Vacation

Two things that do not work with MS.

1. Heat.

2. Activity.

Heat and activity combined could probably put me in the hospital 9 times out of 10.

Activity is more or less avoidable. Heat is not.

Two weeks of vacation at my disposal, and all I can do is lie on the bed and sweat.

I had certain vague plans--a trip to the mountains, swimming in the river, maybe a day trip to the beach. As it happens, however, my legs are not working, and every time I stand up I feel like vomiting.

Distance + energy required = a two week vacation in Portland.

I become, therefore, my wife's sopir, which translated from the Indonesian means driver. All day long we traveled about Portland and the surrounding area in her air conditioned car as she attended to business appointments and client meetings. As can be imagined, it was a heck of a lot of fun.

My wife and I are very unalike. Have I mentioned that before? Of course I have. In her mind a vacation is a period of time during which one can get even more work done than usual.

I myself had always pictured lying on the beach under the shade of an umbrella, reading a book.

Well, each to his own.

In any case, for the time being, like it or not, it's all about nausea, sweat, and profound fatigue.