these are my thoughts for the start of ending 2017. The last few months of 2017 have come with a lot of struggles but successes as well. I had a massive flare up that started in October and is gradually healing. I had made the decision to switch my MS medication to Tecfidera after being on Gilenya successfully for 6 years, because I thought the headaches I continued to have were due to the Gilenya. There is no telling if my flare up was due to the change in medicine or due to stress, but through positivity and rest I am on the mends to recovery. Of course I found out that the Tecfidera was not strong enough for my MS and ended up going back to Gilenya, but I am glad for that decision because I would have always wondered if another medication was better for me. I know that the damage my body experienced from the flare up will get better over time and with a lot of patience on my part.

I am hopeful that 2018 holds many positive changes. I am logical enough to realize there will not be some magical cure for all illnesses over night, but there is a chance we are getting just a little closer each day. I hope that the ways of society will start to improve and all that has been lost will be found. Love and respect will be once again practiced.

I started my blog almost 6 months ago and this has truly been one of the best experiences I have had during 2017. I am looking forward to continuing my blog and getting to know more of you! Everyone I have had communications with has been wonderful. It is great getting to know people all over the world and learning about their lives. I appreciate you taking the time to read and comment on my thoughts today. I would love to hear your thoughts on this past year and your hopes for the upcoming year! I hope you had a great day and I hope your evening is relaxing! It might sound like it but this is not my last post of the year! I wish you much love, comfort and peace!

Always, Alyssa

Merry Christmas to All!

Posted on December 25, 2017 by Positively Alyssa

Wishing you and your family a very Merry and Joyous Christmas! Do you have a certain traditions you do every year around the holidays? Over the years my husband and I have developed a tradition that we do every year for the holidays. We spend Christmas Eve with my mother and stepfather and Christmas Day with my in-laws.

The holiday season does have a way of cheering and brightening the darkness we may feel. Holiday lights and the smiles of children awaiting Santa Claus can be so sweet! Shining Christmas lights are beautiful and illuminate the skies! While we never forget all of our past sacred memories, we are given the chance to create even more memories to cherish. I will be the first to admit that I have not been in the holiday spirit this year. Things have been a little difficult the past few months after my terrible flare up. However, my mood changed slightly after spending Christmas Eve with my husband, mother and stepfather. The four of us enjoyed a great evening catching up on life! My mother knew how difficult things had been and she made a great and successful effort to make everything perfect. My husband and stepfather had some great conversation about something they share a mutual interest in, planes! It was good to see the two boys chatting about a topic they both love because my mother and I do not always share the same interests as them. My stepfather is retired and battles his own health issues. In a sense I can relate to what my stepfather is going through because we both deal with a Neurological illness. I do my best to stress to him the importance of following his doctor’s orders, taking the medicine he is prescribed as directed, getting plenty of rest and staying stress-free. Not sure why I would expect him to follow my advice when I hardly ever follow my own advice, but I do try to help him as much as I can.

I hope y’all are feeling well today and savoring every moment of the day with loved ones! I know holidays can be stressful, so just remember to rest when you need to and take care of yourself! The great thing about family is they love us and understand that sometimes we struggle and it is okay to admit that! Much love and strength to all of you!

Always, Alyssa

Never Forget

Posted on December 23, 2017 by Positively Alyssa

The holiday season can bring on a variety of emotions for so many. We all have a number of responsibilities to tend to daily , so often times we do not get to spend true quality time with family members. It can be exciting to have the holiday’s as a time to reconnect with our loved ones. Considering many businesses are closed we do not have to focus our attention on work, but can solely commit our thoughts to family! Even if only for a few hours, we can create a magical time of love that will extend through several days!

Even though we are happy that we have been given this special time to spend with our family still here with us, it can still create some sadness as we miss those that have passed away. Naturally, we always miss those special people from our lives that are no longer physically here with us and the holidays tend to create an additional sense of loss. Losing someone who we loved dearly creates a void in our heart and mind that can never be replaced. It is not just an empty seat at the dinner table but an empty place in our hearts. We need to remember to show our family how much they mean to us, not just during the holiday season, but all year-long as we do not know what tomorrow will bring.

