MSAA
Multiple Sclerosis Association of America
November 28, 2016
By Penelope Conway
Stress is not a good
combination with Multiple Sclerosis. I hear all the time how stress needs to be
limited to keep from triggering an exacerbation, but how do you do that in a
world full of “I want it now” people and “it can’t wait” situations?
There are hundreds of
lists on the internet explaining what you can do to avoid stress, but listing
things out and doing them are two different things. Then if you add MS into the
mix of things, it seems an impossibility.
Maybe your day starts
something like this…
You wake up in the
morning to a busy day planned. You didn’t hear the alarm clock earlier so you
are already being rushed to get your day started. It’s early, you’re exhausted
and your body isn’t cooperating. You take a shower, and even though you did
every cool down technique you know, your body is simply too weak to keep going
at the fast pace you have set for yourself.
You take a moment to
rest then push on to get dressed so you can get out the door to make up for
missed time. All the while, playing through your head is a rundown of
everything you must do today. You have lists created, app alarms set on your
phone to remind you of your time constraints and post-it notes scattered
everywhere.
You do your best to
hold back your frustrations but before you have even left the house to begin
the day, you are feeling overwhelmed and defeated. Somehow MS just
doesn’t fit into a busy day and somehow you always seem to forget that tiny
little fact.
The unexpected
happens much more often now that MS is a part of your world. You get tired
faster, weak muscles limit your functionality, your vision messes with your
ability to complete even the simplest of tasks, dizziness and vertigo trip you
up, and your thinking gets all muddled in the process. It’s hard planning for
the MS unexpected. I always say a life with multiple sclerosis is like a box of
chocolates…you never know what you’re gonna get. (Thanks Forest Gump for the
inspiration.)
I have discovered
that stress makes you extremely tired and can cause MS to worsen, but it’s
stressful to avoid stress so you end up stressed out anyway. It’s really not
easy trying to avoid stress. Ugh…just thinking about it is stressing me out.
So how do you fit a
life with MS into a stress free list found on the internet? Well, for me that’s
an impossibility. It seems MS doesn’t like lists or plans. It kind of has a
mind of its own and doesn’t seem to want me to know ahead of time what it has
in store for me throughout the day.
When life become
overwhelming, and many times even before it gets to that point, I find that I
need to take a moment to step back from all my commitments, work, and
obligations. I need to take a moment to pause and re-examine everything.
Literally.
Is there anything I
could change or remove from my day that would help ease the load? Do I really
need to vacuum the house today, tomorrow or even next week? If I wait and take
a shower before I go to bed rather than when I get up in the morning, will it
help? Can I recruit someone to pick up a few things from the store for me so I
don’t have to go? Will the world fall apart if the laundry isn’t finished?
You are more
important than the chaos that surrounds you and way more important than the
stress that it can cause. Work on changing your workload bit by bit, little by
little, moment by moment. You won’t be able to quit everything (which I happen
to think would be nice to do at times) and you won’t be able to stop the world
from spinning out of control, but you can make a positive change in your own
life.
Take time to slowly
work your way out of those over-commitments by finding others willing to step
in and help. You may need to juggle schedules around and say no to people you
normally wouldn’t say no to, but in order to simplify your life and relieve the
pressures weighting you down, you have to do it. It’s not an option.
Do what you can today
and leave the rest for another day. Take one step closer to living stress free,
and before you know it you will be enjoying your life….even with Multiple
Sclerosis.
*Penelope Conway was
diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in November 2011. She is the author and
founder of Positive Living with MS:
where she uses humor and her own life experiences with MS to help others
navigate this unpredictable journey. She believes that staying positive and
holding onto hope is the key to waking up each morning with the strength to get
through the day.
About MSAA:
As a national nonprofit organization, the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America
is a leading resource for the entire MS community, improving lives today
through vital services and support. MSAA provides free programs and services,
such as: a toll-free Helpline; award-winning publications including a magazine,
The Motivator; website featuring educational videos and research updates;
S.E.A.R.C.H.™ program to assist the MS community with learning about different
treatment choices; a mobile phone app, My MS Manager™; a resource database, My
MS Resource Locator; equipment distribution ranging from grab bars to
wheelchairs; cooling accessories for heat-sensitive individuals; educational
events and activities; MRI funding and insurance advocacy; and more. For
additional information, please visit http://www.mymsaa.org or call (800)
532-7667.
In
support of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) research:
Never
give up!
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