MS Strength

I got this email today from my local MS Society chapter. I volunteered at one of the Walk MS events in April 2008. Keep in mind that the funds raised are from ONE chapter. It’s great to see so many people coming out and supporting the cause– thanks to all of the walkers and participants who raised pledges!

September 2008

Dear MS Walk participants:

For those of you who participated in Walk MS 2008, congratulations on your hard work and dedication to creating a world free of MS. Walk MS 2008 raised over $1.1 million – thanks to all of you! And, be sure to save the date for Walk MS 2009-Sunday, April 19th. I hope that you all will “join the movement” so that we can continue on our important journey to help more and more people with MS.

You have all done an amazing job over the years and we cannot thank you enough!!

Sincerely,

Patricia Tupycia, Director, Walk MS & Corporate Relations

I’ve read the blogs at Blogspot and have seen lots of people dealing with stress, out-of-control symptoms, depression, financial strain, non-MS illnesses, and other things outside of the MS realm. I’m not a believer in organized religion, although I do believe in a force greater than ourselves. I like this well-known poem about faith:

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.
Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.
Sometimes there were two sets of footprints,
other times there was one set of footprints.
This bothered me because I noticed
that during the low periods of my life,
when I was suffering from
anguish, sorrow or defeat,
I could see only one set of footprints.
So I said to the Lord,
“You promised me Lord,
that if I followed you,
you would walk with me always.
But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life
there has only been one set of footprints in the sand.
Why, when I needed you most, had you not been there for me?”
The Lord replied,
“The times when you have seen only one set of footprints in the sand
are when I carried you.”

The Lord is not above, watching and playing Russian roulette with everyone’s lives. Allah and Buddha are not waiting for everyone to repent so that illnesses will go away. The greater power and magnificence lie within each of us. We are all a bit of divinity, and we are here to bear one another’s burdens. I cannot answer why some people have far worse cases of MS than others. I cannot fully know your life’s burdens. But I can carry your story of fear with me to the grocery store while I’m shopping for eggs. You in turn can bear my story of anxiety for the future as you go about your day. I can shoulder the pain of your MS symptoms, if only in mind and not body. Look here on earth for your divinity and many folks will be standing in line to lighten your load.

I have in my possession a great book for newbie MSers. I found it a few years ago at a book store, and I still refer to it. It’s The First Year – Multiple Sclerosis, by Margaret Blackstone. The author is a seasoned writer who has published other medical works as well as poetry and children’s books. And Ms. Blackstone has been living with MS.

The book is part of a series of health guides for first year patients. They all follow a basic structure, which starts off with the first day of having a diagnosis. The guides give advice for days 1-7, then weekly information for the first month, then tips for each month thereafter until the one-year mark of having been diagnosed.

In The First Year – Multiple Sclerosis, Blackstone gives great advice for the first turbulent week after an MS diagnosis. She allows readers to rant, feel pain and confusion, and at the same time she gives practical information about MS basics, tests, ways to build a healthcare team, holistic care, advice about who to tell, and ways to cope.

During the first month, Blackstone explains MS myths and stereotypes, ways to make daily life a little easier, wellness strategies, information on relapses, and facts about the disease-modifying medications.

The First Year – Multiple Sclerosis goes on to describe ways to manage symptoms, cope with stress, eat healthy for more energy, employ alternative medicines, handle health insurance, maintain intimacy and start a family, and learn about trends in multiple sclerosis research. The information is presented in a one-year format, so it doesn’t become overwhelming and it gives those new to MS a way to chart their courses and have some control over an unpredictable situation.

What I love the most about this book is that although it is written for the first year after diagnosis, Blackstone touches on so many topics that are important in any stage of the condition. For more information about The First Year – Multiple Sclerosis, click here…