I haven't blogged in a really long time! If anyone still reads this, my life has changed dramatically and I just haven't had the time to invest. I now live in a different city and my kids are 11 and 18! I'm studying Medical Assisting and phlebotomy and graduate next month. I have a wonderful boyfriend whom I love dearly!! I am hoping to move in a few months. I am now helping with church nursery and Sunday school classes. Life is better now than it has been in many, many years!!

My author page has been updated

Please visit my updated author page and consider buying Multiple Sclerosis: The Many Faces of the Disease for yourself or as a gift.

My MS author webpage

Moving

I'm moving again, a week from Saturday or March 12 to be exact. It's been three years since I last moved, but it doesn't feel that way. I feel like I just got settled and now it's time to pack and move once again. The worst part is the packing because it takes a really long time and most of it cannot be done way beforehand since most of the important things get used on a regular basis.

I'm not sure about this move, I have extremely conflicting emotions this time around. My daughter is not happy about it and my son is excited. It is certainly going to be interesting to see how things go. I'm anxious and just hope everything works out for the best.

Book review

I am proud to say my book has been reviewed and posted on the following websites:

Amazon.com or Amazon.ca - http://www.amazon.com/review/R3ABSVND5EKL6B/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm
BarnesAndNoble.com - http://my.barnesandnoble.com/communityportal/review.aspx?reviewid=1362191
BookCrossing.com - www.BookCrossing.com/631-7942922
Books.Google.com - http://books.google.com/books?sitesec=reviews&id=xGq3PwAACAAJ
BooksAMillion.com - http://www.booksamillion.com/product/9781432735494?id=4697485320733#customer-reviews
Face Book Visual Bookshelf - http://apps.facebook.com/facebookshelf/books/200004238641-kathy-reed-multiple-sclerosis-the-many-faces-of-the-disease?ref=search-title
Gather.com - http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474978181449
PaperbackSwap.com - http://www.paperbackswap.com/book/details/9781432735494-Multiple Sclerosis The Many Faces of the Disease
Reviewer's Personal Blog - http://4theloveofreading.blogspot.com/2010/04/multiple-sclerosis-many-faces-of.html
Reviewer's Twitter Account - http://bit.ly/aqYZKh

They're all the same review, but located in various places to help draw in readers. Please consider visiting one or multiple links to let me know what you think. If you feel like buying my book, even better! Happy reading!

Book contest

I published my first book: "Multiple Sclerosis: The Many Faces of the Disease" in July 2009. Yesterday a friend called me to talk about my aunt and discuss her story from the book. It made me excited that someone actually read it and enjoyed talking about it. I never wrote the story with the intent of making tons of money, but sales have not been great. Therefore, in an effort to spread the word about my book, I have decided to do a book contest for my blog readers and twitter followers. If you know someone with MS, are living with MS yourself, or simply want to support me - please consider participating.

Rules: You may either post a comment here, send me an email at logsdon.kathy@gmail.com, or reply to me on twitter. Your comment(s) should explain why you would like a copy of my book or what it would mean to you to receive a copy. The winner will receive one, free, autographed copy of my book ( I wrote it under my maiden name so the last name will be different). The contest will begin as soon as I publish this post and will end on midnight (US Eastern time zone) on Sunday, February 20, 2011.

Amazon reviews:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Must Have for Anyone Touched by MS, April 18, 2010

By 

Beverly Pechin (Pennsylvania, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Multiple Sclerosis: The Many Faces of the Disease (Paperback)

As someone who has Multiple Sclerosis (MS), I knew that this book would be something that I would either love or hate. I tend to be very harsh on anything that comes out discussing this disease, simply because I have it and know the facts. While no 2 people with MS are the same, we do share many similar symptoms. All too often the first words you read in any book on MS is "MS doesn't kill people" and while this may be true to some degree, it angers me because it's like saying "that Mac truck didn't kill him when it hit him"... technically it didn't, but the results OF that hit were what killed him and often the symptoms of MS are what take someone down. That doesn't mean we have a death sentence, I'm proof of that, but don't dismiss the disease with such nonchalant comments. Of course that's my opinion, but I'll stand by it! So, when Reed's book didn't start out with this big introduction of how MS isn't a death sentence, I was impressed on that fact alone!

Multiple Sclerosis - The Many Faces of the Disease is really a wonderful book to keep handy for anyone who has MS, especially when someone comes into your life and is clueless what MS is really about. While I personally didn't find it helpful for my own use, simply because I've had the disease for so long, I would have LOVED having it available to me at the time of my diagnosis. I wish I had known about it or had it available when I was diagnosed in 1995! For this reason alone, I highly recommend the book to anyone newly diagnosed with the disease or with anyone who's recently come into the life of someone with MS. You need to know the truth, the facts and the stories behind the faces of MS and Reed provides just this opportunity!

