The heat is now officially “sweltering”

OK here’s the word. It is officially 88 degrees but feels like 94. I went to pick up the boys at their daycamp today and it took forever for the van to cool down. I was feeling a little woozy. But I was still fine to drive. I’m taking Zach to soccer today. I have yet to order a cool vest, which I need sorely, so I’m just going to use that fan squirter thingy. Probably bring an umbrella as well. I’m not just being wimpy the heat makes me physically ill, some of you may know the feeling.

I feel bad that the kids are going to be playing soccer in this heat. But I know I’m projecting my discomfort onto them. They’re fine with it as long as they have water to drink. Tomorrow is supposed to be 98 with a heat index of 104. Thank God for my pool and central air. People have been dying from this heat literally.

Well I have to eat and then venture out. I’ll be OK, I’ll be OK, I’ll be OK. Who remembers Chevy Chase in Nat’l Lampoon’s Vacation. He’s about to jump in the pool with a very naked Christy Brinkley: “This is stupid, this is stupid, this is stupid….”

Trip to the mall

I went to the mall last night to buy my wife some, uh, sleepwear.  Something practical and confortable. Turns out the girl at the Victoria’s Secret counter was the lead in the play I directed, Guys and Dolls. She was very nice, didn’t embarass me, and made it a nice experience. I was proud of her maturity. She even introduced me to some of the other clerks as the director of a play she was in. I miss being part of theatre. I’ll have to do something about that.

I know I said I wouldn’t put off my shot anymore, but I just did. I’ll have it tonight when Chris gets back from work. I’ve done this before. She just gives me the shot while I’m asleep. I barely wake up. The only problem with this plan is that sometimes I can’t get to sleep. Then it’s definitely counterproductive.

I’m watching the White House budget director giving a very rosy picture on C-SPAN of this country’s future. I don’t buy it.

I’d love to hear from someone…

Saturday morning…

The sun beats down on the suburbs with unrelenting, oppressive, energy-sapping heat. But the ‘burbs are prepared. This isn’t sub-Saharan Africa, this isn’t Baghdad, this is America. And in America, comfort is KING!  Air conditioners whir, pool filters purr and refridgerators keep freeze pops comfortably cold for the kids. We will never succumb to anything as simple as nature. Like middle aged boy scouts, we are prepared.

My kids and I are likely to spend the afternoon in the pool with sunblock lathered on to prevent burns. Life is good. I’m not going to let what’s going on in the rest of the world bother me today. No intrusions by Southern Lebanon, Iraq, Hezbollah. That stuff is a million miles away and there is nothing I can really do about it until November when I can do my duty.

But there are people in this country suffering from the heat, and maybe there is something I can do about that. I know  of places in Ohio with vacancies. So if you are in Florida and have no air conditioning, no pool, no freeze pops, follow this link:

http://www.affordablesearch.com and check out Wisconson, Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio…

Meanwhile, I’m gonna jump in the pool.

Feeling pretty good

I had my Avonex shot the other day. I don’t really have much in the wayof side effects any more. After 10 years on Avonex I figured out that drinking lots and lots of water before taking the shot and after and the next day, I’m feeling pretty good. I still have a tiny off-center feeling, but otherwise not too bad.

I spent most of yesterday in the pool. It was hot out and the water was in the low to mid 80’s, absolutely perfect. I don’t have a large pool, 24′ round, but it’s plenty big enough for a few people to have som fun in. Alex and I were having a battle and that kid does not give up. I finally called it quits and he was still in the pool waiting for me to come back.

I also mowed the lawn yesterday. I have a riding mower and it was hot out. First I jumped in the pool with a t-shirt on. That kept me cool enough most of the time, but when I got hot I just jumped in again. That works out really well. I really love mowing the lawn. It’s my “alone” time. I can think about all kinds of things with no distractions. When I’m done there is a feeling of accomplishment. My lawn is once again presentable. Except for the burnt parts and the crab grass. Still not bad though.

So I don’t have to think about another shot for another week. I love that. I was really nervous about it for a long time, and I’m starting to get over that feeling. That’s a good thing. I have to admit that I am really lucky. I don’t have to self-inject. My wife is an RN and has been giving me my shots for ten years now. More than 500 shots. Not bad. I never once had to self inject, though I have many friends who do. I respect them beyond belief. I think because of them I could probably do it myself if I ever had to, but so far the need hasn’t come up.

I am much more serious about taking the shot every week now. No more “medication vacations”. The few times I have done that, something has happened. From now on every week, on the dot. I lost some feeling in my hands during my last episode. I hope it comes back, but it might not. At least they still work.

I’m a little unfocused today. I’ll catch up tomorrow…

blog me baby…

Birthday party

I brought Zach to the zoo today for a birthday party for one of his little friends. Actually the kid just turned six but is taller than Zach who turns seven in October. OK so my kid is a little short but he is soooo cute. Really. Anyway, the party is at the zoo and that’s fine, but we were stuck in a room with no air conditioning and barely big enough for the 12 or so kids that came plus some parents. It was uncomfortable, but I help up OK. I still felt kind of out of it for a couple of hours after I got back. Like I said I don’t do to well with the heat.

I’m still figuring out this blog stuff, I’ll try to post a picture of Zach with this post. We’ll see if this works.

Just ask

Asking for help is sometimes one of the best things you can do for yourself. I’m thinking about that because on this rainy day in Rochester, NY, I’m looking out my window and felng incredibly grateful that I live in this neighborhood on the west side of the city.

