Multiple Sclerosis Détente

In the spring of 1983, I represented my school in our state’s model United Nations.  After a long day of debate in the General Assembly, I was awarded first prize in the debate on denuclearize.  That time in world history, the topic and experience inform today’s blog. I’ve decided that I have entered into a cold war phase with my multiple sclerosis. First I experienced symptoms of MS.  Then I was diagnosed with the disease.  I suffered from MS, I fought MS and I have learned to live with MS; I’ve just been looking for the right metaphor to describe how I’m living with multiple sclerosis. Détente; that’s where I am now. Like many of you, I had MS before I was diagnosed.  I my case, my doctors and I believe I experienced those symptoms for at least fifteen years.  When I could no longer explain away, ignore or wasn’t misdiagnosed is when I begrudgingly went in for what turned out to be my diagnosis, I’m not fond of the term “suffer” when it comes to living with this disease – even though I find it a term used a great deal here in Europe (The term “MS Sufferer” has even been used to introduce me here).  I would be disingenuous (to myself, to my partners and to many in our community) if I did not admit that suffering is exactly what I did for the first several years after my diagnosis. Only when I was at the bottom of a very dark pit – much of my own digging – did I realize that I was going to have to fight back.  This blog has been part of ...
Source: Life with MS - Category: Other Conditions Authors: Tags: MS multiple sclerosis community Living with MS ms community Multiple Sclerosis Thesaurus Newly diagnosed Symptom management Source Type: blogs