What would you do?

[CalfeeChick]

For 99+% of us have the MS diagnosis, our disease without a known cure. Yet we persevere, push forward, share and encourage each other, help our family members understand what they can about what we are feeling(Lord, my legs have been horrible today) yet we find our strength to continue. I receive a weekly newsletter from Maria Shriver, a woman whom I admire greatly. Thought you all might like to read it and think about what you would do....

mailchi.mp/mariashriver/go-...

[CalfeeChick CommunityAmbassador]

Oh yes, I would go to the mountains, I would go to the beach and get my feet wet, play in the tide pools. If I could, I would take a flight to Alaska, take guided tours with others and see the Northern Lights, Glaciers, and pods of whales. Yes, I would go fishing at every opportunity. This would be what I would do, not what my family would want me to do. You see, I can share all of this with all of you, my MS Family! 😊😊😊🧡🧡🧡🧡

[Kenu]

This was a great read 👍 Thank you for posting it 😊. I know two and half years ago when diagnosed with stage four throat cancer and told I had 4-6 months it really made me think 🤔🤷🏼‍♂️. I decided to have surgery, radiation, and chemo and trust in the Lord for my care🙏. The first year was horrible 😢 Then slowly things started to get better 😊. I still have my family and friends along with my new friends here 🤗. Some things I am not happy with, but I try to forget them and concentrate on the positive 🙏. I have made it two years six months and pray for a great future 👍. For me it is acceptance and trust in the Lord 🙏👍. My wish for the future is happiness for my family, friends, and myself 😊. 🙏🐾 Ken

[CalfeeChick CommunityAmbassador in reply to Kenu]

Kenu thank you for adding your thoughts🧡 You are Blessed for sure and I will pray that your Blessings continue. Lynn

[jimeka]

As Kenu says, great read. I would love to swim with dolphins, fly over the Bungle Bungles in Australia, visit some of you guys in America, and like Calfeechick, go see the Northern lights with my hubby, and finally, take my grandsons to see Father Christmas in Lap land. Unfortunately this is a dream, but it helps pass the time away. Blessings Jimeka 🦋 🌈 🍫

[Qt314grl]

Very good read. I recently took a pay cut to take a much less stressful job with amazing benefits. My plan is to not work outside my normal hours unless absolutely critical to do so.

My husband and I do talk about our travel bucket list often. But right now I just want to have the energy to be there for my son. Fake it until you make it, right?

[erash]

@calfeechick so very true!

Is that THE Maria Shriver?

I was in a hospice volunteer training class the other day and we were asked to fill in a bucket list worksheet. Mine was blank. I've done a lot in my life and everything I could think of really didn't seem that important. In the end, I just want to know I made a difference...and I think I have. No, I haven't invented some great gadget but I think I have been able to help others and I want to continue to do that.

Also in the class was a 22 year old girl who had a 2 page bucket list. At that age, I probably had a long list too...😜

[CalfeeChick CommunityAmbassador in reply to erash]

Yes, the "Maria"

[janetb1968 in reply to CalfeeChick]

I do like Maria Shriver such an amazingly talented tennis player and person xxxx

[Jesmcd2 CommunityAmbassador]

Love it CalfeeChick 💞

It made me think about my life book. My chapters, have all and all been blessed. My life was taken from me 2 yrs ago, twice. Its something you don't take for granted.

I just try to make each day count! 💞

J🌠

[Amore55]

Lynn, what a great article. It really hit home with me, as lately I have been telling my husband that I have a life and I must start living it. I am sure you all know what I mean. One thing I am looking into doing is starting a non-profit to benefit seniors. One of my dearest friends is 79 and I often do things for her like call the cable company to negotiate a lower monthly cost, etc. She lives in a HUGE low, fixed income housing building and now so many of these elderly people have me doing things like that for them, just being a voice of advocacy for them with insurance and whatever they need. I love doing it, it gives me a purpose. So thank you for sharing that and getting my mind going in the right direction! Love, Kelly xx

[greaterexp in reply to Amore55]

Kelly, what a blessing you are! That’s an incredibly important job, and I know those folks must be so grateful.

[CalfeeChick CommunityAmbassador in reply to Amore55]

I also did allot of volunteer work when my mom-in-law was in Alzheimer's unit for many years. I sort of became everyone's favorite person. We had a good time and I continued visiting even after she passed. Before she went into convalescent hosp. we had caregivers that helped me take care of her at home. As time passed, one of them became one of our best friends and I sort of became her caregiver. She's been gone a little over 2 years now, I still can't remove pictures of her from our refrigerator.

[Midgey_Midge06]

I want to go to some small island in the Atlantic where the water is the most blue. Its been my dream for years now.

[Jesmcd2 CommunityAmbassador in reply to Midgey_Midge06]

Go to Bermuda. 💕 Pink sands blue Ocean, the people are incredible.

J🌠

[BigMar7]

CalfeeChick, thanks for posting Maria’s article. It got me thinking of what gives me joy. Being around my grandchildren is number one, I love the ocean and find peace in watching the waves, I love I sunny day especially if I’m in the shade. 🏝🏖😀

[janetb1968]

I would love to live near the sea it's my favourite sound ever and I love everything to do with the sea 😊😊😊😊😊

[CalfeeChick CommunityAmbassador]

Thank you all for sharing your "Bucket List' dreams!

