Did you have a good day?

[HVAC]

We judge ourselves to harshly. All you have to do to become a saint is get terminal cancer. All the sudden you are wise and have the in side track on everything. Which is funny because if you did have the inside track you would get rid of the terminal part for sure and on the disease in particular. Who would puke if they had a choice? People see cancer they do not see MS.

On the part of having a good day. If we get through the day with out killing anyone I think that is a success. We put so much pressure on ourselves. Living with MS is tough. It is harder than cancer. First off most people do not know what MS is and the symptoms are invisible to most people. For many it is a full days work just getting around. Walking, stairs, doors, and other obstacles.

MS effects the brain so much. Our thought processes are sometimes impaired and our emotions. Even forming a sentence or remembering things is hard.

People expect people with cancer to be tired. People with medical fatigue really have it rough because people just do not get it. How could you be tired so much?

People live with MS symptoms for years. Sometimes family, friends, and employers have no clue how hard a normal day is for someone with MS.

I would not give anyone ovarian cancer well there are a couple of people I really do not like. On a day to day basis I am better off than most people with MS. I have my mobility, bladder control, thinking, my mood is good, etc.

MS is an invisible disease and it is tough. I am so glad I have this forum. Before the forum I knew little about MS and felt alone. Now I have a place to go 24/7. I know whatever I am going through symptom wise some one else has gone through it too.

WE have survived another day together. It is a good day.

Alex

[Corriel]

We are definitely a group of strong people on this forum.

I have been fortunate enough to only have a couple of "big C" scares and not the actual "C" so I applaud those who deal with it on top of MS.

It is so true, that MS doesn't typically invite much attention. My colleague at work misses days at work because she didn't sleep well (coughing from a cold, sore back....).

It boggles the mind that someone in her early thirties and in excellent health finds lack of sleep that debilitating but cannot understand when I say I am exhausted by mid-work week. I pray she never endures what any of us live through on a daily basis.

I wish all of you the best with your "Big C" and various procedures/therapies.

I made it to the gym before work this morning and the sun is finally shining after a few days of snow so cheers to it being a good day.

Hugs all around,

Corrie

[Artanis12]

As one of the very recent inductees into the "cancer AND MS" club (2 major diagnosis WTF??s in a single calendar year, and actually this last one is my second cancer in a lifetime. How cool is that??) I can attest to all this - people are oh-so-understanding and bend over backwards when you say "cancer" and are totally clueless and not understanding about MS, which is all day, every day.  

In my sisterly chinwags comparing concurrent cancer treatments with my sister-in-law, she admitted to me that she did not understand my descriptions of fatigue, but having been through chemo AND radiation together it was like "OH...THAT's what you meant."  *I* was a bit more tired during radiation, it's true, but I really could hardly tell the difference, I'm so tired most of the time.  I should not complain though, I'm still able to work at least. Just doing what I can with what I've been dealt - that so not-a-saint thing. ;-)

Aspentoo, I hope you are doing well and that whatever treatments you have won't add to your burden too much.

So yes, it IS a good day.  And right now my focus is on my SIL's upcoming major surgery to remove the remaining vestiges of her stage IV colon cancer. That really WILL be a good day! :)

[aspen2]

All true.  My cancer diagnosis, treatment, how people responded -- have been a walk in the park compared to limbo and ms struggles.  Possibly of course, because the cancer is relatively minor. But mostly because others have jumped in and "taken care" when the C flag was waved -- medically, practically, cards.

I have been grateful, but it was odd to have meals delivered when in reality I was very able.  Chopping vegetables, cleaning house are extremely difficult currently, but it's not a "thing".  I suppose if I made it a "thing" there would be concern.  But that's gets old, for me and others.  With ms, it's not one crisis to be resolved, it's cyclical problems ...

I don't fault them  People understand cancer.  But my neurological stuff ranges from inconvenient to debilitating at times (either invisibly due to fatigue, or visibly when I couldn't walk), and that is not understood.

I received a lovely basket yesterday -- for a surgery that I recovered from within 30 hours last week.  I appreciate it because it will make meals easier -- but not because of the cancer :).

Five years ago if someone had suggested I would end up with both ms and cancer, I would have thought it would be the end of the world.  Nope, it isn't.  Perhaps I'm just an optimist.  But I think anyone in this position just learns to deal -- because is there another choice?

My cancer, right now, is minor.  That could change.  EDSS 3.5 -- so I'm doing pretty well really.  That could change.  Either way, it IS a good day :).  And either way, I'm no saint :P.

Very well said, Alex.