Posted on December 22, 2017,by
Multiple
Sclerosis Association of America
By
Penelope Conway
’Twas the night before the holidays,
when all through my body,
Not a nerve was behaving, making me move rather shoddy.
My daily activities were chosen with care,
In hopes that each one could be done from a chair.
Not a nerve was behaving, making me move rather shoddy.
My daily activities were chosen with care,
In hopes that each one could be done from a chair.
Each word that I spoke seemed to
come out all wrong,
So much to be finished, I had to stay strong.
And John in the kitchen, and Missy making frappe,
Everyone busy working, no time for a nap.
So much to be finished, I had to stay strong.
And John in the kitchen, and Missy making frappe,
Everyone busy working, no time for a nap.
When somewhere outside there arose
such a clatter,
I peeked through the window, to see what was the matter.
I tried to move fast, to get to the door,
But I didn’t quite make it, and wound up on the floor.
I peeked through the window, to see what was the matter.
I tried to move fast, to get to the door,
But I didn’t quite make it, and wound up on the floor.
As I lay on the rug, making sure
nothing broke
Through tears I could see it, even gave it a poke.
Yes, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But the cane that I lost, earlier this year.
Through tears I could see it, even gave it a poke.
Yes, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But the cane that I lost, earlier this year.
Then the front door cracked open,
and before me he stood,
I immediately knew help had arrived which was good.
And more rapid than eagles, his phrases they came,
And he whistled and shouted, and called them by name.
I immediately knew help had arrived which was good.
And more rapid than eagles, his phrases they came,
And he whistled and shouted, and called them by name.
“Now hang on, now slow down, now
take more life pauses,
With stressful, and chaos, and tearful day causes.
To the end of the checklist, to the end of the hall,
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!”
With stressful, and chaos, and tearful day causes.
To the end of the checklist, to the end of the hall,
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!”
And then I could see, as I wiped
away tears,
Why, his words and his wisdom had settled my fears.
As I sat on the floor, too weak to even move
He knelt down beside me, and said I have nothing to prove.
Why, his words and his wisdom had settled my fears.
As I sat on the floor, too weak to even move
He knelt down beside me, and said I have nothing to prove.
He looked a bit weary, as a glance
we exchanged,
And he said that my focus is what needs to be changed.
What’s important is family and those who are nearby.
(On that last one he actually said with a twinkly eye.)
And he said that my focus is what needs to be changed.
What’s important is family and those who are nearby.
(On that last one he actually said with a twinkly eye.)
Your weakness…it’s real. Your
limits…real too.
MS has this way of making even brilliant days blue.
He smiled as he spoke, and I knew he was right.
No more pity party moments or MS fist fights.
MS has this way of making even brilliant days blue.
He smiled as he spoke, and I knew he was right.
No more pity party moments or MS fist fights.
He spoke not a word more as he
helped me to stand.
I found myself smiling as I reached for his hand.
I sat on the couch as he gave me a nod,
He helped me to see that my thinking was flawed.
I found myself smiling as I reached for his hand.
I sat on the couch as he gave me a nod,
He helped me to see that my thinking was flawed.
Then he sprang to his sleigh, and to
his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, “You’re doing great, don’t forget,
To pause more and smile, you have nothing to fret.”
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, “You’re doing great, don’t forget,
To pause more and smile, you have nothing to fret.”
*Penelope Conway was diagnosed with
Multiple Sclerosis in November 2011. She is the author and founder of Positive
Living with MS (positivelivingwithms.com) 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 research:
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NEVER GIVE UP!
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