Reed has some particular cases she talks about, discusses the disease itself in the most basic of ways and gives some pretty comprehensible descriptions of what MS is and how it can act. The book is small, concise and covers just about every aspect you can imagine about MS from what the disease is to what some people can do to keep the disease under control. It's honest and not at all frightening to the reader, which is a huge plus with this disease. I'd highly recommend it to anyone who wants to explain the disease to someone in their life (children, spouse, family, new romantic partner, co-workers) that could really use some enlightenment on what MS is and how it works. Keep a copy in your library if you have MS or better yet, if you know someone who has MS that may need the help in explaining this confusing disease and all it presents to their life to someone they care about.

Kudos Ms. Reed in a book that was well thought out, well written and simple yet concise!

4.0 out of 5 stars A sensitive and practical introduction, March 13, 2010

By 

Helen J. Bacon "Joan" (Nazareth, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Multiple Sclerosis: The Many Faces of the Disease (Paperback)

Although this is a rather short book, it was powerful in its message. It begins with a real life story about the author's aunt, in her struggle with multiple sclerosis. The rest of the book is a discussion about the disease itself, the types, the treatments, causes, drugs and therapies. I definitely recommend this reading for anyone with a family member or friend who is afflicted with MS, as it provides some very important information that is easy to understand, rather than trying to sift through huge medical journals to find relevant information. The story about Suzanne, the author's aunt, truly personalized the experience both for how she courageously grappled with its increasing affects on her life, but also for the impact on those around her as they in their own ways went through this with her also.

More information is available at: 
Amazon Page or Outskirts Press or My aha moment

Thank you and good luck!

Funny things my daughter says

Me: Come on we have to go to the store to pick up a few things. Her: Mommy, can I please stay home by myself? I'll be good and not make a mess! Me: No honey, you're too young to stay home alone. Her: You always have to be older to do everything! Me: I'm sorry honey, but don't wish your life away. Her: Well, I just want to get 16 and then stop. I don't want to be an adult and pay bills and stuff!!

In a recent school unit, they studied about Rosa Parks and Aurea discovered Rosa was born in 1913. She informed the teacher that she had a Granny who was born in 1913, but she died in 2009. The teacher later asked me if she was right - and she was! Then Aurea asked if Granny knew Rosa Parks! LOL I seriously doubt that!!

Her: Mommy, how old is Debbie? Me: Debbie who? I don't know a Debbie. Her: You know, little Debbie - from the snack cakes. Me (looking bewildered): I have no idea. After some internet research, apparently Debbie is Debbie McKee-Fowler who was 4-years-old in 1960 when her face became the Little Debbie logo. Therefore, she would now be about 50 (or 51 depending on her birthday - I couldn't find that).

My daughter has asked about many other things that seemingly came out of nowhere or made me wonder where in the world she comes up with this stuff! I can't think of them all right now, but I know there are many.

French toast anyone?

Some co-workers and I were outside talking earlier and joking about French toast. No, not because we love French toast so much. We were actually laughing at the local school system for dismissing schools two hours early today for a "proposed snowstorm" later this evening. In other words, it is not snowing now and there is no snow on the ground, but they are expecting it later. Therefore, the schools decided it made sense to simply close early. I don't see the logic in this. However, everyone is now running to the grocery to pick up the essential items -- bread, milk, and eggs. You know, the ingredients for French toast! Amazing how a little bit of snow (or lack thereof) suddenly makes everyone want French toast. Okay, so maybe that's not why they buy these items, but it certainly was an entertaining discussion.

I've been re-reading old posts today and some of them were really beneficial. Other posts brought one thought to mind: The more things change, the more they stay the same. I feel like I could simply do re-runs of my posts from 2007 when I was moving back home to live with my parents. Guess what? I'm moving back AGAIN in March! Due to family issues and my job ending soon, it seems like the logical solution. Unfortunately, it does not shed a positive light on my life or the fact that I'm right back in the same place I was a little over three years ago.

I have made many friends in Lexington this time around, so it's going to be even harder to move again. Plus, Aurea is in third grade now versus kindergarten when we last moved. I keep trying to point out the positive aspects (being closer to family, no more school uniforms, etc.), but it still really hurts.

On the bright side, I am seeing a great guy from there so it means more time together and I will have more help with being a single mom. I will also be better able to handle Adam's 15-year-old issues he's been struggling with over the last few months. It has been very exhausting. Since I found out my job was ending, I have been looking for a new one. I'm not sure if it's the economy or the fact I'm two hours away, but I have not had much luck so far. If anyone still reads this, please keep your fingers crossed that I find something soon. Thank you.