What A Difference

 

She was noticeably upset sharing the story of her father’s situation.

How a bum knee hampered his once busy lifestyle.

He was due a knee replacement in the coming weeks but till then was forced to use a walker.

“He struggles to get around.  And he almost fell once!” she said in near tears.

I about laughed in her face.

What a difference MS makes, am I right?

Can I get a “heck yeah” from the choir?

I wish he could spend a week in my jockeys.  I “almost fall” before the morning’s Fruit Loops.

Sometimes I fall…getting up from a fall.

Granted, she apologized to me knowing my plight.  Saying MS no way compares to what her dad was going through.  But it was still difficult for her to watch him struggle.

Thinking about it, my kids have practically grown up with me having multiple sclerosis.

My youngest wasn’t yet a year old when I earned my MS degree.

To them watching me scuffle is like a Seinfeld rerun.

“Oh we’ve seen this one a million times.”

 

In fact when I fall anymore, they don’t even come running to help.  They’ll ask if I’m okay then go on with their business.

They have grown up with my MS pains.

We have grown together.

Part acceptance of the disease, I suppose.

I share this story because we as MSers take our fits & fights for granted.  They come as easy as taking a vitamin C.  What may be a tearful struggle for some is a nonchalant “eh” to those of us living with MS.

We are not better, mind you–just battle tested!

Keep moving my friend.