This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

Ten years ago, I couldn't walk because I suffered a severe MS attack that left me half paralyzed. I spent six months in recovery and therapy just to regain the ability to do everyday things like write with a pen or use a spoon to eat. I spent another year working hard to regain my mobility by practicing yoga and acupuncture.

While I was recovering, I vowed to change my life. I adopted a healthy lifestyle and diet along with a strong will to overcome this disease. I decided that when I regained my ability to walk again, I was going to spend every day living my life to the fullest. Ten years ago, my life changed forever, and for the better.

I get inspired by all the shared stories. There are great videos about survivors and supporters who participate in MS walks at http://www.iwalkbecause.org.

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mxspdracer<br />"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's own courage." ~Anais Nin<br />

If you could inspire someone with your story, please share it! They're taking submissions for that vlog program I mentioned, they extended the deadline till midnite Mon Feb 1st. Check it out... http://bit.ly/7C5gD2

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mxspdracer<br />"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's own courage." ~Anais Nin<br />

Hi, my name is Matt and I am 20 years old. I was just diagnosed with MS by the month ago my first exacerbation has been going on for about two months now. I don't have some long-term story of inspiration but I do think I can spark some hope in other newly diagnosed people.

When I first started experiencing symptoms and studying about the disease, I was scared. I thought that I would suffer for the rest my life and I began to think about all the things I've always wanted to do and how I probably would never get to do those things. "I am only 20 years old" I thought to myself, " and my life is over". But I was wrong and will probably never be more wrong in my life.

Of course these thoughts were a result of my ignorance to the disease. I'm now much more educated and know that I still have a full life ahead of me. I just started a blog, and am currently working on an article about the importance of attitude and conquering things like disease in Life. I recently took a psychology class and wrote an in depth essay about my opinion on the role of attitude. I firmly believe that your attitude will alter your overall destination in life. I am doing my best to maintain the best attitude possible.

" I may have MS but MS does not have me"

"MS does not seem to understand, I'm not stuck with MS, MS is stuck with me!" - LOL, modified one of my favorite quotes in movie history from the movie "Watchmen", got to love Rorschach!

So my overall point here is that if you were just newly diagnosed with MS don't worry, life may suck right now but you will get better, I promise you! just a couple of weeks ago I had to have someone push me around any wheelchair. This was a direct attack against my pride in my eyes, I've always been very independent and to know that I had to use a wheelchair just ate at my soul. But thanks to steroids, I am once again walking! It's not the best walking, but guess what, I don't need someone to push me in a wheelchair!

As crazy as this may sound, I am lucky to get MS when I did because there are so many medications available to us now, 10 years ago would have been a completely different story. Thanks to the disease modifying medications available to us, we can live a full life with minimal obstacles And it looks like sometime in the near future they will find a cure! I am confident they will!

Also, I want to share one bit of information that I found more motivating to me than anything else. I chose the long-term treatment Copaxone and I read that studies show people with MS who have been on Cobaxone for 10 years have an average of one exacerbation every five years, that is very promising especially when I at first thought I would be having destinations two or three times a year, obviously I have no way of knowing what my relapse patterns will be like but hearing these figures, gives me great hope for a bright future!

-Matt

http://mattsms.blogspot.com/

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http://www.mattsms.com<br />