Whether you win or lose, at least you know who you are
I actually struggle with a daily life of multiple sclerosis and all the unpredictable circumstances that threaten to overwhelm me. Some days I struggle just to get out of bed in the morning. Many times I don’t feel like doing the things I know I need to do which means they don’t get done. Lately for one reason or another MS has been winning the struggle.
Like yesterday I kept putting off taking my trash out and now I’m too tired to even think about it. My motivation just jumped out the window and I don’t even have the strength to chase it down. Before I go to bed tonight I have to take it out because trash pick up is tomorrow morning. We’ll see how well that goes. I wish I had little helpers for days like this.
It’s been below freezing temperatures here so I think that has something to do with it. My muscles just don’t work well with freezing temperatures. They have a tendency to seize up and getting them moving takes lots of extra work. Sometimes work that my body can’t seem to find strength for.
Discouragement sets in and rising above the funk is terribly hard to handle. I hate when my emotions get out of whack like that. It happens more than people would believe. I can go from laughing to crying in one second flat.
When I think about the circumstances, people, and events happening around me they are all manageable when I take them in little bits at a time. I have to be cautious so I don’t get overwhelmed. MS hasn’t changed, life around me has. I need to stay focused on what’s important, I need to look out for myself and I need to not feel guilty or get upset when things don’t go as planned.
I know that’s not easy. It actually takes a lot of hard work, but work that’s worth it. Next time you feel drained or emotionally out of whack, remember that you have a choice. You can wrap yourself up in excuses and self-pity, or you can choose to reach out of yourself and find the strength you need to keep going and rise above your circumstances. You’ve got it within you to do this. I believe in you. If I can do this… so can you!
1. Simplify your life.
Love this needed it
I’m so glad it helped. It helped me the same in writing it. Hugs.
Nailed it again!! Big gentle hugs !
We’re in Autumn here in Australia, with Winter knocking at the door…..
Last week we had temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius, then suddenly we are having 18 degree days this week and I am in agony!! Like you, Mt muscles size up, and my bones ache like a 90 year old.
People can’t see how difficult it makes doing the easiest of things around the house, let alone actually getting out of the bed to do them! Some things can wait until the next ‘good’ day,but others simply can’t- and this is the awful paradoxical truth of living with MS. Sometimes we just need those magical ‘minions’ to help us out with the mundane, but not necessarily all the time, and the world simply doesn’t have the capacity for our ‘invisible symptoms’, only the permanent ones when we need people to help on a regular, predictable basis!
Send in the magical Minions, because at least they can help see the immediate problem and solve it until the time comes when we need to get the paid staff to help us with these things all the time…..
Cathi xxx