I'll do pretty much anything to cool off

It’s getting hot and I’m getting cranky. Not really because its below 30 degrees outside but it’s how I feel in the summer. Heat Intolerance is something new I am learning to deal with. Just last year I had two instances of the air conditioning going out and I can think of numerous outdoor activities with friends that I just wasn’t pleasant to be around. All of these memories remind me how awful I felt that night or the next day mainly on how I responded to people. I am going to put it out there I was a Bitch. Cranky. And downright rude to the people I was around. I fight to be with friends and fight to be respectful and it kills me that my body is overheating. My body is trying to regulate body heat and the communication to the brain might involve a buildup of fatigue, blurred vision, loss of balance or a worsening of cognitive symptoms such as concentration or memory.

I can remember going on my first ever RV road trip last year. I was totally up for the adventure and looking forward to spending time with friends. By the time we got from Maryland to Tennessee our AC unit died. I was totally like I CAN DO THIS, IT WON’T BE THAT BAD. There couldn’t have been enough bottled water to drink and cold wash cloths to cool down with. I actually considered what a flight home would cost! COMPLETELY EMBARSSED!! We made it to Texas where once we were plugged in everything worked fine but the drive home was a different story. Three days with no AC and no shower I got really cranky. I apologized to my friends like I always do but at what point does it feel like you cried wolf too many times?

How about when your best friend is in town and the AC at her family’s house stops working. You go to bed sweaty and you wake up even more sweaty. I am trying so hard to be a grateful guest! It’s hot and humid!! After a 3-day weekend all I can think about is a three-hour drive with the AC blasting!! I feel guilty writing both of these scenarios, heat causes nerves (whose myelin covering has been destroyed from MS) to conduct electrical signals even less efficiently. Think of a frayed cell phone charger that has to bend a certain way to get the electrical charge.

I overcompensate a lot. I see people act one way and my body responds the complete opposite. I was never one to follow the crowd actually would do the complete opposite on purpose, but now I wish I could do the same things everyone else does ;(

Mainly I like to spend time in the pool or in the ocean. Water yoga is fun and challenging and like my teacher always said the ocean will catch ya!! lol Water exercises are always a good way to work out while staying cool. I'm going to keep doing stuff like this till my body says no more. It sucks to always have that in the back of my head! Probably why i am so strong headed. I'm going to keep fighting...keep pushing the limits