[timothy228]

thanks for sharing that read it was a good wake up call for me yep lifes a b... than you are gone and life is like a hour glass only we cant turn it over start again me I got it made in the big picture yea i got this icky m.s. thing but you know what i had cancer too and as of last week nothins back so i am good goin to m.s. doc next week but what can tell me at 62 that is going to reverse it ?I am taking tecfidera so unless something has changed and they can turn over the hour glass well i am just a grain of sand on the beach of life and gonna keep doin what I know works Let go and let God make the call my plans never seam to work out the way i would like them to or except them to happen

[CalfeeChick CommunityAmbassador in reply to timothy228]

I am also seeing my MS doc on Tuesday of this week. I'm thinking of just starting a DMT. I guess I'm a grain of sand also, but we need to not give up. Just live everyday as well as we can. BTW, I will be 70 next month and not giving up. If I had the money, I'd be going somewhere and getting stem cell treatment.

[timothy228 in reply to CalfeeChick]

well yea thats the new thing but at my age 62 I have had enough same answer with stem cell will it help?maybe could be yea it might or maybe not ? can it make your life better or less incidents ?yes or no?same answer maybe could be maybe but can anything reverse what we have ?nope but with this thing its hard to tell we all have the same issues some more than others but 70 thats a pretty good run. I have talked to a guy and a gal who went out to cali for the treatment and returned with mixed results nobody is going back to the way it was aint gonna happen in my lifetime So we go on One day at a time woke up today and the sun is shining so I got out of bed and get ready for the day and I hope I can help someone today and play with the dog that will make my day . Nobody said life was easy but it sure is better with God and good people who know what the heck i am going thru Have a great week and good luck with the Doc

[CalfeeChick CommunityAmbassador in reply to timothy228]

I know I have had a blessed life and up until less than 2 years ago I was very active, riding a bicycle 150-200 miles a week. I am not ready to give up and want another 15-20 years! I gave it all over to God even before I had a definite diagnosis. No life is easy, but it is what we make of it. This forum and the wonderful MS family here have been a supportive lifesaver to me and many more. I hope that you will not give up and keep on coming back here. What I call "True" stem cell treatment is not legal in the United States yet! It hasn't been approved by the FDA.

Bone Marrow Stem Cell Transplant – HSCT. HSCT (Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation) attempts to “reboot” the immune system, which is responsible for damaging the brain and spinal cord in MS.

webmd.com/multiple-sclerosi...

Please read both pages. It's very informative.

[timothy228 in reply to CalfeeChick]

Best wishes for next week hope allgoes well I would do what ever I had to but I am not a good one to ask having had a really bad time with some drs. I was very trusting and believed the old creed (dr shall do no harm )my story was a real wake up for me about everything ,I got today so Im good but this m.s. thing is a hassle but I just let go and let God make the call for me I cant control the weather either.My trust took a big hit with drs. and big pharma. I guess it comes down to if you want to roll the dice or not. I read the piece and I still dont know seems like alot of could be maybe and it could work or make you worse for good? I go to mine on tuesday so I will see whats up with me.Good luck to you sounds to me like you will back on the bike soon maybe not 200 miles but I would be happy with 1 to 5 miles

[CalfeeChick CommunityAmbassador in reply to timothy228]

timothy228 I wish you well also. I gave myself and MS to the lord and his love. I also have been through the wringer with medical, insurance etc. Please feel free to ask questions to me and this group as sometimes we can help you get through the maze. I ask questions all the time. There are so many wonderful, intelligent, helpful people here for you👨‍👩‍👦‍👦. Just say you need some help.😊 See my comment below to janetb1968 When you are wits end, take stock of the blessings in your life. Come to us, maybe we could help😊

[timothy228 in reply to CalfeeChick]

yeppa me too 25 yrs sober now and I learned alot from AA let go and let God One day at a time etc I found out its not just for drunks the way of life works with anythings cancer M.S. kids that dont call ex wifes etc but its not easy but if it was everyone would live their lives like they should works well for me and much better than resentments ,I wish I did this or that .Thinking about things I have no control of or can not change is a waste of time and takes me from what I know I should be doin like what we first talked about I could be helpin others without much effort on me I glad I found the page and you.I dont have to say no you dont understand I have M.S. Everyone here is in the same boat as me some better some worse.Any way I woke up today so Iam all ready a head of the game Suns shining spingtime in the Rockies so here I go I know I got today and I better do something God bless and good luck with the doc I go tuesday gonna ask for a pill to take care of all this stuff

[janetb1968]

That's so sad and amazing at the same time. I really don't know what I would do just try and live what's left of my life as well as I can. Tell the people in my life I love them, see the sea (favourite sound in the world), be kind to others and just enjoy life 😊😊😊😊😊 xxxxx

[CalfeeChick CommunityAmbassador in reply to janetb1968]

I hear you loud and clear Kiddo, janetb1968 I have been blessed in more ways than I can count. Extraordinary Husband, 5 kids between the 2 of us and 8 grands, Because of MS, I know I have some really great friends, but 5-6 of them would do almost anything for me and that is really special. I know some may think I'm greedy, but I'd like to overcome what I can and have another 10-15 good years. I prayed with pastor and gave MS to the Lord to govern me and my future. This site gives me hope, support, and helps me with information and research. Sorry got carried away.. Feeling incredibly grateful today!