Real Living with Multiple Sclerosis: Getting rid of nausea

Plus tips for sorting the laundry.

Dear Readers, I recently had surgery. The following day my friend Patti came over to keep me company. After breakfast, I returned to bed. Almost immediately, I was overcome with an intense feeling of nausea.

Patti went into the bathroom, took a washcloth, and put it under cold water. When the washcloth was very cold, she squeezed out the extra water, opened up it up, and put it over my whole face, pressing gently around the cheeks and eyes. After a few seconds, she repositioned the cold parts of the washcloth over my eyes and cheeks. Miraculously, the nausea passed. Patti told me her family has been using this technique for years with great success. Later in the day, I was again overcome with feelings of nausea. We tried the same technique with the cold washcloth with the exact same results.

-Shelley

Staying sharp

Here are some ideas to help you keep mentally alert and actively engaged. Do jigsaw puzzles. Play card games like blackjack, war, rummy, and cribbage, which stimulate thinking and problem solving. To help with time and sequencing, create a calendar for the month with large squares for each day. Then write down appointments, events, and symbols for the weather in the appropriate squares. To keep track of daily events, purchase a spiral notebook. Each day, start a new page. Begin each entry by recording the time of day; at the end of the day, record what happened.

-Jean Landweber

Nonslip socks

Buy socks with rubber grips on the bottom; this prevents slipping. -Sally

Basket case

I have three clothes baskets which I keep in my walk-in closet. I sort my dirty clothes as I change, keeping the white clothes in one basket, the colored clothes in another basket, and the towels in the third. I can then see which needs laundering first. This system also eliminates the need for sorting the clothes.

Shelley has recently updated her book Dressing Tips and Clothing Resources for Making Life Easier. Mail $19.95 plus $3.00 postage and handling to Shelley at the address below. Mail your time- and energy-saving tips and ideas to: Shelley Peterman Schwarz, clo Real Living with Multiple Sclerosis, 1111 Bethlehem Pike, P.O. Box 908, Springhouse, PA 1947709080; or via E-mail at help@MakingLife Easier.com, or SPSchwarz@aol.com. You can also visit her Web site at http: // www.MakingLife Easier.com.