Damn, this Bubbly song from Colbie Caillat is so damn catchy.

I’ve been awake for a while now
you’ve got me feelin like a child now
cause every time i see your bubbly face
i get the tinglies in a silly place

It starts in my toes
makes me crinkle my nose
where ever it goes i always know
that you make me smile
please stay for a while now
just take your time
where ever you go

The rain is fallin on my window pane
but we are hidin in a safer place
under the covers stayin dry and warm
you give me feelins that i adore

My car has an appointment tomorrow at 1:00 for her first oil change and maintenance check. The oil life hit 15% yesterday, and we’re leaving for PA on Thursday night, so the timing is good.

Anybody who gets diagnosed with MS has a lot of information to assimilate. It can make one feel lonely. My best advice is to remember that you’re not alone. Sure, YOU are the one who has MS, but the only way you’ll go it alone is if that’s how you choose to be. When I was diagnosed, the outpouring of support from my friends and family is amazing.

My Aunt Velma was incredible. She had all kinds of literature that she’d collected over the years. She talked. More importantly, she listened. I was scared. She understood.

What I learned is that when people hear that you have been diagnosed with MS, people will start telling you all of the people they know who also have MS. Take note of who these people are. They are a resource at your disposal. Make friends with these people. They can share their experiences.

There are support groups, both in person and online, available to you. Take advantage of them.

My coworker Russ brought his wife and baby into the office today. The baby is a five month old little boy, and he’s a cutie. Kai (the baby) got passed to me, and I went into Uncle Mike mode, rocking him in my arms and putting him to sleep. My coworker’s wife was quite impressed.

It’s a gift that most gay men lack.

An MS diagnosis can be a shock. When I was first diagnosed, I was afraid to do anything. In fact, these are my own words from four years ago.

I can’t over-exert myself. I shouldn’t put on any more weight. I have to be more careful in some situations because I have a lack of balance at times and might fall.

Looking back, that over-caution was a mistake. This is not the time of my life to stop living. If anything, this is the time of my life where I should be doing everything that I might not be able to do in the future. I know that my body isn’t going to allow me to climb the Sydney Harbor Bridge again when I’m in my 40s. If I want to do that, I need to do it now.

My advice to people recently diagnosed with MS is this: Don’t worry about the impact now. Keep living. If you’re not living now, it’s time to start.

This is from Rick and Steve, the Happiest Gay Couple:

What’s so complicated about putting on a condom, climbing on top of me, pinching my nipples, calling me piggy, and kissing me precisely when I climax?

Being diagnosed with MS can be a bit overwhelming. My initial reaction led me to emotions that were all over the map. The good news is that this is not a death sentence. Oh, it was cause changes in your life, but it’s certainly not the end of the world.

I was very fortunate in that my Aunt Velma paved the way for me. She’s been fighting this disease for about 25 years longer than me, and it helped me realize that I was going to survive. The sooner you realize that this is not the end of the world, the much happier you’ll be. As soon as you decide that you’re going to fight this, you’ll make good progress.

The first thing you need to do is educate yourself. Learn as much as possible about the disease and your individual case. Knowing about what’s happening to your body is the only way to survive this disease with your sanity intact. I’ve found that there aren’t many good books about MS that are current. The internet is your best source of information and support. Both MS Lifelines and MS Active Source are good places to start, but keep in mind that they’re sponsored by two of the major drug companies.

Ask your neurologist about your case. How far advanced is your progression? If your doctor uses a term you don’t understand, stop and ask for a definition.

Since I’m bringing up the doctor, this is another big point for me. Find a neurologist who really knows MS. Ask your neurologist if they specialize in MS. If not, ask if they can suggest one who does. Many major teaching hospitals have MS centers. My neurologist is in the Multiple Sclerosis Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, which is the teaching hospital for the Harvard School of Medicine. Unfortunately, some of these facilities require a few months to get an appointment.

Your neurologist is your partner through this. That’s why it’s so important to find one that knows what you’re going through. Get to know the front office staff. You will speak to them often for appointments, messages, and prescriptions.

I’ve been dealing with Multiple Sclerosis for four years now. I’m still fighting and I’m still winning. Frequently, people will ask me for advice or for what they should know about the disease. It’s time to start writing about those things. Over the next few days, I’m going to share a few things that I can contribute to those who are new to all of this.

I was playing around with my domains and accidentally deleted my (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) e-mail address. Mail has been bouncing for a week or so.

Oops.

Oh, I wish. Instead, we’ll have to deal with this sign.