Has having MS in your life (you or loved one) had any positive influence?

Getting diagnosed with MS caused me to start the Accelerated Cure Project. Through this effort I have met so many wonderful people with and without MS. I've made tons of new friends who have MS, met movie stars, billionaires, nobel prize winners, and learned an entire new field. It has completely changed my life, mostly for the better, in ways I *never* would have imagined.

That having been said, I'd go back in time and undo the diagnosis in a second if I could. But I'd miss all that I've gotten from having MS.

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Art Mellor, Accelerated Cure Project for MS, art-msnews -at- acceleratedcure.com

I hope that I shall one day say that something good has happened since my diagnosis, but unfortunately, life has pretty much sucked since my diagnosis.... Still hopefull though!

Tim "Legs" Pond

I've had MS for nearly thirty-four years. More of my life than not, actually. There's nothing "good" about MS, period. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. But every once in awhile I take stock and I realize that living with MS has made me a better person. I mean, it's a hell of a price to pay and it's probably not worth it, but coping with this disease over the years has transformed me. I have become more sensitive to the plights of others. Less impatient and less inconsiderate. I suppose that it is reasonable to construe my "maturing" as a function of normal aging, but I do believe that I have been humbled by MS and to that extent I have benefited from it.

Before I got MS, I was a workaholic. MS forced me to refocus my priorities and I started spending much more time with my delightful wife and kids. One has to play the cards they are dealt. MS is just one more boulder in the rocky road of life. It may take some time to adjust to MS, but one must learn to deal with it.

I have found benefits in my diagnosis. I am more compassionate and understanding. I have refocused my priorities and feel less pressure to define "successful" in the same ways that I used to do. I take longer walks on my good days with my husband and my son enjoying the time together, soaking up the moment. No one has the promise of another day, so I am thankful that I was given the wake up call to love every minute that I can to the fullest.

MS has made me do alot of things I always wanted to do "someday". Some of them I probably never would have done, but the realazation that I might not be able to do them later has actually made me do these things. Now I feel like I live my life instead of just going through "the daily grind". One bad thing.... I am a lot less tolerant of people who want to complain about things and not do anything about them.

MS has exposed me to a world I didn't know existed - young people hit down in their prime of life and living with uncertainty and the fear of disability etc. It has taken me 4 years to "accept" my dx. My daughter was only 2 and my son 4 at the time of diagnosis. I lost the first two years post DX - consumed with internet searches etc etc. Following some treatment 18 months ago I have regained my confidence and my wife says it is like having the old me back. But I'll never adjust to the losses - no more scuba diving, going for a run, mates phoning to ask if you want a game of tennis. But it has taught me a lot - the God I believed in turned out to be cruel, the medical profession know much less than I had imagined, particularly about diseases of the CNS. I am calmer now. I don't fear death. These are positives. But I'd rather be the old me pre-dx.

Before MS entered my life, I took so much for granted. I suppose many people do, not understanding that every day is a "dice roll" anyway. I have gained more confidence than I ever had before in my life--for many years I was painfully shy and fearful of most normal experiences and social situations. It was an unusual transformation . . . it crept up on me, and then . . . BOOM! I still have moments when I shake my fist at the sky and curse at some unknown force that I unreasonably believe cast this horrible blight upon me, and that maybe I'm supposed to learn some important lesson . . . yada-yada, blah-blah-blah. But, at least I believe I AM a better person in many ways from learning to navigate through the world with this 400 pound gorilla pounding on me day after day. There are so many things I have learned about myself that I never thought I was capable of, until MS "put me to the test." The only negative things I can say are: 1) yes, MS SUCKS; 2) I aquired MS in my 30's, and my lack of experience in the beginning had me yelling and cursing at every stranger that even looked at me sideways--luckily, that's tapered down to a few snappy comments. Like,"Yes, these are CANES. I'm sure your grandparents have hit you with one before."; 3) I wish I could have reassured my mother that I will get by ok before she passed away last year--just to elay her concern for me. 4) Regret SUCKS. So I'll keep trying to find the positive in a really nasty, unforgiving disease. One last thing . . . the other night, a little 7 year old boy was watching about 150 bicyclers that do a monthly 20 mile ride and stop in the plaza in my neighborhood. He told his mother that "a lot of those guys are gonna fall and hurt themselves." I introduced myself to the boy--his name was Josh--and I told him to remember something very important. "Josh . . . when we fall down, that's how we learn how to get back up. Got it?" He got it.

