Royces Newly Diagnosed (newbie) guide part 3

[RoyceNewton]

My name is Royce, I have Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis. I have enjoyed this experience for 20 years, and my goal is to provide YOU, the newbie, with the type of help that I wish I had of had back in the day. Understand that I am not a DR a Therapist a writer or any other type of professional, I am just an ms lifer.

All CAPS do not mean I am yelling at YOU, merely that I am trying to make a point, and have not worked out how to tell YOU, that this is important.

I will tell YOU personal things about myself and people I have met in my ms travels, so please do not be shocked this is normally just to make a point, and to let YOU know that I have been where YOU are. Still am in reality, so let's get started.

You are still bearing with me, thank you. So now we get into the fun part, Disease Modifying Therapy (DMT). There are lots of different types, Pills, Injections and infusions. Remembering that I am NOT your doctor I will just make some suggestions that YOU may or may not consider. DO one, there are ways to get it financed or approved, move the heavens and Earth to get on one, then stay on it. Not every medicine works for everybody, just give yourself some time to get used to it. If YOU can not cope, talk to your Doctor and change, but get on one. THIS IS VERY VERY IMPORTANT. YOU, my friend, are doing everything that YOU can to stay strong and on two feet, for the day they find a really good treatment.

I know that your local ms Society can guide YOU to the various types of treatments existing in your areas, make use of them and EDUCATE yourself, then make a choice. I am scared of needles, dislike them deeply, but they were my only option way back when, so I stood up straight, stopped complaining, too much, and did them for years. As soon as a tablet became available guess who switched.

Yes, there are sometimes choices, sometimes not. BUT there is one HUGE CHOICE. DO NOTHING, or MAKE AN EFFORT and DO what YOU need to, so that YOU can have as good a quality of life as YOU can possibly manage. I know that YOU will make the best choice for YOU,

practical advice time here. With all your available choices look at the drug statistics. Find a category that is important to YOU then compare how all the drugs to this number. Highest one WINS. how it is given, for me twice daily tablets\pills are really easy. Look at safety, going to maybe kill me, perhaps next. Infusions, well we all know about my irrational dislike of needles, so for me not really an option, but for YOU it could be a choice,

So we come back to that number that YOU picked. HIGHEST one wins, remembering the choice is yours, nobody elses. Honestly, it is your choice. This is one of those few times YOU as a newbie have the POWER, make use of it. Try NOT to just be a helpless victim.

So it has come to that time. YOU have to make a DECISION. This will be something YOU have to get used to, this illness requires it if YOU. Make a decision, stick with it, but change it if YOU have to. Not every choice is smart or perfect every time. Be flexible enough to try something different if your circumstances change. Being rigid in everything is not the way to manage this illness. Try to be like bamboo. Strong yet flexible, do not be an oak, breaking in the face of headwinds.

Royce