This is the kind of neighborhood where people keep an eye on each other’s kids. The kind of neighborhood where expertise in the literal mechanics of life is abundant. Accross the street is a great guy who works at Firestone and is an honest mechanic who will help you out when your car is dying for some mysterious reason. There’s the plant manager who in a former life was an air conditioner repairman, who fixed my central air when it died when the days of summer hovered in the 90’s. His wife, the EMT/hair dresser, who cuts the kids hair for us. Down the street, the choreographer who saved me when I directed Guys and Dolls for the High School a couple of years ago and her next door neighbor that did the publicity for the show and then blossomed into the lead in Oliver the following Fall. There’s the woman who gets my play tickets, the guy who helped with my lawn mower, the couple who discusses marketing with me, it goes on and on.

I’m surrounded by talent and good will. It feels good. I am scared that I take advantage of all of this too often, but then I think, if they ever need me, I plan to be there. If their kids ever struggle with their English homework, I’ll help. My wife is a nurse and has already done a couple of house calls or given some advice over the phone. I’ve watched sick kids in an emergency, andgiven advice on good places to stay in New England.

We’ve had parties and our kids play together. This is home. It’ll be home for many years to come. And my neighbors understand and don’t judge when it is just too hot for me to go outside. They get it. People in general are predisposed to have a helping nature. It’s who we are. We live in a society that is certainly geared toward rugged individualism, but at the same time someone who can’t be rugged that day need not worry because there are hands to help.

So ask. I’ll help. Mickey will help. And Helen. And Mike, Linda, Beth, Dwayne, Karen, Eric, Christine, Aureen and Scott, Pat and Butch, Jess, Rachel, Todd, Jackie, Tom and Anne, the list goes on and on…

Find your neighbors. Be nice to them. We all live together and we all have strengths and limitations. Don’t be afraid to ask and stand up when asked.  It’s all good.

Comments?

Back from business trip….

I just got back from a business trip to Boston. I rented a car and drove because I heard flying in is a nightmare these days because of the problems with the Ted Williams tunnel. Anyway the drive there was really great in my Saturn Ion. Confortable, smooth, cool air blasting. It was nice. Showed up at the office and met my new colleague, Kate. She’s great: smart, experienced, funny. I felt like I’ve known her all my life.

Our team went on an affordable housing industry cruise the next day. We stopped in Newport for lunch. Newport RI isgreat. It’s where tourism meets old money. I was a beautiful day Tuesday. A little too warm for me in general, but with the cool breeze on the water, I barely notice. All of my friends and colleagues know my limitations and left it up to me what we should do. I was grateful thatI didn’t have to walk around shopping for two hours. We ate at a nice restaurant on the water, and like a fool I ordered a chicken Caesar salad wrap instead of seafood. I’m craving clams or calamari right now.

I ended up staying too late in Boston on wednesday and hit the road at 4pm. I could tell by six that I wouldn’t make it. I wasn’t contoling my speed as well as I normally do, and I just thought it would be safer to rest somewere for the night. I stopped in Albany and stayed in a Best Western. I ate at the bar and met two guys who ended up  being a hoot. Denny and Bill were fire investigators in their 50’s. I think that is such a cool job. They told me about some of their investigations. I told them my name and said some people have touble pronouncing it and I was impressed that they did it so well. Bill  says “Not only can i pronounce it, I can spell it too.” I didn’t make him do it, although he did try to get away with a few lies, like he used to be a professional wrestler. It’s been many years since anyone could call me gullible. Anyway the banter was fun and we spent a couple of hours chatting.

I left at about 9:30 the next morning and made it back by 2. (I went the wrong way and got lost in Albany for a while. Nice town.

Still waiting for comments.

Hello world!

The joy they had found is a reference to some nurses in a George Thorogood song who discover a baby who is “Bad to the Bone” The song has become somewhat of a theme song for me with “Vlad” substituted for “bad”. I know that’s kinda goofy but my kids seem to like it, and I’ll do anything for my kids, including parodying George Thorogood. About me, and I guess later you’ll find out quite a bit more, if anyone really finds this.

I’m 41 years old, a husband to a wonderful woman named Christine and father to Alex and Zach, ages 8 and 6. Oh yeah, and I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis when I was 29. That seems so long ago, because, of course, it was. So I do have MS, but it isn’t something that really gets in my way. I do pretty much anything that anyone else can do. My one weakness, aside from Kryptonite, is that I don’t like hot days very much. Hot day = air conditioning, or pool, at least shade.

That’s common for many, but not all people with MS. Some aren’t really affected by the heat. I know of one guy who still loves the heat and sprints in it all the time. People are different. I guess if I have a theme to my life it is that virtually everything is relative. There are very few moral absolutes. Stealing is OK if it means feeding your family (as long as you aren’t stealing from another poor family) and between one of my kids getting hurt and someone trying to hurt them, I’m gonna be on their side 100% of the time.

So I have some challanges in life. I can’t really feel my hands and I don’t like when it’s hot. In the past I’ve had double vision, stuttering problems, vertigo, balance issues, blah, blah, blah… I’m still here, and my shoulder works great if my wife or one of my kids has to have a good cry.

I really do have a good shoulder, and a good attitude about life. I find that I’m sometimes pretty good at giving advice, and/or cheering people up andI work from home so I have time to care for this blog. It’s something I want to do. Maybe give back for all of the good things I have recieved.

Let’s talk about MS, or relativism, affordable housing issues, literature, movies, books (I’m also an English teacher as well as an executive for a new website called www.AffordableSearch.com.)plays, hot days, Western NY…

Blog with me…