-Christopher Torri

Growing up in a home where my mother had MS taught me how to me gracious, helpful and understanding of everyone around me. It taught me that there are no free rides in this life and if you want something you have to go out there and work for it and earn it. It showed me that there are people out there that need help and if I don't give them that help how can I be sure they are going to get it? Seeing my mother get up day in and day out no matter how she was feeling gave me the strength to know that after my diagnosis of MS (5 years ago) I would be fine. Taking my mothers lead I vowed that I will not let this disease beat me. I've pushed myself, physically and mentally, every day since and so far it has been working. Now it has been my turn to leave an impression on my mother and sister (diagnosed 3 years ago), who are both similarly leading very active lives and keeping their MS at bay.

Seth Matheson :: Development Director :: Accelerated Cure Project for MS :: seth-msnews -at- acceleratedcure.com

I think that MS is a terrible thing. If I was never dx'd with it, my life would be very different. My dx has changed the way I view life in general, how I live life, everything has changed for me. But because of that, ms has helped to shape the current me, who I am usually happy with.

Before my diagnosis I was trying to do too much and not prioritizing what I really wanted to do. Since my diagnosis I am much more careful of thinking things through before I decide to do something. I had to give up tennis but discovered I love golf. Like many of the previous posts, I would go back to before in a second but wish I had been wise enough then to prioritize like I am now doing.

Carol

MS has lead me to learn more about the foods we eat and the need of some for all types of problems. Reading and looking for answers for MS, lead me to the fact that carpal tunnel problems, which a family member was diagnosed with, is a vitamin deficiency...B6.
And the B6 worked!!!

MS hasn't really affected me positively or negatively. It is a disease that affects many people, including myself, but it does not have any power over anyone directly. It can if you let it. I will never be a victim to something I cannot see with the naked eye and take on in a fair fight in the light of day. It isn't in me to let myself suffer when most of the suffering is grieving over what I may have lost. Possibly for good. Not that I mean to sound callous, or unsympathetic, toward the suffering of others. That I will never do, since I know better that we each possess a unique collection of abilities and experiences that form our character. Each as different and unique as a fingerprint. No, I have much compassion for other people where the disease has run roughshod over them so acutely, and almost deliberately, as to cause enough trauma to make life extremely more difficult for them to deal with. Or the ripples outward that also severely affect their friends, family and others. I champion their plight, and will spend hours elucidating their experiences to anyone with the time, a sympathetic pair of ears and the brave curiosity it takes to seek out information about the fit of another's shoes.

I believe that there is a common factor that until today seems to get glossed over, that is connected to MS developing in every person that develops it. Besides being "multifactorial" and having a genetic part responsible, the environmental part must be something that affects everyone but isn't biological. If the factor was biological, then it would have been categorized as being found in a multitude of people, either living or upon an autopsy. But with an environmental factor that is inorganic, it could sneak in and out of our bodies undetected and without leaving any chemical or biological signature. Especially if people are exposed to the factor many times, but at low doses or for only small periods of time each time. Take carbon monoxide (CO) for instance. It disrupts the ability of oxygen to reach tissues, including the brain (hypemic hypoxia), and is known to cause vascular leakage through the blood brain barrier and result in the production of free radicals, which are excitotoxic to the brain. Meaning they destroy brain cells. Now due to the vascular leakage, any little bit of detritus can get through and lodge itself somewhere in the brain (kind of like a warm little cubby hole). Then upon autopsy, there is found all manner of different organic organisms or viral vectors, never being quite the same from person to person. In this manner, it is akin to a thief robbing a bank and disarming the alarm. But then leaving the door open and the alarm disarmed so that anyone could invariably walk right in and take some loot for themselves undetected, albeit for the last poor soul caught (most likely a vagrant looking for a warm place to sleep for the night) as the bank manager opens the front door in the morning for business.

I am lucky to have been diagnosed with MS at 60 and not younger, when it would have greatly affected my life. I've had a full life and with luck, it may be a lesser form of the disorder which I have contracted. That's got to be positive. Also we all become self-centered to a degree as we age, and having something like MS has opened my eyes more to the pain and suffering that people have out there (which is far worse than your own!)

So the other day I walked into the living room to close a window and WHAM - stubbed my left toes into the coffee table. It startled me - and for a moment I thought I was going to feel a rush of pain - but guess what - not so much. And no serious damage was done. I am still in the habit of cursing upon being startled in such situation, but the pain isn't so much any more. A good thing? For me at that moment in time it was. And that is what I have gained from this wild ride - I have had to slow down and take life moment by moment and appreciate the little things - sometimes humorous - like stubbing my toes and realizing it doesn't hurt so much any more.

