Is it okay to say "AWESOME!"

[frustrated253]

I had my first post on this forum yesterday and quickly received 6 responses. Not to sound too corny but I already feel like one of the family and to me that is AWESOME!
I will let you all in on something a little personal: I am unable to cry. I am not kidding. I have not cried as an adult; and according to my parents the last time they remember me crying was when I was 3 or 4. It has been very unusual for me to even tear up or get that lump in the throat feeling. No I am not some macho unfeeling SOB either. However, ever since my symptoms became acute, I very easily get choked up (I am now).
I just feel like I have this huge amount of empathy for people, even complete strangers. Is this a symptom or just a whole lot of pent up emotion, or something else.
Actually I lied. I always have had a "macho" persona; provider and protector of my family and all that.
Anyways, I just felt like sharing a little.

[Heather3418]

We are so glad that you joined our Forum.  Our family in cyberland.  Gosh, what would I have done without all of them over the past year?

I have read most all of the other MS Forum on the internet, Mike, and have found this one to be the very best on the Internet today.  I think you will soon agree.

Welcome, welcome, welcome and Merry Christmas to you and your family, "Dude."

Big Forum Hugs,
Heather
They call me "Earth Mother"  an endearing name...at least it doesn't start with the letter, "B."  LOL  

[meg321]

Thanks for posting your comments.. I am also one who does not cry a lot but not to any extreme, i just didnt. But I sure do now, Its probably part of why we all get along so well, never thought about that ..but the compassion and caring is abundant in this forum.

I know crying is supoose to be good for you but I dont like it usually.  I also now have anxiety attacks and the two together just does a number on me.  And i don't breathe well and when I cry sometimes i feel like i am going to die.

It all seems so different now...

please stick around and share with us..its a great group.

love, meg

[GrannyJo6]

Welcome to the forum family!  You will find a wealth of information - check out the Health Pages at the upper right. You can express yourself freely and be accepted completely!
Merry Christmas from chilly Tacoma! GrannyJo

[Sunnytoday]

Frustrated- Ahhhh, this reminded of the wonderful happy feeling I got the day I found this forum... yes, I have to agree with you, it's pretty AWESOME to find a home here, and I hope you stick around! So, a big 'Welcome' from me, and I hope you have a wonderful Merry Christmas.... enjoy your white wintery stuff from a gal here in the sunny south...

Quix- I'm always glad you post... I just bawled all over something so tiny the other day, and this is coming from some-one who cried 4 times since she was 5. Yeah, so this past year I've cried enough to fill a river and empty enough tissue boxes, well, lets just say my family doesn't know what to do with me becuase it's just the little things that make me cry and they are like "um, so are you ok? What happened?"  So I'm glad to know that this is again, something that a disease can cause and not me being crazy! :)
~Sunnytoday~

[Lulu54]

Dear frustrated dude,
It is so good to read a response like yours that tells us we are all onto something very good here, despite this being a really cra ppy disease.  Patient to patient education and commiseration is the most powerful of all medicines and I am glad you have joined us here , be it for the short term while the docs search for answers, or the long haul.

Be well and be one happy dude!
Lulu

[Quixotic1]

Hey, Mike (this from a 57 year old).  Your post brought a lump to my throat - which by the by - has nothing to do with the ability to cry or pride in taking care of your family.

I have been with this forum since  its beginning a hear and a half ago.  It truly is a great bunch of people who form something greater than a family.  Our own families likely do not understand what we are going through with scary loss of function and invisible symptoms.  They don't see the internal fear, uncertainty, grief at the loss of who we always have been.  Or sometimes they do see it, but it all gets muddied up with their own grief or fear over losing us or even anager that we may not be performing our given roles as well.

I have to admit in the hullabaloo of the holidays I did not get to your journal or over to the Neurology forum (losers)  to read your story.  I will do this.

This group will also climb to the heights (depths??) of the internet to get info to you or to find answers for questions.  Several of us are trained scientists and we struggle to bring clear, founded information.  Kind of a One-Stop-Shop - Reach & Teach.  (I've been watching too many ads for toys...

In the context of MS, I will tell you that the sudden "freeing up" of your emotions is part of MS - if, indeed, that is what you have.  In MS increased emotional lability is an frequent part of the disease as is depression.  This is NOT a result of the situation that the disease puts you in, but rather is a direct effect of the damage in the brain.  

One of the effects is inappropriate laughing or crying.  The smallest things can make people cry "or get lumped up" or cause uncontrollable laughter.  One of our members - before she was diagnosed - was in the ER for sudden inability to walk.  During the exam she was laughing hysterically about her legs not working.  The doc immediately suspected MS, while the nurses were muttering about her being high.

So, there may be an organic reason for your increased emotions.  If that helps any.

I'll check out your story and see if I have any medical comments about it.  That's sort of what I do , being the unofficial doc around these parts.

There is always someone aound to talk to.  We also have people from the UK, Canada, NZ, and Australia.

Welcome again, dude.

Quix, from the wintery wonderland of Washougal, WA.

[frustrated253]

I am a 44 yr old dad and I say things  like 'cool' 'awesome' and yes even 'dude'. I think some of that comes from talking to my teenagers and their friends.. so yes, it is okay for a 46 yr woman to say 'dude'.
Also, thanks for the response and the support, there seems to be no shortage of that around here.
Mike in the winter wonderland of Puyallup, WA.

[Fluffysmom]

This forum is a slice of heaven; the caring, concern, intelligence, humor, and wide-open arms have made me cry several times, and I have severe dry eyes!  :o)

I didn't read your post yesterday; sometimes I'm not up to reading much.  I want to welcome you to our forum, as I'm sure many others have done.  

One of the cool things about this forum is that although you might come here wrapped up in your own problems, soon your heart opens wide and you empathize with strangers from all walks of life.  I have learned so much here.  I've gotten so much help with my own issues that my life is much better even though I'm in limboland and on my 3rd neurologist (4 if you count my neuro-ophthalmologist).

I find myself checking in even when I'm on vacation.  I went to Disneyland, and found myself checking the internet on my phone to see if I could read any posts!  MedHelp hasn't gotten there yet, but they're working on it.

Dude, you can be as macho as they come, and still have a heart that opens wide.  I don't think it's a symptom or anything bad; I think its a wonderful release that allows us to connect more fully with the rest of the world.

I apologize if you dislike being called dude; a 46 year old woman shouldn't be calling anyone "dude".  

I'll catch up on the rest of your story a little later.  I'm glad you've joined us!

Kathy