Funny title, isn't it?
Those three words resonated in my head all night long.
I mentioned in a previous post that I had a pretty crappy MS day this last weekend. I visited my neurologist (Dr. Au) Tuesday morning and he wants to begin me on a 3-day round of IV-steroids. I've only done this once before - and it was not a pleasant experience for me. The thought process of the doctors though is that if my crappy MS day was actually a flare-up of the disease, then this steroid treatment may be able to stop the flare-up a lot faster.
Ugh. Let me tell you that I am not a person that even likes to take a Tylenol. I hate taking medication and putting foreign substances into my system... My drug of choice: Coffee. Unfortunately that doesn't exactly help my current situation though. :(
I told my neurologist that I only wanted to do the steroid treatment as a last resort. So - he sent me in for some lab work - to make sure I don't have an infection of some sort... depending on the results of the lab work - he will make a decision as to whether or not the steroid treatment is the way to go. (On a humorous note - I don't think I've ever actually prayed for an infection before!)
Yesterday afternoon I went to see my primary care doctor (Dr. Doolittle). I've mentioned him on here before. I have to say, I've been with this doctor pretty much since I moved to California - and he is the absolute best GP I've ever worked with. He doesn't pull any punches and maybe its because we've been with him for so long, but I trust him more than any other doctor I've worked with in the past.
Anyhow - I explained to him my frustrations with the mornings neurologist appointment - and he laid it all out there for me pretty clearly. He told me I basically had 3 options:
1- Deal with the current issue & risk it becoming a permanent one.
2- Request to be pre-medicated before starting the IV steroid therapy (which would mean
even more medication... ugh!)
or 3 - Suck it Up! Do the therapy treatment, deal with the side effects for a few days - but end the current relapse.
I think that was pretty much the slap in the face I needed. Someone I have the utmost respect for (other than my husband or another family member) telling me to snap out of it. That these are the cards I've been dealt. I can fold them up - lay them on the table & walk away - not dealing with anything and trying my best to pretend it isn't a reality... or I can "Suck it Up" and do what needs to be done to ensure my health and my future with my children.
So - while MS truly sucks... I guess I need to 'suck it up' and play through this round... irregardless of how crappy it may at the current moment. Just because I may want to run away and hide - that doesn't mean that my denial of the situation will change anything.
So - here's to my new slogan for the time being: "Suck it up!"
:)
