A journey with MS...

I have spent the last 9 months learning how to cope with a chronic illness....Multiple Sclerosis. I have decided that in order to share with others that I am going to start blogging about it. I have blogged a little bit about it, but not enough. I have always believed that being able to write about things is healthy, but then I get too busy and don't make time to do it....that stops now :)
To be on the safe side, I will state this disclosure...
I want to let anyone reading this know that I have no medical background and am only speaking from my own personal experiences and therefore anything I write cannot be claimed as fact.
Here we go...
When I was officially diagnosed on 7/22/08 with Multiple Sclerosis, there were so many emotions that ran through my body that I almost fell over. The first two that hit me were relief and fear. I was relieved that I wasn't dying, but was in fear of what was going to happen to me and my children. Then shock set in....and the question, is this real?! One would think that 3 emotions would be enough for anyone to handle, but this kind of diagnosis actually floods any number of emotions through you. Next was sadness and the ultimate question, why me?! Next came anger....and that one is ugly!
As I look back, I was basically numb for several months until I was able to start dealing with all of the emotions that flooded my system. I would just get up and go to work, get through the day and come home. When I got home, I would just zone out in games on the computer, not really dealing with anything. I think this is a natural human response when one is flooded with emotions. We have a tendency to just shut down at first. And then at some point something clicks (whatever the trigger may be) and we turn back on the emotion switch and actually start dealing with them. For me personally, I have been through a lot of traumatic situations and events in my young life (as many call it....and rightfully so since I'm only 28) and these events have helped me to know how to quickly move past the emotions and just get down to business. The first business to address was whether to start treatment right away or not. I made the decision to start medication right away because in general starting treatment early was necessary to hopefully reduce exacerbations (also called attacks) and to prevent further damage to my CNS (Central Nervous System). There are a bunch of medications out there for MS so I had to sit down and really look at them and talk to others about them to decide which one was best for me. Since MS is so very different for each person that has it, each person with it will have to do their own research and some may even decide medication isn't right for them at that moment. However, there is a lot of information out there to support the idea that starting treatment early gives you the best possible outcome to prevent or delay the disabling impact of the disease.
I also began learning everything I possibly could about MS because I feel that education is very important so that you know what you are dealing with. Actually it was funny, I went to the local library and probably brought home about 20 books about MS. Once I got the books home, I started going through them and realized that many of them were outdated and a few were too technical and boring. I ended up returning most of them to the library and only keeping 2 to read. The two that I read were "Multiple Sclerosis: The Ultimate User-Friendly Guide (2nd Edition)" from The Rocky Mountain Multiple Sclerosis Center Guild and "Multiple Sclerosis" New Hope and Practical Advice for people with MS and their families" by Louis J Rosner, M.D. and Shelley Ross. I have also picked up another book called "Multiple Sclerosis for Dummies" that has been extremely helpful. In my opinion, these are probably the best books to start with for anyone with MS and family/friends that are supporting someone with MS.

For now, I will end this blog session.

Until next time.....stay positive! :)

~Hope~

Flower child...

Aha! I was looking for a term this weekend to describe how I've been feeling lately. I love songs that have a peace n love feel such as my latest fave "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz and one of my long running faves "If Everyone Cared" by Nickelback. I was looking at terms like tree hugger, environmentalist and they just weren't right! Then I was talking with a friend tonight and she mentioned it.....FLOWER CHILD! Ah yes.....I was always told for years (in my teens) that I had been born in the wrong decade because I'm the classic definition of a flower child....and it has come back to me....and it is true! I love peace n harmony....I hate fighting of any kind! Although, disagreement is necessary for change to happen....it doesn't have to be a drag out fight as many of us make them these days. What a sense of calm and enlightenment came upon me when this familiar term returned to me via my friend.....ahhhh I feel home with it! Plus, I know that my purpose on this earth is to help others (although I'm still in process of discovering just the right avenue to do so) and part of that has got to be with helping people de-stress, appreciate each day and inspire them to look within for such peace that comes with such concepts. Now, I will admit I have not perfected these concepts, but each day that I'm given to practice is another opportunity to get better and better at doing so. I think that this inner desire for constant peace n love is the reason it bothers me so much when my children fight....even though I know that is precisely what siblings do....I still don't like it LOL

Hmmm....opens up a whole level of pondering and of course at the wrong time.....will have to incorporate it into dreams as it is now time to drift off to bed.

Until next time....peace n love :)~

~Hope~

Tomorrow was never promised...

Tomorrow is never promised...
This thought as been passing through my head for the last week and there must be a reason. I frequently look to this world and am constantly amazed by how easy it is for each of us to get caught up in the hum drum of daily life and the drama and challenges that arise. Today I was crabby and realized how selfish being crabby is. Who am I to to snap at another human being that is doing their very best while they have the pleasure of being on this earth too?! I've pondered all day and still have no answer as to why I was crabby, but thankfully this co-worker pointed it out because I was able to change attitude course pretty quickly and better the rest of my day. This brought me back to thinking about how life is so precious and we truly should enjoy each and every day we are given....it is a gift!! Think....if we all made an effort to smile at someone each day or take a moment to help someone at the grocery store....what a difference we would feel?! I am an observer....I enjoy watching others interact with each other. There are so many opportunities available to us each day.....to remind each other that life is a gift and share love with one another.

I'm giggling because I'm tired enough right now that this may sound like rambling....I shall revisit this post tomorrow....LOL :)

For now....I will leave you with.....be kind to others, remember those that were kind to you and forget those that weren't.

Until next time...
~Hope~