MS,, "Just a viral thing"

[RAY911]

Yea at work I slipped and told a co-worker they are woking me up for MS,,, her response to me that left me speachless....

"Oh YOU drink COFFEE!!!!!! well thats why"!!!!!!!! also MS is only a "Viral Thing"

Yea can you freaken believe it??????   I was speachless becasue I was told as a child if you had nothing nice to say dont say anything at all,,,,,,lolol,,,,, So I just stood there said,,,, "Ok yea I guess'  then walked away....
thinking to myself?????

WTF??????? Coffee?????????  Hell if its coffee that's causing my numbness/tingling/brain lesions/brain fog/heavy legs. etc etc,,,

Well then why the (heck) didn't my neruo tell me this??????

OYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

lol

Love and Hugs

Ray

[SOONERMOM]

That was one of the first things that I heard from my in-laws. "Too much caffeine"  Of course I also heard "you are making all this up in your head, maybe you are imagining these things are happening, etc"--that was even after they knew I had numerous lesions in my brain!!

I think this whole experience has taught me more about other people than myself!  I am still in shock at how some people have responded to my being sick.  I got to where I just quit telling people or even talking about it because I felt that most people couldn't possibly understand what I was going through.  I would have gone insane without this forum!!

hang in there, we all can relate to your story!

Stacey

[RAY911]

I just love you guys!!!!!!!!!!!!

Your all so wonderful. this all made me laugh.  

so it morning and here I sit with my cup a coffee... yum yum!!!!!!:)

Yea its amazing to me how others can chalk your health problems up to "nothing" and I just try to remember they are ignorant about MS and I hope and pray they NEVER have to go threw what I've had to and all of us here.  This is definaltly nothing we WANT.
OYYYYYY!!!

Love and Hugs to ALL OF YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ray:)

[Momzilla]

Hi~

That just cracks me up, the coffee comment.  I have heard strange things come out of peoples' mouths, too, when telling them I'm being tested for MS.  We should start a thread, maybe..."Strange Things People Say...."

I think sometimes it's just awkward for some people, not knowing what to say.  Sometimes it's funny, and sometimes it can hurt.  

I hope this was a "funny" one for you with the coffee.  It is to me!

Take care and feel well,

Zilla*

[doublevision1]

Yes, that was a totally absurd response.  I'm going to go with Santana on this, and guess that maybe she thought she was being helpful.  Ignorance is bliss.  It is only once you're affected that you can't afford to be ignorant.  I knew very little about MS before I got it, but even then I would have thought such a comment to be absurd.  If you care to educate her, you could give her one of those pamphlets from the MS Society.  If not, let her wallow in her lack of knowledge and tact.

And what's with the "it's only a viral thing" comment?  Perhaps she was referring to the Mono connection.  Of course we all know it's a lot more complex than that.  

I always chuckle when I hear people say "only a virus."  ie: you're home sick from work, and you hear "hopefully it's just a virus."

Just a virus....like maybe the debilitating and/or deadly:

- HIV
- Ebola
- Enterovirus
- Hepatitis
- HPV
- Smallpox (ok we don't have to worry about it anymore but still, it WAS a virus)

How is it that people think that viruses are no big deal?  Again, ignorance is bliss!


db

[jensequitur]

Some people have told me coffee increases MS symptoms, that it even increases the chances of brain damage.  Bull.  Caffeine in large doses actually helps strengthen the blood-brain barrier, making you more resistant to future damage.

[LATW]

Ray,
I do not drink coffee, nothing with caffeine, no alcohol, no smoking.  However I have had a virus a time or two.  I have MS.  

So people should keep their thoughts to themselves.  She just showed how dumb she is.

LA

[TiredPT]

Sorry guys . . . . not that simple.  I am NOT a coffee drinker (rare soda and caffeine) and still having problems.  Tell the coworker to try again.  My supervisor told me that I just needed to will myself better -- as though I'm having problems because I'm weak minded.  I wanted to kick him in the teeth!

Hang in there!

Tired

[Amyloo]

I think I might have said "well, wouldn't that mean that everyone that drinks coffee would have MS?"  Duh.

[spastic]

If it could only be as easy as that....  Wouldn't we all feel better?  I continue to be baffled by the ill-assuming people of the world.  Can't they for just a minute do a little research before they say such indignant responses?

Dont let it get to you Hon.

Love,

Ada

[santana8]

Hi, haven't talked in a while, hope you are well! Try not to let others comments bother you! When people say things like that it is only because they are not educated about illness like this, and most people are not!! I was one of those people before I got sick, totally oblivious about what some people are going through with illness like MS. But when the neuro said that I was being watched for MS, then I got educated fast. I really don't think others can really understand what going through things like this is  really like because they have never been there! Your co- worker probally thought she was being helpful to you, not understanding that her comment could be hurtful to you seeing as how she didn't understand anything about what she was commenting on!  I too was taught that if you don't have something good or helpful to say about something, then not commenting at all would be the best! Some people were never taught to have this insight, or compassion for others! So, that being said, try to brush comments like this off of your shoulder and not let it bother you!  I have gotten comments like this many times and at first it mad me mad, and finally I realized that they had no idea what it was they were talking about. If the person was someone that I cared about, and I wanted them to understand, then I would try to explain it to them. But if it wasn't someone who was an important part of my life, then I usually just brush it off, as explaining it over and over can be really exualsting to me! Hope this helps you in some kind of way with this!

Take Care
Santana

[princess73]

Yeah, I have gotten that, too. "My problems won't be as bad if I stop drinking coffee, or only drink it before noon!" So, I have tried cutting out my pm coffees (yes this is plural), and wow!  Guess what my result is! NADA! No change after 1 1/2 weeks. Surprised? I say as much pain that we have to endure (especially with no drinking, smoking, or meds that work), we should not have to give up one of our only pleasures.

[Shellshack]

That's really hillarious...coffee??? If it were only that simple, we'd all be okay...right..haha..~ : )  Sometimes, I wonder about people!!  : ]  Well, thanks for sharing because it made me smile this morning!!  And thank you for your support!  I'll let you know how my apt. goes today!  And if he says "TOO MUCH COFFEE", I'll pass out..lol..hahaa....just kidding.  

Hope you have a great day!! : )

[ohwild]

oh my, we will all have to stop drinking the coffee! then we will all be ok lol, I wish someone would of told me sooner lol, seriously Ray have a good day :)

[LLWB]

Gee, such a simple thing! Guess the coffee companies are now going to go broke, LOL. Joking aside, how dumb can you get! Take care, Maggie.....PS Maybe you could get her or him to wear a witch doctor costume for next Haloween! Don't you love the mental picture.