Here in the U.S. we recently celebrated our Independence Day. In typical, inexplicable, fashion, my friends and family went above and beyond to include and accomodate me. I’d like to pretend it’s because I’m so likeable, but it really is, inexplicable.
Nothing will show you who your true friends are quite like a chronic disease.
Typical of our celebrations, there were all sorts of entertainment, a chance to be among people you love, and food. Lots and lots of food, centered around copious amounts of grilled meats.
It would be a gross exaggeration to say that I ate my body weight in barbequed ribs; maybe the body weight of one of my kids. The point is, I ate a very big meal and paid for it by being sleepy and overly sluggish for the rest of the day. More so than someone without multiple sclerosis and that’s not an exaggeration.
Like many, I was prone to a “food coma”, properly known as postprandial somnolence, after a big meal long before I had my first MS symptom. The reasons or possible causes include things like post meal blood flow, time of day, size and composition of the meal, etc. However, people with MS seem to be more affected, (or perhaps, more commonly affected?) based on a few studies regarding MS and PPS.
Does this imply that I experience PPS because I have MS, or that I always experienced PPS and it’s just more noticeable/made worse by MS? Is it simply that, like with everything else, my body has to work several times harder to accomplish something and these are the results?
That may just be all philosophical. My personal takeway is that there is no part of my life that is unaffected by my PPMS. Not even gluttony, apparently.
Will I take precautions? Eat smaller portions? Eat less carbohydrates?
I’ll try, but when good food is involved….probably not.
That’ll show MS!