Being called a "Survivor"

[Jennaly16]

Good morning!
I've thought a lot of about this (probably more than i should) but i figured i'd throw it out there and see what others think. And it's ok to tell me maybe i have too much time on my hands

The term Survivor to me implies someone who survived something. Beat something. Overcame something. Cancer, accident, horrendous upbringing, a situation that should have left you dead.
So when i google MS and i see the term "survivor" like on clothing or items it makes me feel some sort of way other than a survivor. I think i'm surviving but i'm not a survivor. I haven't beaten it, i wasn't cured from it, it's not behind me. At the same time i'm not in a bad place that i feel i have it worse than someone else may have it from examples above. Not ideal to have MS and there are days i get down about it but for the most part it's manageable.

Thoughts? Are we "survivors" and i don't give myself credit? I like the term Warrior. Makes me feel like i'm ready for the fight.

[502E79]

i'm surviving but i'm not a survivor.

I totally agree.

[oceanpride]

I think that term “survivor “
Would give a little hope to the newly diagnosed. And that is what they need. I consider myself a “sufferer “
And am “coping “ but wouldn’t really tell that to people who might not understand. There is now a lot more hope than there used to be. It’s just that it probably came a little late for some of us. But that’s ok , I’ll cope with it.

[pennstater]

I also connect more with warrior. It is an ongoing battle. Maybe survived the diagnosis, as life goes on. But it is a never ending fight, physical and mental, with good periods, along with rougher patches.

[Carolinemf]

Me too ,in agreement. Great analogy.
Warrior is cool! I want to change my name to Xena Warrior Princess!!

Seems like an assassin has been lingering , just out of sight my whole life, waiting to pounce.

Now that i am steadily progressing rather than rrms this has changed to a daily skirmish with fatigue etc (like avoiding land mines maybe).

Ocean pride made a good point about 'survivor' though. More P.C.

[Seasha]

I've also thought of myself as a warrior against the battles of life with MS.

A couple of years ago there was a discussion about the term survivor you might want to read (or read again) https://www.msworld.org/forum/showth...hlight=warrior

[REG53]

Jennaly, I also agree about the word survivor but sometimes I do think about surviving the day.


I like the word Warrior. Sometimes my family calls me a trooper.

[MMMMS]

I agree. The more I see the term connected with anything but a literal life/death event, the less I like it.

It used to be used facetiously, as in "I survived..." something that was annoying, boring, or tedious, but generally not truly dangerous. And it was funny because of the hyperbole.

In the end, I think we've lost a good, harmless joke. Almost everyone considers himself a survivor of something not life-threatening, and the melodrama of all that should at least leave us with a good joke about it.

[flangehead]

Survivor?

I think of it as a difference in the tense of the word, "Survivor" implies to me that a person has been through a terrible trauma in their past and came through it (more or less) OK. We are only just "surviving" MS. Certainly we are undergoing trauma, but I don't know of anyone who has beaten it and thus "survived" as if it were now in their past.

[Jules A]

Yeah, me too, surviving for now.

I am not a fan of survivor especially in the cases of most cancers where the guidelines for being cancer free sound far to familiar to the term benign MS...only benign or cancer free until you aren't.

[Jennaly16]

Thanks for all the posts and thank you for re-posting a previous thread from few years ago. Glad to know i'm not the only one who has thought about this and had the feelings i did.
I like the term warrior because everyday has been a battle. Some i win, some I give in to the fatigue but i will not go down without a battle.
I also feel too much like a rookie to accept the term survivor. Almost like it is disrespectful to those before me. I am still a newbie (almost one year) and i was lucky enough to be diagnosed in the age of new treatments that can help slow progression. Looking over the past year it's been more rough days then great days but in the end i know i'm still better off then others.
Maybe when i'm 100 and 6 feet down someone can say i was a survivor but for now, i'm a Warrior!

[RonPaulaD]

Good, thought provoking thread. I used to feel more like a warrior when I was still working and powering through my symptoms, mostly poor walking. Since I went out in disability in September, I feel as though I gave up, gave in. I know that I shouldn't feel that way and that I did what was best and necessary, but I guess I'm still working through my new situation. Emptying the dishwasher, occasional laundry, and making the bed are my contributions to the household and of course various disability checks each month.

Paula

[Seasha]

I found this thru a better life coaching blog:


The Difference Between Survivors and Warriors

November 7, 2018 in Personal Development

The survivor feels relief when the battle is over.

The warrior can’t wait for the next one.

The survivor tries to avoid the challenge.

The warrior embraces it.

The survivor makes sure that his shield is in good working order.

The warrior always has a sharp sword on hand.

The survivor can’t be relied upon in the heat of battle.

The warrior is the kind of team-mate you want at your right hand.

The survivor looks for threats.

The warrior looks for opportunities

The survivor says, “Don’t hurt me.”

The warrior says, “You can’t stop me.”

For the survivor, scars mark where the pain was.

For the warrior, they are a mark of distinction.

Are you a survivor or a warrior?

[Carolinemf]

This really makes you think!!

[pennstater]

Based on the questionnaire Seasha posted, can I be both? Does that make me a Surviving Warrior or a Warrior Survivor?

These questions, I would be a survivor. Definitely not looking for a new battle, nor looking to embrace the next challenge. In fact, do all I can to avoid it! Whole reason for taking Tysabri.

"The survivor feels relief when the battle is over.

The warrior can’t wait for the next one.

The survivor tries to avoid the challenge.

The warrior embraces it."