Marking the 1-year Anniversary of ‘MS In Motion’
April is my month. The weather gets warmer, the world gets greener, and everything just generally lightens up. I was born in April. My wife and I were married in April. My favorite holiday is April Foolsā Day. I love Record Store Day, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society Walk events and, of course, thereās this.
I began writing for Multiple Sclerosis News Today on April 5, 2017. I have never kept a diary or journal, and never really written a column before (plenty of articles on assignment, but rarely opinion pieces like these). Though I didnāt create the column with this end in mind, I now have a documented collection of stuff that seemed important enough to write about at the time.
So, I was going to write about some updates and thoughts about it all. Until I read ā29 Reasons Iām Thankful for Having MS.ā
My guess is that lots of writers can point to articles they wished they had written, or written first. This is certainly one of those for me. The gist of the piece is that Doug Ankerman, the articleās author, has MS. And heās got 29 reasons for being thankful for it.
He writes:
āThankful he has MS? No one is thankful for having MS. He makes no sense!
Oh, I hear you. Loud and clear.
Now, let me explain. I was diagnosed withĀ multiple sclerosis (MS)Ā back in 1996, so Iāve had a good long time ā over 20 years ā to think about this. And yes, MS has closed many doors in my life ā physically, emotionally, professionally. But as the saying goes, just as many have been opened.
It is all a matter of perspective. A perspective I had to change unless I wanted MS to prevail.ā
Here are a handful of Ankermanās 29 reasons:
- “Thanks to MS I am appreciative of clean, public restrooms.”
- “Though I am fairly independent, MS has made me aware of accessibility and other issues faced by the disabled.”
- “MS has helped me be positive and not dwell on the negatives in life.”
- “MS enables me to help others live with their diagnosis through advocacy and support.”
- “Thanks to MS, I have become more patient with myself, more tolerant of others, and more accepting of their differences.”
At the risk of sounding like a Pollyanna, I share many of Ankermanās thoughts and ideas about the disease. MS has been a frightening and humbling disease to me; one thatās forced me to rethink (and reconsider and re-prioritize) whatās important in my life, who I really am beyond the physical me, and what life is really about.
I was diagnosed in 2013Ā but likely had the disease for many years prior to that. Though MS sometimes seems to move very quickly, the reality is that MS has slowed my life way down, and in many ways, given me a chance to appreciate more of it ā even as the disease progresses.
Over the past year, Iāve had the great fortune and opportunity to write 30+ pieces for Multiple Sclerosis News Today, and I am a frequent contributor to the National Multiple Sclerosis Societyās Momentum magazine. Iāve met and talked with a lot of people whose lives have been touched in one way or another by MS. What strikes me the most is how resilient and positive and courageous theyāve all been. All of them.
I love movies, and for whatever reason, āA League of Their Own,ā the story of the short-lived female professional baseball league starring Geena Davis and Tom Hanks, is one of my favorites. Sometimes I think this scene ā conceptually about resilience and resisting the urge to give up in the face of adversity ā resonates with me:Ā
As Ankerman says, donāt get me wrong. I donāt wish to have the disease, Iām not optimistic about it, and frankly, it would not surprise me if Ocrevus (or any drug for that matter) canāt alter the course of the disease for me. I definitely have plenty of days when I feel sorry for myself.
But without MS, and even as it gets hard (and harder), I likely would have lived the rest of my life without experiencing and appreciating so much that makes it great. And that includes getting to write this column ā and getting to know you ā because of it. Thatās my recap of my last 12 months of “MS in Motion.” Thank you so much for being a part of it!
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Note: Multiple Sclerosis News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Multiple Sclerosis News Today or its parent company, Bionews Services, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to multiple sclerosis.
Comments
Colleen Baye
I was diag in 1995. I am very blessed that I was able to slow down the progression of RRMS. My last Neuro visit 4/2017 he told me I no longer need to be on Copaxone. I am walking, talking, am strong. He told me if MS was going to do damage to my legs,eyes etc.. it would have happened. I am no longer take any MS medication except for zana-flex. What I do suffer from is chronic pain in my left shoulder and that is from nerve damage at c3-6.
GAIL SORRENTINO
I am happy to hear that you are feeling so good, that you have discontinued any MS medication. I do understand that every case of MS differs from person to person, but please keep in mind, that it is unpredictable and can appear & and disappear at will. I experienced similiar circumstances, stopping all related MS meds, but it flared up again, only likening it to "Pandora's Box" leaving me more disabled than ever. I have had MS for over 20 yrs., so I would be remiss if I didn't speak up about my similiar trials & tribulations.
I truly hope your renewed feeling of wellness lasts forever.
Renee' Elias
Thank you for writing an article I can relate to. I have had MS for over 20 years too.