These Are a Few (13, Actually) Of My Favorite Things

I don’t consider myself to be a materialistic person. What I value most in life are my family, my friends, my faith and my health. I also have my hobbies and interests that keep me engaged, like photography, sports, playing with my two boxers — and of course, being a mom.

My all-time favorite junk food item: Jack in the Box tacos! Just 99 cents for two tacos filled with a mysterious soy-beef mixture and topped with taco sauce.

But sometimes, certain “things” can make all the difference on a tough MS day. Or they can make a great day even more joyful! Some are necessities for me; other are luxuries. But all of them make me happy.

I thought it would be fun to share with you a short list of some of my favorite things, even though I realize it may put me at risk of being visualized eating tacos in my pajamas while watching TV and laughing so hard that my cheeks hurt. That doesn’t sound so bad right now, actually!

In the comments section, feel free to share with me your favorite things, too.

Arnica Gel. I use this non-sticky gel after any injection that hurts. This homeopathic wonder eases the pain and helps prevent bruising and swelling of my skin. Any health food store should carry it. I get mine at Sprouts.

Super Soft Pajamas. The softer the better. Oh, and no tags — the tags in the back are just plain annoying.

The Schick Hydro. I’m a little OCD when it comes to many things in life. One is shaving my legs — daily, sometimes twice. I’ve tried all the women’s razors only to be disappointed that I didn’t get a close enough shave. I’ve happily

10 Things I Learned at MS University

I’ve been thinking about adding some initials after my name, just like physicians and scholars. Tricia Chandler, MS. Looks good, doesn’t it?

While I do have MS, I don’t have an M.S. (Master of Science). In fact I don’t have an official college degree of any kind. I really wish we could earn degrees through real life experiences, not just from a university. Wouldn’t that be great?

Dean Chandler requires every student enroll in Don’t Worry Be Happy 101.

If that were the case, I think I would already have all the credits I need to be a psychologist, a nurse, a nutritionist, a pharmacist, a teacher, and a pastor, among many other things!

Even though I don’t have any letters after my name to prove it, my real-world education — particularly the part that involves having multiple sclerosis — has not only made me smarter, but it’s also given me some valuable life perspective.

I’d like to share what I consider to be some of the most important things that I’ve learned.

1. Laugh as much as possible! It really is the best medicine out there. And it’s free. Seek out people and activities that will make you laugh. Be goofy.

2. Have faith. Instead of asking why God gave you a disease (or some other condition you didn’t ask for), ask for the strength to help you fight it. Use your spirituality to get you through tough times and be thankful for everything you have. My faith has saved me so many times.

My Red Bikini Dream

I have this recurring dream.

I’m in a large public pool with people everywhere, and I’m wearing a bright red bikini. I’m thinking that I look pretty hot as I start getting out of the pool. I slowly walk up the steps to return to my lounge chair, with plans to sunbathe.

But suddenly water starts spewing out of my body through my past injection sites. It starts out with just a few spots on my arms and legs, but soon there are hundreds, maybe thousands, of tiny fountains that have sprouted out of every part of my body.

I try to stop the water by blocking the little holes with my hands, but it doesn’t work — there are too many! Everyone is staring, and I’m completely mortified. I’m tempted to scream “It’s from my shots!” to all the people pointing and laughing at me…as if anyone would understand what that means!

At that point, I usually wake up in a panic and check