Live

As I wrote earlier I have had my share of difficulties with my MS.. Since I've been diagnosed I have learned a few things to try and stay intact with myself. I can't run, dance or do any active things that I loved so much.. Being such an active person that I was, I learned to focus on the positive and not the negative. I

also have Crohn's disease with a illeostomy bag attached to my side.. Instead of being down I've taken a new attitude about myself.. I still keep moving because if I don't I will let these illnesses destroy me! I'm not going to do that.. I'm a very stubborn person by nature, I exercise, I walk with my cane to go shopping.. The cane doesn't always help but it makes me work harder.. I know there will come a day when it's wheelchair time, but for now I like to think I can.. Can't is not in my vocabulary!You have two choices in life, live or lay down and die. I chose to live no matter how hard it gets..

Believe me, I have my days when just getting out of bed is hard, especially when fatigue sets in.. Look, my husband has left when I told him I can't have relations anymore, my body has been thru so much pain it's unbelievable. But I could not let that stop me, we have a 19 year old daughter who is not going to see me fail. She was 8 years old when I was diagnosed.. So it's just me and her, my ex-husband has mentally abused us over the years.. But we survived out of shear courage!

I will keep moving forward until my last breath.. You will feel better about yourself if you just stay positive.. MS is not a death sentence, it is just a way of life.. I do need a power chair and that would surely help on long trips..Unfortunately my insurance won't step up and pay for it.. Recently I have lost the use of my legs, that was hard.. But I found a way on my knees to get around my house..I also have a walker with a chair on it, so I sat on that also to help me..

I have secondary progressive MS.. I just do the very best I can with what I got.. I think one of the hardest things I do is changing my illeostomy bag because I shake or have trembles non-stop.. But if I can't laugh at myself then what am I going to laugh at! I look at my illnesses as a blessing not a curse..I know that people have it worse then me, so I just try to make it better anyway I can! Maybe someday I will get lucky and MS society will get me a power chair for those tuff times! Anyway, stay strong and LIVE your life! It's worth it..

Kathie