Originally posted on Multiple Sclerosis News Today
Being born and raised in south-central Texas, I’m no stranger to the heat here that dominates most of the year. But even after 25 years of living in Texas, I don’t think I’m used to it. While some people embrace and enjoy warmer weather, my body rejects it altogether, especially as someone with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.
Enduring the heat in south-central Texas has also made me unfamiliar with truly cold weather. I’d like to believe that I could live in an area that experiences real winter, but because I have anemia, I start feeling cold when it’s just 60 F.
In my perfect and hypothetical world, I’d find a happy medium that suits both my needs and those of my multiple sclerosis (MS). I wish that world existed in south-central Texas.
How heat affects my MS
A few months ago, I was informed that my annual MRI revealed mild disease progression, and I spiraled into a depressive episode. In addition, I was in the middle of weaning off my old antidepressant and beginning a new one. Needless to say, many emotions and events were happening all at once.
It became increasingly hard for me to find the joy in anything, which is unlike me. Since life has thrown me more curveballs than I can count, I try my best to find joy and happiness in the little things to remain sane.
For example, I once ordered a Cobb salad from the chicken restaurant that my partner and I frequent. To my surprise, two deviled eggs were in the salad, and I hadn’t noticed them until I was almost halfway done with it. Discovering those deviled eggs brought so much happiness to my heart.
I often remind myself that there’s always a silver lining, but otherwise I was struggling to find one during these difficult times. To try to lift my spirits, my best friend, Maddy, and I decided to spend a day by the pool at my apartment complex.
We spent several hours catching up, laughing, and enjoying each other’s company. However, there came a point when I felt a sudden shift in how my body and mind were feeling. Then my symptoms took a turn for the worse.
My head started to pound, my left eye had a stinging pain, my body felt lifeless, and I was dizzy. Maddy eventually had to leave, so I returned to my apartment and ordered a large pizza and Caesar salad because I thought food would help. As I waited for the meal delivery, I drank water to hydrate my body.
As soon as I received my food, I ate slowly so I wouldn’t upset my stomach, but it didn’t help. I eventually crawled my way into bed, turned the lights off, and put my phone away to avoid sources of light.
Medication and ice packs were my saving graces that night, but they unfortunately didn’t cure me completely. It took me a little while to fall asleep because my body still felt overheated, and I was too tired to take a cold shower or bath.
Even after a night of rest, I still paid the consequences for the next couple of days. I was sad and frustrated that I couldn’t fully enjoy a day by the pool with my best friend because of