Unfortunately loss has no boundaries. So many are going into this Christmas holiday with the fresh loss of a loved one. Trying to keep their composure when all they want to do is break down. I can not imagine the loss I know some have gone through this year. Whether it be a spouse, grandparent, parent, child, sibling or friend the pain is real. It truly amazes me what we can suffer through, but still stand strong knowing that our loved one will always be in our heart! I know it is not easy but never forget that our loved ones that past will always be watching over us. I truly believe Grandparents I have lost never leave my side. When life gets really difficult I can almost hear my Grandfather’s encouraging and loving voice guiding me through. The sacred memories you hold onto will carry you through the holidays and every other day. Those you have loved and lost would want you to continue living your life as full as you can, even when things are unbearable, continue to stay strong for them!

I sincerely hope you have a wonderful holiday and are able to enjoy quality time with your families! I hope you are all feeling well and not in any kind or pain, physical or emotional. Each and every one of you inspire me through your posts and your comments. Never forget, positivity will get you through anything much easier than negativity. I want to thank you for all of your support since I started my blog. This has been an absolutely amazing experience for me and I look forward to many more connections with y’all!!

Always, Alyssa

Be True To Yourself!

Posted on December 19, 2017 by Positively Alyssa

Knowing who you are and remaining true to yourself is essential in life. Never allowing anyone to influence your thoughts, desires or passions can become difficult in a world full of judgments. But we can be who we are and want to continue to be despite what others may think. We do not have to be perfect or even close to it but be genuine to ourselves and what we believe.

Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, but sometimes it is hard to admit what those are. Faults are not always a negative but can be deemed a remarkable quality. One of my many weaknesses is my stubbornness. Even though being stubborn can be viewed as a negative trait it has also given me resilience for coping with difficult events in life. In a unique way my stubborn attitude forces me to remain positive when struggling with the pain MS can cause. My incessant stubbornness can also create problems as well. Fully understanding that sometimes there are things I need to ask for help with but refuse to do so creates additional pain or injury.

Compassion can be a blessing and a curse! When I see someone who is struggling, I want to help them. I tend to put others needs ahead of my own, especially if that person is a loved one. I will think of others pains and how I can possibly help them before I focus on my own health. I go out of my way to take care of others and ensure their comfort before I think of what I need. The reason I say it is a blessing and a cure is because I know that I do not have the abilities to make everything better for all.

I hold strong to my beliefs and will fight tooth and nail to prove my point. I will defend those that are not strong enough to defend themselves or just not present at the time when they need to have someone in their corner. I feel that EVERYONE deserves to be treated equally no matter how they choose to live, as long as they are not causing harm to others. People are entitled to love who they want to love and live the way that brings them happiness. We are all able to make our own choices in how we want to live and anyone on the outside should not say that is wrong. Who has the right to say we are not living the right way? What is right for me may not be right for someone else and that is okay!

Have you ever sat down and really thought about what your strengths and weaknesses are? Sometimes those things we view as our negative traits can actually turn into a strength over time. We should be constantly growing and evolving as individuals with what we have learned. However in 2017, it almost seems like some people are devolving into what we should all know better from. We need to be learning from past experiences, whether it be our own or someone else’s to become even better than we are!

As I have already stated, I hold very strong to my beliefs and do not allow anything waver those beliefs. I feel strongly that the color of someone’s skin does not determine who they are or what they are going to do in life. I believe that the homosexuals in this world should be FREE to love who they love with acceptance. I do not feel that anyone should have to hide who they are just so they can be embraced by society. Our society often sets standards as to what they think is normal, but that is not the norm for everyone and should not be forced onto people. Not everyone wants to have children but once you get married it is the first question that is asked, “When are you going to have kids?” If you say that you do not want children, it almost seems like you are considered an outcast because that is what you are supposed to do. My husband and I are perfectly happy in our life with our cats and not having children. It does not mean that those who do not want children do not like children, it just means they do not want to bring another living being into this world of chaos and it should be respected.