There is a lot I think we all learn with something like MS. Whether for better or worse. Just like life, which is a big dice roll anyway. If you come away from it each day learning about yourself, and finding the ability to have empathy toward those that are worse off then you and still be able to get up every day and greet it with wonder, curiosity and a smile. THEN YOU'RE MUCH BETTER OFF THAN THE TEEMING MILLIONS THAT ARE OBLIVIOUS TO ANYTHING OTHER THAN THEIR NARCISSISTIC need to focus only on what they don't have. That is sad and totally misses the point of life. It's what about you can experience in awe and what you have that counts.

Nope.

I've been lucky: my case has been mild and my symptoms limited - and each MS problem has opened an opportunity to explore new options.

I was in a job I hated (but through which I had my very first medical insurance policy) when I got my dx. I used it as an excuse to quit the job & pursue what I *really* wanted to do.

Knowing I was "sick" was an excuse to do the best I could in my preferred field, without trying to achieve the level of fame and fortune I once dreamt of... with the result that I accomplished a lot at a reasonable level, and earned a bit of a name in my circle.

And now that I no longr have the stamina to direct an entire show or sing an entire concert any more, I'm learning what I still *can* do. For instance: I can organize my annual Sing to Cure MS concert to benefit the ACP!

Next one: October 26, 2008 in Arlington, MA, supported in part by the MA Cultural Council. Visit singtocurems.org for more info!

I am impressed by the eloquence and passion in the above comments.
Did MS bring me to a crossroad in my life? Along the way, it seemed to have become a veritable hydra of choices. Having MS for lo, these many years (I was diagnosed in 1995), has been the main lubricant for learning to deal more gracefully with choices. The question of "why?" was settled a long time ago. Why not? In the meantime, MS be #@!&%! I have a life to live. And, it seems, more to learn.

Patricia Cooke Smith
For those of you who know me, you might know that I am in Alcoholics Anonymous and go to meetings frequently. I like the support i get at meetings and it seems to be a good place for me to let off steam about my r/r ms ( among other things).
Today a person who has ms came to the meeting and wanted to meet me. She has taken nothing for her ms for the last 12 years and what was rr is now becoming progressive m/s...I volunteered that i would help her look at her options and try to get information to her asap..
from the looks of her on a walker and complaining of double vision, i would think a good neuro would suggest tysabri for her. whatever it is needs to be something medicaid supports. Also would lilke to know what advice any of you have for her and what the website is for free drugs that could help her. thanking you all in sdvsnce. Patricia Smith

Since I was diagnosed 12 years ago, I have met some pretty fantastic people! Our paths would have not crossed otherwise. Recently, I was able to bring comfort to a woman and her mother, whose sister/daughter was just diagnosed with MS. Don't know why God has blessed me with this disease....maybe, I will never truly know!
Remember, MS does not define who we are as a person. I am Sarina - before, during and after. You are (insert your name) - before, during and after! No one and nothing will ever change that!

It has taught me to focus on patience and gratitude; the people that I've been guided to the past twenty years are far too numerous to figure...maybe I've had a positive impact on their lives and beyond...the best thing is the lesson in patience and tolerance that my pre-teen kids have gotten as a result...PRICELESS!

If there was any positive thing that came out of my MS it would be the realization that i have to eat well and workout.

No, it has not added any positive impact on my life. My life has always been positive and that helps my ms.

JO'C RRMS? 33+ years, current DMD Copaxone (5+yrs)

I think MS has added another layer of patience and compassion to my life as well as introduced to me to a new world filled with it's own language of sorts, some wonderful people, news ways for me to communicate, and an intense education. Being born with an orthopedic handicap I believe I was ahead of the game in adaptability, but still wasn't ready to accept my initial dx back in the mid-1970's. Denial worked well for my mild rr ms with good recoveries for those many years. Once that no longer worked, I had to change my plan of attack and get busy finding a new one that would work Luckily for me the time was right.

I've feel fortunate that so many advances have been made since my initial dx. No more hot whirlpool, or myelogram with awful headache - no blood patch to resolve, no more being told not to have babies or work, just go home take it easy and put your affairs in order. Thankfully I refused to believe such a thing, and for me it turned out not to be true. Now I can choose to fight my disease with several modifying treatments with more on the horizon. Vastly improved symptom management is here as is a much better understanding of how we truly feel. I can search the web endlessly, enroll in trials, speak to other patients directly and ask what works for them, enroll in trials, question my doctors and make my own treatment decisions feeling fully informed and empowered by knowledge. I credit the MS with turning me into a strong advocate for my own personal health care.

It feels much better to be in charge of my health, my health care provider team, and to be aware of what is going on with my body instead of feeling like a victim of disease, genetics, circumstances and plain old bad luck. MS still sucks big time, as do most of other things that go wrong with our bodies, but I'll thank it for making me stronger in this one way.

Jeane