The Ever-Funny Computer Man Tells All...

     He's definitely a mystery...we don't even know his "real" name!  But the always entertaining MDMHVONPA has been the third submission (I know you like that word!) of responses to the questions previously posted and entitled, "I'm sick of talking about me...let's talk about..." 

     Over the past several months, I have fondly referred to him by all SORTS of initials, which he has tolerated quite well...my favorites being, MONDOVAPAPA (stolen from Suzy over at "Bliss", however), MONDOPOVA, and of course, REPUBLICAN!  If you get a chance to check out his MS blog at White Lightening Axiom: Redux (his link is listed to the left under "favorite links"), it's well worth the read.

     So, without further ado, please welcome MDMHVONPA to the stage:

1.  How old were you, where were you, what time of year was it, and what were you wearing when you "received" the lovely diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis? (Friends of MS--twist it for when you were told about your person's MS...don't forget to tell us what you were wearing, though.)

1.  Diagnosis Disaster.  After years of 'Maybe you have a brain tumor, we can try massive doses of mercury' type of gusses by my team of physicians, they finally sent me to the 'Bone Doctor' who shipped me off for an MRI.  It was May, 1995.  About a year before I was to be married to the 'One who was destined' (to rule my heart).  I believe I was wearing my banker's monkey suit with my usual 'BBB' (big black boots) footwear.  In fact, it was the 'Happy Birthday' Jerry Garcia silk tie that I remember the most.  Mmmm, drug induced art.

2.  Who was the first person you told about your MS and what was their reaction?  (Friends of MS--whadaya think, what went through your mind when you were told?)

2.  Within moments of the doctor telling me to sit down for some really bad news, I was on the phone to two people.  The future Mrs and my Boss.  The Doctor thought he was giving me a death sentence, it was actually quite liberating.  Not cancer, not stroke, just little old MS.  The Mrs said 'What is that?' and I let her know that after I stop at the book store, I'll fill her in.  The Boss said, 'Oh crap, what is that?' along with a similar response.  Funny thing about the Boss, he eventually got pancreatic cancer and ended up in worse shape than me.

3.  What's your greatest fear and/or secret about your MS and what HASN'T come true or manifested from your MS that you thought would happen or affect you?  (Friends of MS--take liberty with your prose  here...you can change the NAME of your MSer and spill the beans on THEIR crap!  If you change the name and call it a "seminar" in my profession, you're not breaking any confidentiality rules!)

3.  My greatest fear was not paralysis, not blindness and not the daily chronic pain, but rather, not deserving a Handicap Parking tag.  Why am I so damn wound up about what other people thing about it I'll never know.  Irony: I have pain, I have vision loss, I have mild sensitivity loss and I wobble like a weeble but I'm still anxious about using that damn handicap spot!

4.  What's your worst symptom(s) or the nagging thing about your MS that just won't leave you alone?  (Friends of MS--you are given license here to use the words, "gimp", "weeble", "drunken sailor", "blind as a bat", "crazy as a mad hatter", and any other word(s) considered politically incorrect by the disabled or the MS World.)

4.  Sleep ... SLEEEP.... your eyelids are getting heavvvvyyyy.... NOPE.  Wide awake.  DAMMIT!  If the little fire ants would take a night off so I can sleep for more than a couple hours at a pop I would be most appreciative.  Blame it on the coffee or the 12 hours of sequential horror movies if you will, but from the second I lay down to the moment I heave a sigh of disgust and wander off from the bed those damn insects are chomping away at places I should not itch in the presence of children ... just plain ARGH!

5.  Who/What supports you/comforts you in your life and where do you go to find it/them/calm/etc.?  (Friends of MS--probably YOU'RE going to be talked about here...take a bow, and then answer the question anyway!)

5.  My support network is invisible.  From the Mrs who treats me as the Man of Steel (with a bit of rust) to the Mommy who insists on cooking my favorite meals and the HeroDad who sneaks out to mow my lawn while I'm in the shower ... it's the little unspoken things that makes life a bit easier.  Best part is that I almost never notice it until the support happens.  When you ask for it the least, you get it in spades.

 6.  And last, but not least, what do you still have on your agenda to achieve/finish/reach/summit/climb/accomplish before retiring to that great, golden Club Med in the sky?  (Friends of MS--I assume YOU have goals, too...what are they?  Do any of these goals relate to your MSer?  What are you wearing right now as you read this?  Throw us gimps a bone here and humor us!!  Ad lib it up!)

6.  Manifesto: The same thing we do every night Pinky; Raise a set of loving, happy, successful, intelligent and God Fearing Children along with helping an ever-growing bond of love between the Mrs and I become stronger by the day.  All this and more to make the world a better place.  It's the small things, the pedantrics, that matter most.  I'll leave the TOTAL WORLD CONQUEST in the capable hands of the Haupertonain Tyrants.  Solar System and Galactic subserviance will be left to the Grand-Tyrants and GGTyrants respectively.  Gotta leave something for the future generations to shoot for.

     Now I KNOW you wanna head over and check out his blog!  Happy surfing...(And thank you for your "submission", MDMHVONPA...if that really IS your name!)

     (Editor's note:  Responses to questions are being added to BRAINCHEESE in the order the emails have been received...there are still a few of you left to post, so keep checking back as you WILL show up soon.  I will continue to post your responses until EVERYONE has had their day in the "spotlight"...lucky you, huh?!?)