Being prepared for the stress of MS may help to manage it
I credit military training for being cool under fire, but I was also blindsided
Written by |
On June 17, 2006 — 20 years ago yesterday — I had my closest call as a Special Forces medic, and the first mass casualty situation I was ever involved in. Sometime afterward, a teammate observed, “You didn’t even hesitate! You just ran out on the street and did first-aid on those guys.”
My somewhat droll response was that I was the medic and that’s what I was supposed to do. The reality is that I reacted naturally to an unnatural situation because it was one that I had rehearsed many times and was prepared for.
Under stress, fine motor skills and rational cognition are among the first things to deteriorate. Preparing for scenarios through training that’s designed to be as realistic as possible negated any cognitive effects because it was almost as though I was on autopilot. Rehearsing the motor skills needed also made that aspect of the stress response manageable.
Unfortunately, it was impossible to be prepared for what I didn’t see coming.
In a social media profile, I write that I was “blindsided” by multiple sclerosis (MS), and I really don’t think that that’s too strong a term. I had no family history of the disease and, at the time, knew only one other person who had it. To say I was unprepared and unrehearsed is an understatement. Then again, I don’t suppose anyone is ever really ready for the stress of MS.
Managing the stress
I volunteered to be a combat trauma medic, which suggests not only that I had a certain knowledge about what was coming, but that I was somewhat willing to face it.
I certainly didn’t volunteer to get MS, but it also never asked, and that’s a shame because a sense of readiness for the stress that can cause inflammation, which leads to fatigue, would have been an incredible asset. All my adaptation to it now has come after the fact and unwillingly.
Much like the stress of combat, MS seems to affect more than anything else my fine motor skills and cognition. But, lucky for me, even though I’m forced to do it after the fact, some of the techniques for managing the stress of MS are the same.
For one, I can rehearse certain tasks ahead of time. I know the method to open a door at my own home might not be the same somewhere else, but practicing the technique definitely helps. Likewise, manipulating silverware at an unfamiliar restaurant can end up being impossible for someone with poor fine motor skills, but it’s much more manageable if I’ve practiced.
Practicing breath control also works well when the frustration of MS rears its head. Breathing is a controllable part of the autonomic nervous system, and deliberately slowing it during times of stress has a calming effect on the body’s fight or flight reflex. It’s not much of an option in combat and, if I’m being honest, controlling my breathing isn’t something I’m great at. But taking a break or a step back is sometimes the best option for MS. There are days when managing my stress is simply saying, “That’s enough for now. I’ll either deal with that later or ask for help.”
Learning from the experience of others helps, too. Lessons from those who are dealing with this condition have proven invaluable to me, even though — and this is another example of what I have dubbed the MS paradox — its not experience I wish on anybody else.
In the military, I had the reputation of being cool under fire. If I was, I’ll chalk that up to good management techniques, but the reality is that, most of the time, I was actually clueless under fire. In a cruel coincidence, that can actually be helpful in a life with MS because every day is another day into the unknown. The battle is different, but I often still feel clueless under fire.
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, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to multiple sclerosis.
Leave a comment
Fill in the required fields to post. Your email address will not be published.