Stupid things people have said to you/asked you

[Larry]

While trying to find a new Neuro. " First interview with "Neurologist" I use that term loosely in this instance. Says he specializes in MS.
On asking me to do a symptom break down, he informed me that, "there is no pain associated with MS" and "Any perceived pain is due to physiological issues, not MS"

When we left the receptionist asked when we would like the followup visit, without any hesitation or input from me, my DW said "When Hell Freezes Over"

[PeacheyPie]

From my dad

Dad calls and says "So do you have full blown MS"... I say "Well MS affects everyone different, so I'm not sure what you mean". He says "Well what stage are you in"... I tell my dad "I don't have cancer"...

Then I explain to him that they caught it early... I really wanted to tell him to just google it lol.

[tigergrl74]

While trying to find a new Neuro. " First interview with "Neurologist" I use that term loosely in this instance. Says he specializes in MS.
On asking me to do a symptom break down, he informed me that, "there is no pain associated with MS" and "Any perceived pain is due to physiological issues, not MS"

When we left the receptionist asked when we would like the followup visit, without any hesitation or input from me, my DW said "When Hell Freezes Over"

Your wife is awesome!

[golfwidow]

two things

Larry~~your wife is awesome !! Her "when hell freezes over" reply was spot on !!

Also, have to share....I ran into someone I haven't seen since I was diagnosed years ago.
They said "Oh, so your legs are still working ?"

Awkward ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Westgrl]

I was recently diagnosed so not many people know I have MS and I haven't had to deal with too many comments.

My mother has diabetes & arthritis. I usually hear all about her ailments but I rarely complain. I was having a bad day and mentioned some of my issues. The horrible pain from muscles spasms, the numbness, etc. Her response was "It sucks getting old" - I'm in my 30's. I bluntly said, it's not normal getting old issues! It's MS!

My father cut out an article about Ann Romney for me. My aunt told me to join a gym. I replied that working out is hard now because of painful muscle spasms with any kind of activity. Not long after, she told me to join a gym again.

The oddest thing I encountered was when I started treatment. I had to speak with someone at Avonex & then the pharmacy that would be shipping the injections. The pharmacy assigned me a person to speak with me & get more information. I swear, the way she was talking to me made it sound like I just found out I had 6 months to live! That "I'm so sorry for you" tone of voice.

She kept prodding me with questions about if I was depressed. I wasn't. My voice was a little hoarse from allergies & she says, "I think I heard a crack in your voice. This must be very difficult for you. It's ok if you are upset." Honestly, if someone is doing ok, you just made them depressed lady. I wanted to hang up on her.

[Headswimin]

Stupid People Tricks

I had missed a few days at work And when I was finally able to drag myself into work and my Boss says to me "all I had to do is work through it".

I wish I had thought of that. "Just walk it off"

I have lost 35 to 40 lbs (mostly muscle) and I have been told I'm looking great. I tell them that this MS thing is better than weight watchers. Everyone should try it at least once.

Now of coarse I don't mean that but MAN!

[mirandal1958]

My right side seems to be my worst; the leg that goes numb, the hand that tremors, etc. I guess I'm going through a flare right now (past 6 months) and my right foot is hurting pretty bad, every day, all day. I try to suck it up and haven't complained much.

But I finally put something in writing to my boss, requesting permission to wear more comfortable supportive athletic shoes. I have a job where I'm required to be on my feet 2 hours a stretch 2 or 3 times a week. And it's an office job where I have to look professional, so we have some rules about appropriate office attire. It's been a week since I made my request and she finally got back to me today .........

"why don't you try rubbing vicks on your feet, it works for my husband's arthritis."

[cosake]

@ mirandal1958 - have your doctor write a "prescription" for you to wear comfortable shoes. I had to do this when I was pregnant and they had to accommodate me because of the doctor's "prescription".

[Cat Mom]

"why don't you try rubbing vicks on your feet, it works for my husband's arthritis."