My entire point of this post is that it is so important to know yourself and know what you truly believe in. To never allow anyone’s judgement or negativity to impact how you live. You are the only one that knows what in life works for you and what doesn’t work and there is not anyone that can determine how you should live. Everyone has an opinion but that does not make them right. The power of mind is an amazing and wonderful thing, so never stop believing in yourself! Never forget that you are an incredible and strong person!!

Thank you for reading and commenting on my thoughts for today or maybe I should say rant of the day! I truly appreciate all of your comments because it does give me things to learn from and become a better and wiser person! I hope y’all had a good day and have a wonderful evening!

Always, Alyssa

Essentials for Chronic Illness

Posted on December 18, 2017 by Positively Alyssa

When you are first diagnosed with a Chronic Illness, what are the first things that go through your mind? I know when my doctor told me I had Multiple Sclerosis I thought my life was over! I was young and only knew it was a debilitating illness with NO cure insight. I lived the first year after diagnosed in denial and a lot of sadness. But, as I got older I realized my life was NOT over and I could live a pretty normal life!

I have discovered there are crucial things that need to be done in order to control this disease as much as I can. The most important thing I can do is be positive about life. No matter what I deal with living with MS, it really could be worse. There are about 400,000 people just in the United States that live Multiple Sclerosis, some have a pretty “mild” case of this disease, whereas some have a really aggressive form. Yes, I deal with a lot of pain and some days are worse than others. But, I do not believe it helps me at all to sit and think about how much I hurt. I think it is better use of my time and energy to focus on the good aspects of life. I do have handicap parking because sometimes it hurts more to walk long distances. However, I do not have a walker or a wheelchair and have full function of my legs no matter how much they may hurt! I deal with a constant amount of pain in my back but shockingly enough a heating pad helps in short-term.

I have the love and continuous support of a very loving family. I think painful and difficult times would be so much more difficult without love. I value my family more than I can even begin to explain. My husband is here with me day in and day out and will listen to me whenever I need to vent. He offers me SO much emotional support as we all have our bad days when we think that nothing will ever improve. When I have a weak moment and go to him crying because I just want all my pain to go away, he ALWAYS assures me I will be okay and get better in time. He always makes sure I have everything I need in order to be comfortable when I am resting to get well! My husband has an incredible amount of patience and tolerates my stubborn behavior like a champ! My biggest problem is I want to do everything and never ask for help, but he works hard to get me to do less and rest more!

Another essential for living with a chronic illness is, getting the rest your body needs. As I have already made clear, I am really bad at this but doing my best to improve. I feel like I am being lazy when I just sit on the couch watching TV, but there are times I realize that is what my body is asking me for. Getting plenty of rest does not necessarily mean you need to sleep all the time, but it does mean you need to take time to turn your brain off and relax!

It is also essential to reduce stress from your life as much as possible. Life does come with stress whether it be work, relationships, money, health etc but we do have the choice on what extra unnecessary stress we allow into our thoughts. Is it really important for us to try to solve and worry about the problems a friend or family member might be experiencing? Now it does depend on the problem! If a family member is coping with something they just need someone to talk to someone about, that is perfectly fine as long as it does not consume our life to an unhealthy point. I have the compassion where I always want to help, but I also know there are certain things I can not do anything about and need to take a step back from the situation.

It is vitally important to love and value yourself. If we do not take care of our own health, we will not be able to be our entire self. Sometimes it is urgent for us all to take a break and think about what we enjoy! It is not selfish to think about what we need in life, which I am honestly still working on!

Thank you for reading and commenting of my thoughts for the day. I hope you had a lovely and relaxing weekend! Hopefully y’all are ready for yet again another Monday. Thankfully, I have a short week so I can only hope it is an easy week as people are preparing for the holidays! As always, stay strong and positive and good things are bound to occur! Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!!

Always, Alyssa

Holiday Love and Stress

Posted on December 16, 2017 by Positively Alyssa

This year has been almost like a blur for me. So much has happened in my own life and the world we live in it is hard to keep up. We are somehow only 9 days away from Christmas, which is supposed to be a happy holiday to celebrate with family but it also brings on so much stress especially when you are unprepared for it. It seems like we went from the grueling hot summer straight into chilly Christmas time. My favorite season is Autumn, but it did not stay around long. I know it has been said “Time flies when you are having fun”, but 2017 has not been all that fun so I have no clue where time went!

