Life after MS sets in to your life UPGRADE see heading #3 - Don't trade your life away just because of MS - Personal - http://maxpages.com/happymspage/Life_after_MS_sets

Jan.9,2001------Update.----If you haven't guessed it by this
time ,you will probably have to reprogram your whole life style
to fit your body ability or disabilitys
All of us had to give up styles of life which we had counted
on to more or less continue as we had planned.But some have
reprogramed their lives to become some thing wonderful in this
unerxpected world.Some have tried their hand at
art, music, writing, computer expert,daily fisherman,maker
of fabric wonders,successful business on the internet,photography,
and on goes the list.It is limited only by your imagination.
One woman actually decorates canes as a business.Another I have
met is giving lectures on cruise ships about the places the
ship will stop at.Another one is now playing music on a cruise
ship.One door closes on you while others are opened because
your mind has to work instead of your legs.RET

Update: October 4,2000 One of the first
things you should do after being diagnosed
is to get started on one of the ABC drugs .
Even us who are in the more progressive forms still
take these medication. Eileen is on copaxone
www.copaxone.com
I'm on betaseron www.betaseron.com
It is very important to get started.
My doctor says if I would stop, my progression
would be like a falling rock .RET

Having Multiple Sclerosis is now a fact for
all of reading this article.Now is the time to ease up
on yourself. What we face isn't a bed of roses but
just the thorns removed from them.
Regardless if you have has MS for 20 years or just
diagnosed cut yourself some slack.Don't let the
disease rule you or it will ruin you.
There isn't any thing you did that got you where
you are now.
In other words it's not your fault.
The chances of a cure is in the works.
Until then get a good neurologist who will
talk to you,and he/she will probably have you
on one of the three ABC drugs.

As I said I wouldn't trade my life of the
last 20+years for anything As if I could anyway.
Something "bad happens" to all of us.
Some die early in life,some have debilating accidents
others have domestic problems ,still others develop
diseases much worse than MS.I'm aware how bad some cases
of MS get,but they are fortunately in the minority.
Eventually you settle into a comfortable grove with MS.
You get your assistive devices and get back into the
stream of life as a different person.

If you are now working try to hang in there.
But should it come too early retirement,relax.
Life shouldn't be defined by what you own or drive.
Nor the residence you live in shouldn't whip lash
your mind.
If you are forced to retire and go on disability
you will live on less.

I have known people on low incomes. As long as
they keep their heads level and don't allow TV
and Hollywood's images to inodate their brains,
they remain very happy. It was found in the survey
of PPMS and SPMS that the ones on SS disability
frequently have more difficulty with finances than
the disease.
The media and their tilted image of what life should
be is what makes us unhappy when we have less money that
the majority seems to possess.

Make sure you always have something that
occupies your mind and keeps you using it.
Hobbies abound which will do nicely.
Mine is painting.It can be inexpensive.
My wants being simple and living in a very
small house, we really don't have room for too
much else. Having nothing much to buy we now
concentrate on just the necessities like food.

If you are really long sighted plan for a ramp
to one of your exterior doors. I was thrust into needing
a wheelchair very suddenly. We had to get a contractor
very quickly to install a ramp, and widen three interior
doors.I know you never want to think about such
things but they do come fast.My first need for a ramp
came when being very clumbsy I tripped and broke a
leg.For the first three months my cast was so huge
I was in a wheelchair. I couldn't keep my balance with
crutches.I was house bound until the ramp could be
built,and one door widen.

Eileen Lukeman and Richard Tanner

FL.

Eileen(Lobosgirl) and Richard (RET1000) both at aol.com

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Page Updated Wed May 7, 2008 9:45am EDT