Why I’m Voting for Snow Miser

Multiple Sclerosis and the politics of temperatureID-10012725

Last winter was a snowy, icy, super cold one.  People complained all over Facebook and threatened to pummel anyone who complained about the heat in the summer.

I, for one, never once complained about the winter and insisted I had reserved my right to grumble about the July/August heat all I wanted.  But I’ve been good and stayed away from voicing my weather preferences.

But it’s been hard, especially when people, probably the same ones who complained during the winter, try to compare their discomfort in the heat with mine.  Trust me folks, It’s not the same.

Your misery is extreme discomfort.  My misery is misery.

Here’s a common dialogue-

Person, “how’ve you been?

Me, “ok.  Had a difficult time during the heat wave last week but am better now.”

Person, “Everyone had a difficult time during the heat wave.”

Really?

Let’s compare shall we?ID-100136480We’ll start with a point of reference.

Multiple sclerosis makes all extreme temperatures a problem.  I wrote about my difficulty with the cold and losing power after a blizzard a few winters ago.  The post was titled Could Be Minutes, Could Be Days and in it, my biggest lament was not being able to have my treasured hot tea to help me through.  A fierce winter storm attacked and hot tea was the main thing I was whining about.

True, I can’t fall asleep if the temperature in my bedroom is below 73 degrees and if I don’t have hot water I go unclean until I do; cold water in a shower feels to me like being stabbed with hundreds of sharp needles.  I get enough of needles taking my meds thank you very much.

And perhaps I’m lucky that I work from home; if you can call these weekly scribbling and promoting my book, work.  (Subliminal message- MS Madness!  buy, buy, buy.)

If I happen to venture out after a storm I do have to watch my footing on icy sidewalks, sidewalks that I am lucky to have shoveled by other people.

Snowmiser74shawn

I’m Mister White Christmas

I’m Mister Snow

I’m Mister Icicle

I’m Mister 10 below

Friends call me Snow Miser

Whatever I touch

Turns to snow in my clutch

I’m too much

From Snow Miser, in “The Year Without a Santa Claus”

So to recap- with the cold I have trouble falling asleep, can’t shower with cold water, have to be careful outside and if I don’t have power, can’t have my daily hot treat.

Now let’s look at the problems with the heat.

When the heat ramps up, everything MS wise ramps up too.

The fatigue becomes beyond belief, beyond able to manage because if I’m overheated I’m not sleeping at all.

The cognitive issues become unbearable.  I can hardly think at all.

ID-100232180

My lack of balance issues and loss of coordination issues greatly increase.  Everywhere I move, inside, outside, up stairs, down stairs I’m likely to fall.

I have trouble breathing and often feel like I might pass out.

What usually feels like 5 lb weights added to each leg whenever I move suddenly becomes 25 lb weights.  Thus, what are usually mild aches become downright pain.

My bladder becomes even more obnoxious than usual whether or not I’m hydrating properly.  I tried extra hydration and less hydration during the last heat wave and neither helped the bladder issues.  In addition to having to go more than ever I also covered myself with bruises from walking into the walls in my rush to get where my bladder needed me to go.

So, with extreme cold comes trouble falling asleep, no showers, no tea, trouble walking outside.

With extreme heat come no sleep, trouble walking everywhere, no thinking, trouble breathing, pain, bruises, and lots more increased bladder ridiculousness.

Maybe it’s just me, but I kind of like breathing.  And thinking isn’t too bad either.

All of the above that comes from the heat occurs even in the A/C.  The A/C helps but doesn’t solve the heat problem.ID-100171914

Funny, but the A/C does helps with the cognitive trouble as while I’m miserable the one thing I’m clearly able to think about is my cash flying out the window towards the electric company with every troubled breath I take near the unit.

For people with chronic illness there are heat remedies.

There is a cooling vest I can use.  Problem is, it is wicked uncomfortable and heavy in the house and if I wear it outside I could get shot as I look like a suicide bomber.Picture 27

I had a cooling tie once but that just cooled my neck while the rest of me overheated and then I had no equilibrium whatsoever and was even more confused.

I do have a cooling cloth that may actual work.  The problem with that?  During the heat wave I didn’t remember that I had it!   I only remembered it just now as I’m typing.

(Don’t worry.  I took a break from writing, dug into my closet, found it and will hopefully know what it is when the next heat wave hits.)

heat-miser

I’m Mister green Christmas

I’m Mister Sun

I’m Mister heat blister

I’m Mr. 101

…..

They call me Heat Miser

Whatever I touch

Starts to melt in my clutch

I’m too much

From Heat Miser in “The Year Without a Santa Claus”

Seriously, which would you prefer?

A white Christmas or a green one?

An icicle or a heat blister?

Something important melting and disappearing all together or turning into a ball of snow? A ball that you can maybe use to defend yourself if necessary or eat if you are hungry.  They don’t make delicious snow cones for nothing friends!

I live in a free country and I can prefer the cold of winter over the heat of summer if I want to.  I can even talk about the differences of each on Facebook if I want. Yet, too often people are inclined to minimize my input, challenge me or outright argue.ID-100206611If you ask and I tell you about my problems with the heat, please don’t tell me you can relate; not unless the heat makes you physically unhealthy.