What do you feel is the true meaning of Christmas? Christmas for me has never been about the gifts we get but it is about the gift of love we are able to share with those close to us! So many seem to view it as a time to spend a ridiculous amount of money on gifts for family and friends, but forget that there is much more to it! There are so many in the world we live in that are not even able to have a roof over their heads much less gifts under a tree. There are children out there that not fortunate enough to have parents that love them enough to take care of their basic needs, like safety, food and warm clothes in the cold weather. Some are not healthy enough to enjoy the holidays and are not able to afford the proper medical needs required. Excellent and affordable medical attention seems like finding a unicorn underneath a rainbow, very unlikely!

My husband and I have been battling medical issues for several months now, but we are blessed enough to have each other during these difficult times. I find it extremely important to not dwell on what has happened but on what will happen moving forward. What occurred yesterday is in the past and it could have been a lesson learned to provide a better today! There is always room for improvements in our life if we just accept the changes graciously with an open mind!

With the holidays, the next few weeks at work will be shorter to allow family time. My office has a half day Friday, closed Monday for Christmas Day and then closed the following Monday for New Year’s Day! Hopefully with having 2 holidays in a row things will slow down at work and days will be nice and calm! I will be keeping my 6 hour work days through the new year so I do not have any set backs with my health. I am very aware that stress has been the main factor with the relapse I did have and for it taking SO long to heal, so I am trying my best to keep my stress low. I do find it hard to keep my stress levels low because life can be complicated and some days are harder than others! Honestly, I do noticed a dramatic difference in how I am feeling when stress gets high. Literally I can go from feeling relatively normal to horrible in about 2.5 seconds if I allow myself to get stressed. I guess the first step is acknowledging the issue and the second step in implementing a change to improve the problem! I have made it through the first step but get a little stuck on the second step.

I hope you are enjoying your weekend and you are not too overwhelmed by holiday planning! Remember to take time for yourself and know how important you are! Having the ability to care about yourself will allow you to take better care of those you love! Enjoy the rest of this beautiful Saturday and continue to be your positive and fabulous self! Much Love Y’all!

Always, Alyssa

Headaches & MS

Posted on December 15, 2017 by Positively Alyssa

I have been battling horrible headaches with very little relief for days now, which is why I have not been posting anything. I know many people at some point in their lives have experienced a headache of some type with different severity levels. Nothing had been helping my headaches so I decided to look up the correlation between MS and headaches. I found a great article written by PhD Stachowiach, Julie “Headaches as a Symptom of Multiple Sclerosis”, written June 19, 2017. Those individuals that live with MS seem to be prone to the three types of headaches: migraines, cluster headaches and tension headaches. The following is the website where I found this article, https://www.verywell.com/headaches-as-a-symptom-of-multiple-sclerosis-2440798.

Three Known Types of Headaches:

Migraines:

These can last anywhere from 4-72 hours
Can come along with blurry or distorted vision, followed by fatigue and anxiety
May feel a throbbing on one or both sides of the head
Sensitivity to light or sound
Nausea, vomiting or loss of appetite

Cluster Headaches:

Able to last 15 minutes to 3 hours long
Severe burning sensation on one side of the nose or deep in one eye
Occurs only on one side of the face
Tends to occur at same time every day, normally for a period of several weeks.

Tension Headaches:

Most common in the general population of individuals
Comes on gradually and may last 30 minutes to all day or even up to a solid week
Feels like a constant band-like aching or squeezing sensation either right over the eyebrows or encircling the head
Able to occur at any time of day but typically the latter part of the day

There is an association between brain-stem lesions and an increased number of migraines and tension headaches. However, there is no link between the location or number of lesions and headaches of any type. There have been reports that headaches or migraines could be a symptom of an acute MS relapse, which I really hope is not what I am dealing with. Hopefully the week-long headache will soon end and I can enjoy the weekend before Christmas. Considering absolutely nothing has helped this headache, do y’all experience headaches and if so what do you do to treat them?

I hope you had a great week and are looking forward to your weekend! Remember, stay positive and do not stress over anything with preparing for Christmas, everything will work out as perfect as it can. The ability to be with loved ones is all that really matters this time of year! Take care and much love y’all!

