No, I will never be an ms Warrior. My Relapsing-Remitting ms (RRms) will last far too long. The Vietnam war was 10000 days, thirty years. My RRms life I hope will be longer than that. I was diagnosed (dx'ed) around thirty. 29 I think, I intend on living into my late sixties, that is far too long to fight. I will never say give up, surrender, go sit in that cold dark corner and weep. I am saying perhaps, do not be a warrior be a manipulator, a manager. These do not sound strong enough on advertising billboards and thirty second television ads, but my reality says I manage my RRms. Manipulate it and cajole it into letting me doing what I want when I want. Sometimes it lets me, and I am grateful for that. Other times it hits me very hard and says no, "YOU" can not do that. Those are the times when I sneakily find a way around RRms and do what I want anyway or do something else instead. I can be sneaky, a warrior gets beaten in battle. A manager thinks and finds a new way to solve the problem. I do not like losing, she who must be obeyed will attest to that, so I look for another way. Always another way. I do not regret that I can not do something, I revel in the search to solve this new problem. I might suggest that "YOU" might look into doing this as well.
Fight when "YOU" have to, manipulate and trick whenever"YOU" can. RRms is a very long journey, we will lose and pass at the end. Make your time as happy and worthwhile as "YOU" possibly can. Leave a memory in somebodies mind and make that memory one of your strength. Your tenacity, your unwillingness never to totally be defeated. No matter what the odds a way can be found, something can be done. That shape sobbing alone in the cold darkness need never be "YOU". A tear every now and again is okay, but not constantly. There is no need for that, "YOU" are much stronger than "YOU" think. Much stronger than people give "YOU" credit for. A Relapsing-RRms life can be done, by "YOU". There is no need to be a warrior, trickery and careful management can thwart RRms. Disease-Modifying Therapy (dmt) is a good start. I suggest the strongest that "YOU" can legally take. Ocrevus today at writing.
Royce (ms writer and manager)
twenty-plus years only a middle manager
Written by
RoyceNewton
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The warrior term is annoying and sounds really lame to me. To constantly tell yourself that you are fighting a horrific monster seems like it would be counterproductive. However, I am clearly in the minority here and most people thrive on a constant mental flow of negative feedback and $30 shirts with little sayings written in orange.
Okay, you were a combatant in a war. You are a fighter. And you can beat this thing called M.S. I did? At least I don't relapse any more. And I'm told by my Neurologist, I'm not the only one. As we get up in age, I'm told, with the right diet and exercise, It Can Be Done. I'm going on over 6 years since my last relapse. I've gotten rid of a few of my M.S. "gifts", like all the voids in my vision from having optic neuritis 7x, and I've hung up my cane if more than a half decade on the wall! Yes, I still have many "gifts", like the ability to always know the location, distance, and time to the nearest bathroom. I can forget with just a thought. What was that? Do the good food bad food thing. I used the cane to originally move me forward. Then keep me upright. Now I'm hiking trails with a trekking pole, that yeah, a few years back, I'd say, are you crazy? I'm not doing that! You Can Do It Too!
Do whatever you feel is best, but just do it. Yes, I've learned to live with a lot. Like the molar I just lost having it pulled because it cracked beyond repair. So, I now chew one sided. Could I afford an implant? Maybe, if I......and........and....... I can live without it. If I can live with...... and .......... and....... and ..........and....... from M.S., well, you get the idea.
For years, my motto was, I can't afford to be sick, I'm way too busy working 80 hour weeks to be able to. So for 30+ years I wasn't, except for the M.S., which I took the shots,....all the other drugs. Didn't miss a day, except for that Friday I took off to go to the hospital so they could try and reboot my immune system? And hand me my diagnosis! Now, I can't afford to be sick, because I can't afford it financially, yeas later, on a disability income. So, again, It's been 6 years since my last relapse. And, I keep chewing on all those veggies! If even only with half a mouth to do so!
they say(ms society itty I believe) that ms affects us all individually so you are correct how we treat ourselves is different as well. What works for one may not be right for another. It sounds like you may have found what is right for you at the moment. I hope that you can keep it up and adapt to any changes. good luck k and best wishes.
Adaptability is key ~ accept that you can no longer do what you used to do the way that you used to do it, but if it's important, you will find another way to accomplish it (whatever 'it' is)
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