It has been a long time since I wrote on this blog.  In the last 7 years, I have now my own business, just going to start a new course to help that, I manage 2 WordPress Blogs (Volunteer Prince George hired me last year to manage theirs at volunteerpg.com and I built a website for the Carefree transportation society with an attached Word Press blog~ carefeesociety.org).  I am known as a Professional Volunteer, still remain the Facilitator of the Prince George Multiple Sclerosis Self Help Support Group among other volunteer positions I hold.  I am also employed pert time by the Handy Circle Resources Society. In just a week or so I will return for another course with Make-A-Change Canada. The local hospital, PGRH or Prince George Regional Hospital,  was renamed since the last posting, it is now known as the University Hospital of Northern British Columbia or UHNBC

The Prince George Multiple Sclerosis Self Help group will be reforming again this year, in the fall of 2017.  Our role in our city has become very important with the closure of our local MS Society of Canada office closing (in early 2016) to be reborn (mid 2017) as a new, larger region covering all of Northern BC, a few southern BC communities and up to Whitehorse in the Yukon territory.  It is now known as the "Northern Regional Chapter of the MS Society of Canada, BC and YT Division"  with its staff scattered around in major centres like Prince George and other lager communities in the region.  Our local MS SH group, not unlike and other MS SH groups in the province, includes members of the MS Society board that reside in our communities as they are as affected, with some afflicted individuals helping the community we cover locally.  They do fit the criteria of membership that includes people with MS and anyone who has interests or awareness of our community.  To that end, we do have a board member to act as lesion between the SH Group and the Society, to assist us in the reformation and sustainable existence of the group.  Looking forward to the near future!  O and Cannabis at this point is set to be legalized in the very near future, but at present time, it's still risky to be involved in the trade either as a purchaser or as a distributor and "legal weed" has all sorts of restrictions subject to government recalls...  it is  becoming well known to be an effective safe treatment for the effects of Multiple Sclerosis.  Stay tuned for another report hopefully sooner than another 7 years.  Safe travels!
Ken (aka-BCBud024)

My MS treatment.

When I was first diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in June of 2000 I was introduced to the MS Clinic of the (formerly known as) Prince George Regional Hospital and the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada, Prince George Chapter.

I have never really felt OK around any medical professionals so my contact with the clinic was limited. At first, I also avoided the MS Society as I was not comfortable with them or the disease I now had. The clinic advised me that Interferon's were needed at the early stage of the disease to prevent slipping into Secondary Progressive MS. She explained the "ABCR's" of MS Medication (Avonex, Betaseron, Copaxone and Rebif) which will be explained in a later blog. All are administered sub-dermal via injection (Daily, weekly or 3 times a week). She wanted me on Avonex.

The Nurse gave me an exam to measure my depression level. This was in the late winter or early spring of 2001. That is a standard operating procedure with those MS treatments, patients are often given anti depression medication for a few months prior to being prescribed that form of treatment to counterattack the "rare" side effect of depression that can occur with Interferon. My mental levels were very low and she suggested the Adult Mental health center attached to PGRH as well as the Antidepressant medication would be required before I could consider that treatment.

I began with Avonex in July of 2001. Even with the Anti Depression medication and the therapy of the Adult Mental Health clinic I was a mental wreck by the time my birthday came around in October. I became "needle phobic" and I refused to "stick myself" anymore. The MS Nurse at the time suggested that I try Copaxone instead of Avonex. I saw the needle, panicked and refused that treatment as well. It has an auto inject option but that did no good once I saw the needle. This kind of ended the pharmaceutical treatment for my MS and broke my limited connection to the MS Clinic for a few years.

I began self medicating with Marijuana in 2002 which helped with a lot of everything that MS was tossing my way, including the depression. I had used Marijuana extensively in my youth but had left it well over 15 years behind my present life. It helped ease the depression and the stiffness. Vertigo was practically eliminated and I could sleep. It was illegal and for some reason I wanted to feel like an outlaw, in my mailbox I found that the MS Clinic of the day did not support this move. It made the disease tolerable for me. I will post anther on "Medical Marihuana" which I began with the doctors & clinic's blessing in 2010.