Always, Alyssa

Progress comes with hope!

Posted on December 12, 2017 by Positively Alyssa

Good evening Y’all! I hope you have had a great start to your week! I do not know where time has gone, but 2017 will be coming to an end soon. 2017 has been quite an unforgettable year, some of which we might wish we could forget! There seems to have been a lot of chaos all around the world, but I am hoping that 2018 will bring some change that is for the good of all of us!

Speaking of where did time go, I can not believe it is almost Christmas. I am normally very prepared for the holidays, but this year it kind of crept up on me! I am truly delighted that I will be able to spend time with family and enjoy their company but my goodness I am so not prepared! It will all work out though as the most important thing is we are all still here and healthy enough to make it to both my mother’s house and my in-law’s house!

As y’all already know, I had a terrible flare up from MS starting back in early October. It was a very difficult ride and tried it’s best to defeat my resilience, but I never gave up on myself. I have slowly managed to get back to my normal self. I still suffer from the obvious pain but it is not bringing me to tears anymore. Thankfully, my job has been very understanding with my situation. I have been allowed to adjust my hours and week by week increase those hours. Last week I did struggle to make it through a 5 hour day, but I did it! This week I have been and will continue to work 6 hour days! I think not rushing into a full-time schedule has been very beneficial to my health! If I did rush into my normal work days, it is very likely the stress would have caused the flare up to get worse instead of better. I truly believe that holding onto a positive mind makes all situations easier to overcome! Anything that could go wrong in life seems to all happen at the same time, but the positive thing about that is once you survive the struggles it is a success!

Life can get so demanding and it gets hard to know what is the best next step. It is important and necessary to evaluate what we are going through and try to make a plan. This is where strategy comes in very helpful. If we are able to break our difficult times into smaller pieces, it makes things much easier and not as overwhelming for us too deal with. It has helped me to just handle smaller issues at a time but still be able to overcome the entire situation!

Thank you for taking the time to read and comment on my thoughts for the day! I did not do a post yesterday because I was absolutely exhausted from a long day at work but I will adjust to the early mornings and long days soon! I hope y’all have a nice and relaxing evening! I sincerely hope y’all are feeling well today and holding onto the strength I know you have! Always remember, you are not allow with anything you are dealing with in life, there is always someone out there that understands!! Much love and take care of yourself!

Always, Alyssa

Chilly Sunday

Posted on December 11, 2017 by Positively Alyssa

Sunday can be such a nice relaxing day, until you realized tomorrow is Monday. I am really not ready to start another work week so soon! But, it is good to look at another Monday as fresh start to a new week that is full of possibilities! Regardless of the chances for great things to occur, I do not look forward to that nagging alarm going off!

Sometimes weekends are a time to catch up with family, friends and do all the things you were not able to do during the week. But, sometimes weekends are a great time to just catch up with yourself. After we spend all week in an office, it is so wonderful to not have any expectations for a couple of days. I like weekends when there are not any plans made, no expected or unexpected visitors, no must do items and I can do things on my time without watching a clock like I do during the week. Sometimes I think the clock is the enemy and is just there to control us!

This next week I am planning on trying to push myself a little more. I do feel as though I am getting much better and stronger. I do still have a ton of pain but it is almost pain I can handle. Most days now I am not experiencing the pain that would literally bring me to tears. I am still coping with the relentless back and leg pain but there is no use crying over it because that will not help at all! I have made the decision to ignore to irritating pain and keep doing what I want to do and what needs to be done! Making the decision that I am stronger than the pain and the MS is a smart way to handle things!

I hope y’all are feeling well and handle a fantastic weekend! Enjoy the rest of your Sunday as you prepare for an exciting Monday! Okay, I know there is not many people out there that believe Monday’s are exciting but at least it is another day to live your life to the fullest!

Thank you for visiting and reading my short thoughts for the day! I always welcome and appreciate your comments and will always respond as quickly as I can! No matter what happens in life continue to stay positive, you may not be able to see the difference right away but it makes for positive changes! Much love y’all!!

Always, Alyssa