How do you answer the question, "Oh, What did you do to yourself? Is your foot broken? You're limping. Did you have a hip replacement?" My orthotic is sometimes visible. At first I would say, "I have MS" Followed by the response, "Oh, God bless you"
Now I just smile and look at them and say nothing as if they are seeing things and are just crazy. This seems to make them as uncomfortable as they have made me
Love this! Will have to try it myself!
Bada-boom-bada-bing! LOL 🤐👏
deedeedah Good comeback, and seriously, it's really none of their business, unless you want it to be. 
When I am out and about, the LAST thing that I want to do is talk about 'ms' to total strangers!
One day, not too long ago, I was tooling around with my fore arm crutch, and a young gentleman, who was ringing up my purchases, noticed my crutch, and mentioned that he had to use one of them due to breaking his leg skiing. He said that he knew what I was going through, and asked why I was using the crutch, and that yes, I also broke my leg, but I then added that I did it snowboarding!
Keep Smiling,
Carole
Yes, that's why I just stare blankly. I don't need others to remind me. This body reminds me on the daily
Luv it
It works when you don't want to say anything! I just say hi how are you today? Or glare at um.. depends on my mood ☺️😂
How are you deedeedah ? It's been awhile. 🤗💕
J🌠❄️
I focus on "happy" face. Any negative emotion sets off my nervous system..So, no "glaring" Also, asking someone how they are is an invitation to them asking YOU
Deedeedah, it's Fancy. I usually blow people's little pea brains when they ask me that. I to have been asked if I have had a knee replacement or a hip replacement or you name it and it's been replaced! I simply look over at them and say no I've not had anything replaced I am simply blessed to have MS! Talk about looking back at me like I am absolutely crazy! It sure wipes that look of pity off their face and replaces it with the look of total surprise and even shock! I smile and wave at them as I scoot past them and never look back! 🤗👋 Try it, I promise you will enjoy it! Fancy.👍💕
For me, the less conversation the better. Maybe one day I'll be open to serving up that conversation, Fancy.
What ever they suggest, I agree that's what happened. Them: "Oh, you're limping. Did you hurt your foot?" Me: "Yes." End of conversation.
I respond with thanks but what does someone with MS look like?
Remember in chemistry classes when we learned about permeable membranes, and how molecules can move between solutions separated by a membrane? Perhaps another way of understanding a question would be to understand that some people feel violated when asked about an orthotdic or appliance and some people think that those asking may ask out of the human desire to connect or feel empathy.
Goatgal I wish your theory was correct but alas, once you say why, they immediately tell you their entire life health story. I've said nothing and I still get their health inventory
deedeedah I understand both how intrusive unwanted questions can be as well as how what begins as a question about you then segues into an extended discourse about themselves. This situation is common in staff rooms, on work breaks, between colleagues on every topic imaginable. The way I have come to view it is that many people need to talk about themselves (the corollary is that the person they speak to is less important than themselves), others are not insightful enough to analyze their interactions, some are truly lonely and isolated and need to communicate their story no matter how inappropriate the context. In each situation I try to tamper my irritation or annoyance and find a way to see them as humans as flawed as I am and not become stressed because of who they are.
deedeedah It further occurs to me that it would be just as irritating if people were to say: I need to talk about me and my life and my experiences, so I am going to ask you about XYZ. More honest surely.
Happened to me yesterday. I was leaving a grocery store, with 2 small bags, and my right leg went so numb it buckled and I almost fell, I caught myself, and staggered on to my car, with people yelling from their cars, " are you ok?" " what's wrong?" not the place for a conversation....I just smiled, waved, and staggered on to my Jeep! I made it home, and collapsed!
I'm never ashamed with what I have. I'd simply say, "It's my M.S." Let 'em see, what this disease can do! Not my fault. One more person educated as to why fight M.S. is important. They, or their kid, may get M.S. So, awareness is the first step to building an army to fight this disease.
MarkUpnorth Aaahh...there was a time when I felt empowered to enlighten others. After 7 years of this monotony, getting older, and feeling dilapidated, I just would rather focus ALL MY ENERGY ON ME.
I find it easy to simply say "It's my M.S.", not offended, not disturbed by it, 3 words that hopefully enlighten. I've found it easier not to get upset. Once you start looking at life again as what's good......ignoring what's not, life is better! As I have to hobble to the bathroom again, life it better that way!
So you say, "It's my MS" and do they say, " Wow you look so healthy. You must not have it so bad." Followed by all their aches and pains and how they wished they looked as good as me?
I don't let it get that far. It's just my M.S., then on my way. (Okay, i added a word, which I have also used.) I tend to walk away at that point before it goes any further. The only one's that never got it that it bothered me were my late mother, and my sister. My sister however has her own problems, that keep her from seeing anything clearly, as she lives in her own lonely world, full of anger for the world, and everything has to be as she imagines it or she gets really scary mean about it. Yes, many of us get the "but you look so good", unable to imagine what our "almost invisible disease" is like. Actually, it's kind of good as far as I'm concerned, as I never wanted anyone to see me sick, rather prefer to struggle through it quietly myself as best I can. I make sure to not let the disease take over how I think. I look at it as extra hurdles is all. Keep in mind, there is always someone far worse off than you. I learned that the day I was given my diagnosis in the hospital with my room mate with his chest still split open, only with a sheet covering him, as they fought a massive infection post heart surgery. I was the lucky one then. And I will never forget.
So our sisters are the same person. The idea that "it could be worse" doesn't make it less awful. And my invisible disease has me feeling like I know all the secrets to the magicians tricks and it's not fun
your response is perfect! when asked "what happened" I've responded "life" smiled and kept going
All Great responses here, if u don't like the conversation, just smile & limp away, but do say U-Fight M.S. daily as we're all MS Warriorz!👍😍😻❤💐🌷🌸---Jazzy🌹💜
How are you doing? I was good, then I got over it. Always gets some kind of response. They either give me an odd look or laugh.
I just say, thanks, but what does one with MS look like?
I get particularly annoyed when I stop letting people pass by so as to not get distracted by them and fall, and they ask me if I need help. I know they mean well, but it's extremely irritating!
Yes, I was coming out a door when a group was coming in with a person using a walker.they tried to get the door from me. I had to say, "No thanks, I'm a wall walker"
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