My Journey with Multiple Sclerosis: Overcoming Challenges and Finding Hope

When my life began and ended all at the same time...

My first realization that something was a little different with me, in terms of my physical state, I didn't really think much of it. We all go through and overcome minor health scares in life, so I believed it wasn't anything to really worry about.

So when I first learned that I had an illness .................................. scratch that.

When I first learned that I was being diagnosed with a chronic disease, it felt like I was being ambushed. Like I was being pulled in, and held captive by the enemy.

But I learned that experiencing a sense of powerlessness, and feeling stressed at facing a future filled with the unknown is normal in the beginning of a new chapter.

Knowledge is Power

It is important to know what your now new life requires from you.

It's not always easy adjusting to your new norm, but no one says it's not possible, but knowing how, is the part us disabled people tend to stumble the most on. But as long as we don't stop trying and get the hang of it, it's easier to get up.

I've done my research a little too late. The time I began my in depth research, I was sitting on my living room sofa, with my left leg up on the ottoman, T.V on #CP24 waiting for my boyfriend to come by to help me prepare a meal and shower.

In the google search engine I typed "Symptoms of #Multiple-Sclerosis", and what I found had me thinking about so much and realizing that I have been battling with this illness for some time and did not even notice. I started thinking about the time I fell down the stairs at a yacht party, and I wasn't even drinking, and the time I couldn't maintain my balance in my favorite pair of heels, along with the time the slightest wave knocked me over at Crystal Beach. Or even the time I got out of bed and stretched and my body began shaking viciously and uncontrollably.

One engine search opened up a whole new world of information on a disease I use to raise money for, in elementary school. Maybe something I should have done from the time I found out, because then maybe I wouldn't have been in the state I was at the time of the search.. I mean, if I had, I would've known that turning the A/C off in my resort room in Cuba was a bad idea. I would've known that being in such heat and humidity without cooling off for an appropriate amount of time would lead me to purchasing a cane, to assist me with getting around due to partial paralysis.

I mean, I tried not to think about it at the time the doctor informed me. I wanted to believe that it'll all go away on its own and that there was nothing for me to worry about. Hence why I didn't tell anyone about it until months after my diagnosis. But boy was I wrong.

It took me having to deal with the worsts of MS to do my research and to understand what was really going on with my body. And it took the illness to control me before I made an effort to control it. How backwards lol. I laugh about it now but trust me, at the time, it was nothing to laugh about. At all.

Learning to "Deal With It"

In the beginning, copping with MS was far from easy. There were challenges I faced where I felt defeated. There were plenty of times where I felt like giving up.... on life.

Every now and again I couldn't do anything for myself and I just wanted to say fuck it and just pull the plug, to escape the pain and make it easier on those taking care of or watching me suffer in this unbearable pain. But your reading my blog now, which means I didn't, and that I fought through the pain to be able to share my story and show others that it can get easier.

For one, I did everything the doctors told me to do. I stayed away from everything they told me to stay away from; but I noticed that nothing was changing for me. Nothing was improving and I was just feeling very tired and sluggish. I hated it.

So I began doing everything they told me not to do, because it would be "to difficult" "unnecessary" or "unsafe" for me. Like going to the gym or working out more than what the physical therapist instructed. Like changing my diet, because according to them, my diet had no effect on my MS. Or even walking without assistance because I will fall..... I did that shit anyway OKAY!

Babies walk and fall all the time until they gain the strength not to, and for the most part they do it without assistance, so why couldn't I? Countries closer to the equator have a smaller percentage of their population with diseases like MS, and I use to be outdoors a lot, so why wouldn't me eating differently, the way they do, change anything for me? I began thinking all these things for a while, even brought it to my doctors attention, until I decided to just do it. What was the worse that could happen, being in that state? And it worked out better then any doctor or anyone other than myself could imagine.

Working out and changing my diet doesn't get rid of the reality of MS, but it does help. I still encounter some crucial pain, but they have become more bearable. I don't take any medications [Advil, Tylenol, over-the-counter drugs or anything along those lines] to suppress the pain, because when I did, it would cause other complications, pain in different areas, leading me to take even more and depend on drugs. That was annoying as ever and it wasn't sitting well with me. So i did more research on how to heal naturally.

I now soak in an Epsom salt baths or relax over an Idyll V-Steam [depending on where the pain/irritation resides]. I've also began using all natural products [lotions, soaps, deodorants and all other skin and body care], because chemicals and bad toxins from store bought products can be absorbed through the skin and into the bloodstream, that could potentially invade my immune system and cause more issues [since MS affects the immune system], and surprisingly, tea. I drink herbal tea lol.

When it comes to the cold, I dress accordingly, as the cold can cause my joints and muscles to cease and trigger my original symptoms, and I also don't bundle up too much because that can lead to my body over heating and causing a flare. and during the warmer months, I don't go out into the sun for the same reasons, Or I just simply stay indoors. [UPDATE] Sun baths have been a huge help with my mental health, a great immunity booster along with stress management. Being outdoors gives me a boost of enery and not to forget, its a great source of Vitamin D!

I can definitely tell in my knees when the rain is coming too. lol

Make a Change

I must say that accepting the new challenge I have to face, has made it easier to take on.

It is not an easy battle, but it is a battle that I do intend to beat and show others that it is possible to overcome.

What has worked for me, may not exactly work for you, but trying something different may give you the outcome that you have been looking for, sticking to routine.

MS may not be your battle, maybe it is. I just want to encourage you to take action! Trust your intuition, it wont steer you wrong, believe that you can and if you want change, something has to change.

You know your body best, you will know what does and doesn't work for you, and only you can do it for you. So you hdecide what you will, or wont do, for you.

Don't forget to like, comment and share this post. You never know who may need this or be inspired by this.

Thank you for reading:)

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