Back to the future
After diagnosis, I remember the fear of not knowing what was ahead. Even without MS, we all know that nothing is certain, and things could change at any time. Something like multiple sclerosis forces us to face that reality. It can be quite scary, especially for a young adult.
I wanted to hop in a time machine and find out how I would be doing 5, 10, 20 years down the road. At the same time, part of me feared that I wouldn't want to see that reality.
One of the most difficult things I found with the MS was the uncertainty. I felt like everything was out of my control. Turns out, much of our lives is out of control - it's finding those things I can control which helps me. Those are taking medication, reducing stress, sleeping enough and in general trying to take care of myself.
There's not a clear prognosis for those diagnosed with MS. I've read that the amount of disability present after five years can be an indicator. But, the fact is that most of us just have to wait and see.
That said, regardless of the MS, who knows what will happen to anyone at any time? Multiple sclerosis is a reminder that life has no guarantees; it is not a guarantee that life will be destroyed. Any one of a million different factors could positively or negatively impact someone's life...MS is just one of them.
I wanted to hop in a time machine and find out how I would be doing 5, 10, 20 years down the road. At the same time, part of me feared that I wouldn't want to see that reality.
One of the most difficult things I found with the MS was the uncertainty. I felt like everything was out of my control. Turns out, much of our lives is out of control - it's finding those things I can control which helps me. Those are taking medication, reducing stress, sleeping enough and in general trying to take care of myself.
There's not a clear prognosis for those diagnosed with MS. I've read that the amount of disability present after five years can be an indicator. But, the fact is that most of us just have to wait and see.
That said, regardless of the MS, who knows what will happen to anyone at any time? Multiple sclerosis is a reminder that life has no guarantees; it is not a guarantee that life will be destroyed. Any one of a million different factors could positively or negatively impact someone's life...MS is just one of them.