Save the Date!

I am so behind on so many things I don't even know where to start. Fortunately I know where to end, hence the blog title. Keep reading!

This summer has been so difficult- more than ever before I have felt as if I am constantly running to keep up with the rest of the world, and yet no matter how hard I "run" I always end up in last place. Or maybe second to last place :-) The heat has affected me so much more this year. Maybe I was still too Dx-Stunned (Diagnosis-Stunned) last summer and I didn't notice it so much. Or maybe this summer really IS hotter, or maybe I am just getting older and it has nothing to do with MS. Or maybe my MS is getting worse?? Enough already. You could get dizzy thinking about the "Why". It is what it is. Don't know why. I will allow myself a 15 minute pity party. Then I will move on. In Summary, this summer has been kicking my butt.

I turned 29 a few weeks ago. It was mostly a blur. I got hit with a bad cold that then became a bad sinus infection. I felt so horrible the week/week after my birthday that I never even got around to putting all my Wonderful cards up on my cabinets, which is one of my favorite things about birthdays. they are all still sitting there, in my lovely Kosta Boda bowl (a wedding present from my mommy) so they look nice, but still. You know things are rough when the cards don't make it up to display! Anyway, I treated the infection with antibiotics. it got better, then it got worse again, switched antibiotics. Hoping for the best. I have gone through so much Mucinex, Afrin, Dayquil, Nyquil and Kleenex that I should have bought stock in them all! I have to remind myself that the whole point of Betaseron (aka Wonder Drug) is to sorta suppress my immune system, so to speak. And that is what you do for an incurable autoimmune disease. So why then, am I so surprised when A) I get sick, B) it takes longer for me to get over being sick. I am On Immune Suppressants. DUH! At any rate, being sick before, during and after your birthday + the hell that is Atlanta in July just didn't leave me with the best birthday ever. But it is only a birthday. I can try again next year :-)

Chris and I are fast approaching a busy wedding season with 3 weddings in a 5-week span. It is exciting and I have to remember to pace myself accordingly. Especially while it is still so darn hot! Chris bought me this amazing thing called a cooling vest: http://arcticheatusa.com/
It is this vest filled with crystal things that you activate and they turn into gel ice packs. You keep it in your freezer then take it out and put it on. It is all about keeping your core temperature down. When MSer's core temps get too high, it is like an electrical system overheating and shutting down, or causing crazy malfunctions. I look like a member of a SWAT team wearing it, but it really does work. And don't worry my brides out there - I will NOT wear my cooling vest to your wedding! :-) Though my next project may be to create a more fashionable chic cooling product.

So now onto the good stuff:
Save the Date!
2008 MS September Safari
Saturday, September 27th
9:00AM
Zoo Atlanta

I am very excited to announce that I am chairing a new NMSS event! We wanted to do something more family friendly that kids (and kids of all ages) could enjoy. It is a first time event, so we are still working out all the details, but mark your calendars now! 

I would love to have lots of Red Shoes there to support MS and to enjoy Zoo Atlanta. OR if you have a group of people (church groups, daycare groups, sports teams, etc, etc) that you think would like to be involved and start their own team, that's great, too. The more the merrier. 

And of course this IS a fundraising Safari...we are exploring for the cure! Details to follow, but what a great way to get kids involved and learning about charities, philanthropy...ok, maybe a 6 year old isn't ready for the vocab word, "philanthropy", but you get the idea. And I gotta tell you - No One can raise money like kids can. Seriously. Did you SEE Louis Nanda's WalkMS webpage? He raised some serious money! How can you say no to an adorable 2 year old asking you to support a good cause for his "Aunt" Caroline??

So info coming soon to you all via email (since I know only 8 or 9 of you are out there actually reading this...Hi Adele!) Hope you will join us. It will be a fun event and hopefully by 9/27 cool enough for me to enjoy the Zoo as well. if not, no worries - I will be wearing my sporty new cooling vest, and my red shoes. of course. :-)

XOXO