So, Now I've Become An Investment?!?...

239 "hits" on BrainCheese by 10:00AM? Surely a spammer must have taken control of my blog and I'm now going to have to add one of those horrible "word verification" tags to keep the sellers of Viagra from spamming my comments repeatedly...at least this is what I THOUGHT must be going on when I sat at my computer this morning.

But NO...this was not the case at all! It seems anytime one mentions the word "TYSABRI" on the Internet, the Investment Community goes wild. I think nearly TWO HUNDRED of today's visitors on BrainCheese have come from a site called "Investment Village"...yes, that's right...I am able to track back on my so called "visitors" and see exactly where their contact originated.

Let me quote exactly the message I discovered on Investment Village--the Elan Corporation message board (remember dear brain lesioned MSers reading this post...because we ALL must be stupid...Elan and Biogen Idec are the MAKERS of TYSABRI):

"Re: Brain Cheese/CORLEY

Thanks for bringing this to the attention of the Board. I have continued to read her Blog even after she was taken off TYSABRI (for said allergic reaction) because I have found it to be quite entertaining at times. Rx1"

Hmmm...what should I make of this? There is just so much fodder in that message on soooo many levels. But, let me FIRST say, I am SO FRIGGIN' HAPPY someone out there has finally found me "entertaining at times"...I can rest easier at night knowing this. I can die an "entertaining at times" person now...peacefully. LOL

SECOND...I am a bit alarmed there is a "BOARD" out there who is monitoring the daily activities of those of us with Multiple Sclerosis. But, at the same time, perhaps I should be comforted BIG BROTHER is out there "watching" me...my every breath and fart...my every lesion forming in my brain. Which only brings me to my THIRD point.

THIRD...unfortunately, THIS Big Brother is NOT a government agency who is actually trying to DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE DISEASE OF MS...but rather, AN INVESTMENT COMMUNITY TRYING TO MAKE A PROFIT FROM IT! To this, I can only say clearly and with the voice MS has yet to take from me...BITE ME!!!!!!

For those of you from the "Elan Investment Village" site who have only stumbled onto this blog because of the above comment left on your message board (and there have already been hits on BrainCheese from NINE different countries...you folks DO spread your money around wisely), I ask you this: What have YOU done for the cause of Multiple Sclerosis? Have any of you turned those "investments" around and DONATED any of your hard-earned INVESTMENT MONEY BACK to the MS Society or any other group who's goal is to find a cure for Multiple Sclerosis or ease the difficulties MSers have in dealing with the disease? Or is the devastating disease of MS just that to you...something to MAKE A PROFIT ON? (And if that LAST question is the only one you can answer "yes" to then, GET THE HELL OFF MY BLOG!!!)

Now, don't get me wrong here...I DO understand the goals of a capitalistic society and that type of society is exactly what we live in. And drug therapies cost a butt load of money to invest in their research and development...AND, MS is only a small niche of that market...it only makes sense those of us with MS should have to GO BROKE TRYING TO GET THE LATEST TREATMENT OUT THERE ON THE MARKET. I mean, why should we be any more "special" than the HIV/AIDS community?!?

And I'm also not against ANYONE making an honest buck...I only wish I had thought of investing in the Elan/Biogen corporations early on...I know a LOT of people with MS that I could convince to take the drug (because I am "entertaining at times"), thus shooting up my stock investments. LOL

But, as someone LIVING WITH MS, it is not my goal to dupe anyone, deceive anyone, or especially MAKE A BUCK OFF ANYONE WITH MS. And ANY POSITIVE ADVERTISING I give toward TYSABRI here on BrainCheese is because I have done my own research, been on the drug, and BELIEVE it has efficacy in my own, personal experience. That's NOT to say it is by any means "the cat's meow" for everyone with MS...no drug therapy is.

And finally FOURTH...I am most intrigued by the bracketed part of the comment on the Investor Village message board...the one that says "(for said allergic reaction)". Perhaps I am taking offense where none is deserved but, ARE YOU QUESTIONING MY NEUROLOGIST'S MEDICAL JUDGMENT?!?! The very neurologist who PUT me on the drug in the first place? The very neurologist who has dedicated her practice to treating MSers and who doles out a BUTT LOAD of TYSABRI infusions every month??? I'm sorry, but I don't recall YOU sitting in the infusion chair next to me when I broke out in a rash and had hives during my last TYSABRI infusion...if you WERE there at the time, I apologize profusely for taking any offense to this part of your message. LOL And if you'd like to clarify your message HERE on BrainCheese, I welcome your input...

Well, after THAT rant, I guess it's time for me to wrap this up and get ready for work again...of course, not before I ADD INVESTMENT VILLAGE/ELAN TO MY PERSONAL WATCH LIST...

What goes around, comes around...