Living stress less with MS

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I can sit and watch it rain for hours. There’s something therapeutic about it. The steady rhythm and the sound of flowing water is soothing. As a kid I would watch the drops of water on a small section of the car windows and would try to find the fastest raindrop as we drove down the road. I would challenge my brothers and sister to pick one and we would make it a contest. Which drop would move fastest to a specific location. It made traveling fun.

I also like watching fish swimming around in a tank, in a lake or in a bowl. There have been studies on the health benefits of fish watching. I’m not sure if I can say the same for raindrop chasing, but I would imagine it’s the same. Fish watching has been found to relieve stress and anxiety, calm the mind, lower blood pressure, help to reduce the effects of chronic pain, and even enhance a person’s ability to focus…all things that someone living with multiple sclerosis would greatly benefit from.

If your day today is filled with a long list of to-do’s, demands from your boss, needs from your family, piles of work that simply can’t be put off one more day, take a little bit of time to watch some fish. If you don’t have your own fish tank at home, load a video from the internet of a fish tank or even of rain falling that includes soothing sounds.

I actually had a Betta fish named Blueberry once that had an amazing personality. He was a beautiful blue color with a few red stripes in the fins. I loved watching him fan his fins, play hide-n-seek in his tiny cave and swim around the tank as he proudly displayed his colors. Even watching him eat was entertaining. Sometimes he would spit his food out and then go chasing after it to gobble it up. He always gave me a giggle.

Maybe instead of fish, you are more of a dog or cat person. There’s something just as calming about them cuddling up with you as you scratch between their ears and rub their belly. It could be that you prefer caring for horses or maybe even birds, reptiles, or hamsters. It seems all animals have the potential of making great companions, being amazing “friends” and helping in relieving stress.

I would have a zoo if I had the room for it. Does that mean I live a stress free life all the time? No, but it does make life much more enjoyable and entertaining…that’s for sure. And who does’t need some entertainment from time to time is this crazy mixed up world?

This morning, my entertainment was watching an ant trying to lug a broken cracker on top of its head. That was my view as I drank my morning coffee. I’ve even already laughed a few times in the process. Each time the cracker would slip off its head and he would attempt to pick it up again. It seemed more like watching an I Love Lucy episode. Laughter is therapeutic anyway so I’ve already had a good day.

I can honestly say I’m thankful for MS

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You cannot bargain with multiple sclerosis. No amount of self examination will alleviate the pain and destruction it is causing in your body. I tried at first and wound up feeling more defeated than victorious. I had to move past all the quick fixes people tried to push my way. I even tried some but there was no benefit or relief.

Is taking supplements helpful? Are good clean diets helpful? Is there a medication that will reverse everything taking place? Does anyone really have a remedy that works without fail? The answer to all of those questions is NO! They may make you feel better about yourself or even some of your symptoms may lessen and your body will fell healhier, but none actually heal you.

There is nothing to do about an MS life other than living it as happily, healthily and comfortably as you can. Make sensible choices in how to modify your home and even your life. Do your research and take the medications you believe will help you. After all that’s your choice, not your doctors. I have fired a couple of doctors over the years because they refused to actually listen to my needs. A doctor is there for you, not you for them. You are not their project, pin cushion or a patient to practice on.

Once you have moved past the diagnosis stage you eventually get to the point where you just don’t give a crap what other people think about you or your new normal. Are you physically disabled? Do you move slower than in times past? Do you have trouble with cognition making even day to day tasks troublesome? Do you have trouble breathing or even swallowing? Ugh… so many troublesome issues happening day to day.

Once I moved past the trauma taking place I looked back at life and what I have learned from everything I had experienced….

I can honestly say that I’m thankful for MS. Yes, that sounds crazy but it’s true. I’ve grown as a person. I’ve developed muscles I didn’t know I had. I can handle additional challenges in a way that I never could have done before. I’ve gotten closer to the person I really am and it has forced me examine my own values in a way few events ever have. All of that to me is a gift.

That’s my life with MS… all the nuts, bolts and springs of it.

I have lots of “almosts” in my MS life

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Lucy and Linus were talking to their coach, Charlie Brown, at home plate. Kicking the dirt in disgust, Charlie Brown said, “Our team is no good. We have lost every game. There is nothing good about our team!”

“But,” protested Lucy, “Schroder almost hit a home run. And we almost won a couple of games. Once we almost made a double play. Don’t forget that you almost made it to first base before the ball, once.”

“If it’s any consolation, Charlie Brown,” interrupted Linus, “we did lead the league in almosts.”

“Almosts” are part of everyone’s life but living with multiple sclerosis our almosts are a bit different. Some almosts work to our advantage and are even celebrated.

For example, there are times when we almost slip getting out of the shower. Yeah! Or, we almost have an accident while driving our wheelchair… oops. Or, we almost choke while swallowing food, air or saliva… yikes. Or, we almost fall going up the stairs… yes, it can happen.

But sadly I have actually had every one of them happen to me and they can be really scary to deal with. It takes a lot of strength to hang in there when everything around you is going wrong and destroying your hopes and dreams.

Then there are the “might have been” occasions like when we almost walk across a parking lot without needing help but fall instead. Or other might have been occasions when we almost are healed by taking supplements and eating a special healthy diet. You know, the infamous unknown cures that heal every illness on the planet. According to those hacks we should be healed already.

Those things are like almost but not quite occurrences. According to Websters Dictionary, almost means “very near but not quite”.

So, the way I see it the “almosts” and “might have beens” are the same as it never really happened at all. I have a lot of almosts and might have beens in my life with MS but I don’t let that stop me from living life on my own terms. Not according to what other people think it should be but how I choose to live it. How about you?