Relapsing-Remitting ms(RRms) is not ever my enemy. It is not a curse that I was given. It is not a burden that I carry. Well, perhaps a weight but not an impossible burden. I suggest "YOU" look at your very own RRms as an opportunity. Something that "YOU" now live with, remember incurable, chronic and progressive. Choose to look at your RRms as more of a task that "YOU" have to complete. A lifelong task with everchanging goals. Along the line of a Greek odyssey, even a computer game if that suits "YOU". "YOU" must travel this journey, face the monsters, struggle through its turmoils and survive.
Survive well, with a smile on your face, straight shoulders and standing tall, okay maybe sitting. RRms will hurl at "YOU" unexpected obstacles, betrayals from loved ones and friends, but like the old Greek heroes, "YOU" must carry on. There is no escaping RRms. I am not sure what we did to get it. I do know that it will never leave, it is up to me and "YOU" to make the best choices to enable us to travel through this lifelong, RRms journey.
Wake up, open your eyes, stretch what can be stretched then ask yourself. "This is another day in my ms life, what can I do to make it more bearable, even better than the day before". What do "YOU" need to make this a really good day. Accept that which "YOU" can not control, control what "YOU" can. Live the next 24 hours in such a way that when "YOU" sleep tonight "YOU" will be proud of having lived today. Then do it again and again. It is called life, and we get to live it. I and "YOU" get to live it with RRms, to make it more interesting in case we get a little complacent. Think we have it down pat and under control. No matter what we do, RRms does not let us have control. We face unexpected obstacles. It is up to us to cope with them.
It is not all fun and games, and it hurts like "YOU" would not believe at times, but this is our lot in this life. Perhaps if I learn well enough in this life I will not have to do RRms again. Maybe I will die and merely fertilize the grass. That sounds awfully boring, and I think I choose to learn and live again, one day, somewhere maybe as something else. What do "YOU" think "YOU" might like to choose? Is this RRms a horrible curse, or is it something else to "YOU"? We all have a choice, "YOU" have to make that choice for yourself. Nobody can make it for "YOU". Do what has to be done to make your life a good one. Even with RRms and alone, it can be very good.
Royce (the ms writer)
Straighten yourself, pull your shoulders back and start walking. It is a very long journey we take