And please don’t judge me if I prefer the negatives that come with Snow Miser over the negatives that come with Heat Miser.

Snow Miser just works best for me and that’s all there is too it, winter, summer, spring or fall.  But you can prefer Heat Miser if you’d like, even if I don’t quite get why you do.

Here’s the thing.  Nobody’s perfect and I don’t think for a second that Snow Miser has the answer to all my temperature troubles.   He alone, cannot save me from ongoing woes.  Heat Miser’s not without his own charms but me, I prefer the other guy.

Speaking of Snow Miser and Heat Miser, is it my overheated imagination or does Heat Miser’s crazy hair remind you of a certain Presidential candidate?

donald-trump-hair

This blog post is dedicated to all the people in the United States that are so hot all the time that they even appear red on a map!

Snow Miser lyrics are from FM Static

Snow Miser image from en.wikipedia.org-Snowmiser74shawn.jpg

Heat Miser lyrics are from Thousand Foot Krutch

Heat Miser image from watchmovies90s.com

Donald Trump image from politicalhumor.about.com

11 thoughts on “Why I’m Voting for Snow Miser”

  1. I am in total agreement with you I love the fall and winter months… Spring i am dealing with allergies and the heat of summer has been getting to me much faster the past few years I keep drinking water but if i am working and sweating of course all of the sudden I will feel light headed or like i am going to vomit… No curling up in a blanket to stay warm in winter to me is so much better than feeling like i am dripping all the time if I am not in front of an A/C

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    • So true! So many things we can try to do to get warmer but only so much we can do to get cooler. I’m breathing pumpkin scent in and trying to patiently wait for September!

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  2. We agree to disagree about preferred temperatures/seasons (as we do about the relative value of the Stones) but we’re in 100% agreement about people who try to compare their minor annoyances and ailments to MS symptoms. In fact, it drives me so crazy, I made a short movie about it. If I may be so bold as to self promote, you can view it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVHBJYEjg7Y

    Reply
    • Just watched it Rick- great video! You nailed it! By the way, I seriously never knew this before, but at least in the sixties, there was a serious rivalry between Stones fans and Beatles fans. The Stones and the Beatles were actually partying together but the fans, not so much. Who knew???

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    • Great short clip! Gets the point across! There really needs to be more awkwardness about MS and what we go through……I have people down play my symptoms as well…. Well done!

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      • Thank you so much Sherry and thank you for checking out my blog! Give me falling leaves, pumpkin flavored everything and hockey! Not that I play hockey. I just like to curl up in a blankie and watch it-hahaha! My very best to you and I’m going to check out your blog as well. We MS bloggers must stay together!

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  3. Great post! I am rutting for fall and winter to come as well. We have only had one week of extreme heat here this summer. I am so thankful… Still trying to pull my self back from its affects. Would rather have it cool as well.

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  4. Amen sister!
    I can handle the cold better than the heat. Been really struggling the last couple of weeks. My breaking point is near 80 degrees–at or above & I’m toast. Especially if it is sunny.
    We just trudge onward best we can (although it does help to get it off your chest once in a while!).

    Reply
    • Absolutely on the getting it off our chests part. When I make fun of the beast I feel like I am beating up on the beast. Weird, it brings deep seated feelings of glee as if I was a vicious bully. I was never a bully before so why evil of picking on MS? Oh yeah, cause MS sucks and it is beating on us. So I like to think of folks like you and I as MS Robin Hoods. Or, I’m just losing it…. Take your pick My Odd sock friend…

      Hope your thermometer reads a cool 65 for you today!

      Reply
  5. I would be insulting you, sweet Yvonne, & all others plagued with MS, if I compared your daily trials & tribulations, to my own. That being said, I can relate. Especially now, with my little buddy, my internal pain pump. There were days prior to “our marriage”, when no amount of pain meds touched it.
    Now, I have a small & steady stream of fentanyl & bibucaine flowing from the base of my spine, downwards. I also have the ability, via my “remote”, (PTM), to give myself a wee bump, every 90 mins, up to 10 times in 24 hours. A gift!! My pump & oral meds, work in harmony, & good days do happen! Still can’t sit, stand, etc in access. But I’ll take it!
    One drawback, is that I can lose feeling in one or both of my legs, without warning. So balance/tumbling issues, & all that that brings, afford me to understand. Grace remains my “code name”.
    I am so delighted you shared your blog with me! I too understand the seasonal constraints! Altho’ ice/snow remain my enemy, the heat & humidity of this summer, has also impacted swelling, etc.
    your strength, glorious humor, & challenges inspire me! You are a source of strength to many!
    Your heart, intellect, & writing gifts are like a cozy quilt of comfort to wrap myself in. You are a bright star, in dark places. My how you shine!!!

    Reply
    • Thank you so much Michele- that is so kind of you! And you are quite the writer yourself! You should never worry about comparing your struggles to others- struggles are struggles and we are all in this sucky struggle together. If you want to worry about offending those of us with MS you should worry about our jealousy that we don’t get cool stuff like a remote pain pump- so not fair!! Haha! Please don’t be offended. Making fun of the struggles is how I fight back and pain itself is no laughing matter. I’m sending you lots and lots of prayers and healing wishes my dear friend. May your weekend be cool and filled with love and as little pain as possible.

      Reply

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