Maybe her husband doesn't have arthritis but really stinky feet and Vicks is the only smell strong enough to drown it out! Once I got permission to wear athletic shoes, I would be showing up in fuzzy bunny slippers. Just tell your boss that you don't want to ruin your good shoes with Vicks! Then thank her for the tip!
Jen

[Spydre]

Two things really, but first, Scooter, I wanted to comment on what you said. Yes, the MS society needs to do a better job - similar to what the Komen Society does. My entire family - including parents, brother, sister, wears the orange bracelets for me (I ordered a whole bunch of them and started handing them out). But no one knows what they mean. I've seen fundraisers at the high school for breast cancer, for seat belt use, for children's cancers, but never MS. And it aggravates me!

First instance is my sister. Oh, I saw so and so at the high school reunion, she's in a wheelchair but she's FINE. Now, sis, she's NOT, she's in a freaking wheelchair!!!! Or her I go to church with two women and they have it and they just put it all in god's hands and that's what you need to do. For one, I'm an atheist. For two, I put it all in science's hands. Oh, and your church friend who just had a 5 day inpatient stay in the hospital? No, she's not fine - she was bad enough that she had to be admitted for 5 days, plus a steroid run throughout those 5 days. She's blowing smoke up your butt so you'll leave her alone! I expect they tell her what they think she wants to hear, because she doesn't know that much about my case, and she "worries".

My mother in law at least tries to understand. But it's frustrating whenever she calls to hear, "how are you feeling?" and know that she doesn't understand. My mom (an RN) looked up everything she could when I was diagnosed. My mother in law still knows nothing except what we tell her. So, how are you feeling and "I wish I could do something for you" tends to get stale. I know she feels helpless, but not more than I do.

[Spydre]

- A very good friend of mine and my husband telling me that I need to exercise and I will feel better. I tell them it's hard to exercize when my leg starts to go numb and a limp appears after a simple trip to the store.

- You should drink juices like Montel. Oh and I am informed since I am looking into applying for disability he gets up and goes to work everyday. Well he also smokes pot and has the money for anything else that might make him feel better (to include his juicer LOL). And by the way he works like what an hour a day on his show. Sorry if I don't see the comparison. Sorry for any Montel fans out there.

-

I have also heard the "you don't look sick", "just quit thinking about it and you will feel better", and my most favorite "you can still walk, that doesn't stop you from working".

The exercise stuff just gets in my craw. Especially when we have the summer we've been having (record heat). When I wake up and my arm and leg are this weak, I can barely walk around the house, but you want me to walk the bleeping dog????

Oh and Montel. Yeah, he can afford to see the best doctors - of course, I've seen interviews with him, and he has it just as bad as anyone else - I think he just pushes on to make the rest of us look bad. Not really, but he has all these problems, and goes out of country to get them treated, or gets CCSVI or whatever it is, can smoke pot medicinally (truthfully, I'd love to do that, maybe it would help this pain), and can set his own hours.

And the do something else and take your mind off it. I actually got that from my mother (the RN). She thinks I concentrate on the bad too much. Thanks, Mom!

[Spydre]

I work in a hospital and speak to the docs often. I was telling a doctor about how bad my pain has gotten. They looked confused and asked "can MS really cause pain?"

And my all time favorite "You look good today are you sure you have MS?"

When we were first concerned about MS - no real flare yet, I was having a lot of pain, and the doctor had mentioned the possibility of MS, and I called my neurologists office - the one that treats me for my epilepsy and found the lesions in my brain, and asked his nurse about pain with MS, and she actually told me no, it just causes weakness!

[Spydre]

Sorry, I had to post just one more time to basically give a "shout out" to my extended family. They are cousins of my mother's, and live about 2 1/2 hours away or so. So I don't see them often. But they are great about it. When they ask me how I'm doing, they mean it. They've learned what could about MS, and never make me feel small. If I post on fb that I'm having a bad day, it never fails, I get a message from one of them. I love them to pieces.

[mirandal1958]

Thanks Cat Mom and cosake; I've asked my doctor for a note.

My husband laughed when I told him about the Vicks. He's pretty sure that if I had put that on the bottom of my feet, I'd have had to stay home the next day. I'm really tempted to tell her I tried it and it worked magic, and thank her. And deep down .... hope that she gives it a try!

[CGMoonbeam]

Vicks! OMG! Your boss found the cure that thousands of researchers have been looking for. All they really had to do was to go down to the corner Walgreens! All the money wasted on medical school--for shame!