What Does MS Mean To Me?

If you’ve just been diagnosed with MS, you may find yourself asking the question, “What does MS mean to me?” Many experts say that what we believe determines how we will face each and every situation in life. That was true for one of my friends:

Before receiving her diagnosis 10 years ago, my friend was sure she was dying. Her symptoms were so “bizarre” that she became completely preoccupied with her illness. Finally after many tests and doctors visits, she received the diagnosis of MS. That’s when she stopped and asked herself the question – “What does this mean to ME?”

It was at exactly this point that she decided that MS had created a doorway, or an opportunity to take back her life. “I confronted my mother’s interfering ways and created an alliance with her. Then, I quit my second job and altered my diet, all within the first week.” Shortly afterward, she began to swim, which she feels is responsible for maintaining her mobility. “I was able to see early on that whatever I think it is, it is. If I think it’s horrible, it is horrible. I chose to take it as an opportunity to grow and change.”

So regardless of where you are in your journey with MS, stop today, and ask yourself what MS means for you. By making friends with the enemy, you just may build an alliance that will alter your course, and create growth opportunities, where doubt and fear once stood.