Mike Has MS
Dog Days
August is probably my least favorite month of the year. It brings heat and humidity, and that’s hard for people who have MS. I’m feeling completely wiped out right now, and it takes a ton of energy to do simple tasks.
Most people become hermits in February when it’s cold and dismal. I do, too. But I do the same thing in August, keeping myself in the air conditioning. I’m almost ready to break down and buy an air conditioner for the kitchen, just so the whole condo can be kept cool. I haven’t done that just yet, though.
The worst part of this is emotional. Everybody else is off to the beach or enjoying the last bits of summer. It’s an effort for me to just walk Reggie around the block. I get out of the car and stumble, and I worry about people thinking I’m a drunk driver. Little do they know the ill effects the summer heat and humidity have on my system.
My oven hasn’t been touched in two months. If I can’t do it on the stove top, it happens on the grill. Yesterday, while craving meatloaf, I broke out a crock pot.
I’ve been talking about taking a vacation to the Caribbean. Oddly enough, when I’m near a pool, I’m okay. Just dipping myself in the water makes all the difference. I had a great time in PTown because I stayed poolside and cooled off when I needed. My only problems were when I got too much sun one day.
September is just around the corner. And I can’t wait. Oddly enough, my September is pretty much booked. My friend Josh is moving into his house in Pittsburgh Labor Day weekend, and I’ll be there. The following weekend, the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus will be headlining the Boston Arts Festival. The next weekend is still up in the air. My mom may be planning my dad’s retirement party for that weekend. If not, I hope to be making the trip to Cleveland, but more on that later. And the last weekend in September is my friend Sam’s wedding.
Cleveland? My cousin Marilou and her husband Tom live there. Marilou and I have always been close, and I’ve never visited her in Cleveland. I’m also a HUGE fan of Iron Chef Michael Symon, and we’ll make a trip to one of his two restaurants while I’m there. She eats at Lolita frequently and loves it.
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