Blessings and MS

[Lendi]

I have a friend who happens to be a counselor as well. He just went through a pretty horrible time (his wife passed away from a very brief but devastating health issue) so I know he knows what he's talking about. My brain and my heart don't always agree, though.

Anyway, he said that you can almost always find a blessing even in bad/sad situations if you look hard enough. So, I was wondering. What blessings can you find from having MS?

I've thought about this a lot. At first I didn't really think I'd find anything out of MS which has taken so many great aspects of my life out. But, you know after some real thinking (let me tell you real thinking hurts...LOL.)

Not counting, or discounting my relationship with family:

I notice nature more. I enjoy seeing things grow, watching birds and have put up feeders. I get a kick out of the bunny that lives in our yard and am going to feed it when it gets cold again. Even the pesky squirrels can entertain me without having to work very hard.

I used to take so much for granted. Now, I'm finding that the little things are really, really wonderful. I may have never "stopped to smell the roses" if I hadn't gotten MS.

Anyone else with other blessings that have happened because you have MS or are in MS limbo or...

[Toomnyhats]

My dx had me re-evaluating what is really important in my life. I have too much "stuff" in my life!

Also, you will learn who your REAL friends are!

[Tomjadg]

Sorry, but I can find no "blessing" with this disease.
But then, I'm not one of those "positive attitude makes a difference", or "keep a smile on", or "keep living your life" people.

I'm not negative, I just live in reality.
The reality is that our lives have been turned upside down over night. I have more trouble walking each month. I can do very little around the house.
I can't enjoy anything that I used to do.
I would love to do lots of things, but the reality is I just can't.

[Coriander]

I have found positive things as well to remind my self it may be worth it to get up in the morning. My dogs are ever so sweet. I have two miniature pinchers to keep me company. They are like children and require my constant attention or supervision and keep me pretty entertained. I am no longer able to work so they fill my day and have no problem with my napping schedule.

I also have a fifteen year old cat with a neurological disorder. I think we would have had to put her down if I was not home taking care of her. I do not know how much longer she will last but I enjoy everyday I can with her.

I realize we all have a limited amount of days in the sunshine and to enjoy them as much as one can. My husband has been very supportive through all this crazyness that comes with MS. I think I might love him even more now.

[Sir-Voor]

Welcome to the path to enlightenment, little grasshopper.

Well that has been what MS has done for me, MS has made me look inward and think about meaning of life.

To me we are here to experience and learn from things we can’t experience in heaven.
And I think it is safe to say MS is none-heavenily experience, but maybe that is just me.

To me the options are clear, take my MS experience and learn, grow and make the best of it or curl up in a ball and cry “Why me!” for the rest of me life.

[Scooter24]

To me the options are clear, take my MS experience and learn, grow and make the best of it or curl up in a ball and cry “Why me!” for the rest of me life.

Well said Sir-voor

Tomjadg- I find it hard to believe there is nothing that you used to enjoy that you can still do. Yes I have had to reduce or stop doing a few things but there are still many things that I enjoy. If you can't do some things find other things to do that you also enjoy, after being stuck in the house for 8 months during cancer treatment and increase of MS sx due to them I know how fast the walls can close in on you and get you down mentally quickly and terribly.

I have learned to adapt not eliminate and it sounds as though you may need to do the same. If you plant crab apple seeds you can't expect to get golden delicious.

[photomama]

I take things one moment at a time with this MonSter (even in Limbo/kind of Limbo...)

Most recently, I was at a church event that I am heavily involved in (helping run). I was having a really bad day and pulled out my cane. Not many people know about my long journey with MS so I feel conspicuous when I do pull out my cane.

To make it short- I felt like you-know-what. But I found there were people there who made it easier for me to get through the very long day- little acts of kindness, gentle words, and deep belly laughs that I appreciated so much.

Later that I night I went home and cried because it had been such a hard day, but it was also tears of gratitude. Without those people, I couldn't have done it.

Sure, I could have given it up and gone home early that day. But I didn't want to. MS makes me more stubborn sometimes, lol, but it also makes me appreciate the small things that we experience everyday that most people probably take for granted.

[Jules A]

To me the options are clear, take my MS experience and learn, grow and make the best of it or curl up in a ball and cry “Why me!” for the rest of me life.

I'm glad I have other options. Like Tomjadg I don't find one thing acceptable about having MS although that doesn't mean I'm curling up in a ball crying.

Frankly I think there is a fine line between being optimistic and denial but that doesn't mean I'm a miserable person or that I have stopped moving forward with my life.

I just refuse to be thankful for any parts of a miserable disease that has robbed so many of everything and could very well do the same to any of us before its all done.

[Windwalker]

The whole finding the 'good in the bad' argument crosses the line a little for me. I mean really!? Life is not a precious moments calendar.

Those good things that many of you have found were always there...right under your nose.

I respect those who can find some good in this nightmare.
Continue to do so...I support and understand you

Anything I can still do...I could do a 100 times better before MS. Like Jules A, I am not curling into a ball and crying...I don't have that luxury...but I have cried more in the last 3 years than the first 47 combined. It breaks my heart to see how MS has changed me and my family.

[bulldogman]

I find no blessings with MS it is a nasty sneaky disease. I hate it with all my heart. I deal with the symptoms and continue with my life as best I can.

[Thinkimjob]

Have to say, more a curse than a blessing. On the plus side, I don't worry about getting anything worse.

[Scooter24]

Thinkimjob- Be careful with your statement " I don't worry about getting anything worse" . There are much worse things you can get, after being dx with cancer I realized just the opposite, MS may put me in a wheel chair but the chances of it killing me are slim, also you can see what it is doing to you, cancer is playing hide and seek and may say "tag your it" anytime during the rest of my life.

Maybe that is why I have the attitude I do regarding MS, I have had worse and felt a whole lot worse. I was on a feeding tube for approx 7 months no solid food at all, lived on 5-7 cans of ensure a day, lost about 50% of my body weight. 2 years later I still have trouble eating and haven't had a bowl of ice cream,or anything else sweet to eat since as they burn my mouth terribly, I still only have about 1/3 of my taste back and one of my hobbies is cooking.

Is MS a monster yes, is it the worse thing that can happen to you NO.

[Shallwearpurple]

blessings

I think that it is very difficult to look for something good in the mud puddle. However, the good things are there. We just have to search for them. We may not be able to do that every single day, but we should do it as often as we are able.

A person in my life with whom I had not been getting along with is now my biggest cheer leader. She's the last person I wanted to tell about this. I didn't think she'd be part of a good support system. Turns out that she always says just the right thing. Not another person has done that for me through this ordeal.

Our relationship has grown and is repaired beyond what I ever thought possible.

How I handle this disease will affect the outlook of my children in the future and how they will deal with every adversity in their lives.

[4boysmom]

My biggest blessing from MS is that it forced me to slow down and not push so hard! Simple things in life are great!

I too have learned to enjoy beauty in the outdoors, in lots of little things. I've always loved music, and used to play the classical guitar very well.

Can't do that much anymore, but I still play the piano and sing! And now I appreciate others musical talents that I used to be more judgmental when I was participating!

I hate to hear the bitter in the voices of some! MS is what it is, and I can tell you there are many things worse than MS.

[Scooter24]

How I handle this disease will affect the outlook of my children in the future and how they will deal with every adversity in their lives.

Amen to that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!