No More Hiding My MS: A Friend ’s Honesty Sets Me Free

My wife, Caryn, knows my struggles with multiple sclerosis (MS) better than anyone, save perhaps for my dog Sadie. Caryn can spot a rough patch rising in the way I move or speak or even react to a conversation. Many times, she keeps these observations to herself, but she can always recall when things started to go off the rails. I allow myself to believe that I’m getting on well enough these days. I laugh about the tough stuff when I can. I rest when I must. I just try to get on with life, even though there is a heavy ball and chain attached to it. Caryn, however, knows when new weight has been added to that ball. Though I think I put on a brave face as I head out into the world, my world is beginning to see through my mask. Accommodating My New Normal Last week, I had a surprise phone call on Wednesday afternoon inviting me to a one-hour radio interview the next evening. (The podcast for that interview can be found here.) As many of you know, it’s been a rough couple of months for me, so I was concerned about an hour of live radio at 6 p.m. an hour’s drive from my house. I rested during the day, took my anti-fatigue medication later in the day than I usually do, and had a strong cup of tea with the show’s host just before we went on the air. The program went well, and the interviewer, Joe McGill, was very generous with our time together. I felt good about how the show went. A Friend Sees Through My Act The next day, I was feeling a bit done in by the extra stress of...
Source: Life with MS - Category: Neurology Authors: Tags: multiple sclerosis life with MS Living with MS MS and family MS symptoms trevis gleason Source Type: blogs