My Life and MS

By Jeana Wisnesky

Jeana's Journal Page #2

Hello to everyone,

I introduced myself last month. Again, my name is Jeana Wisnesky, and I have MS. When I was first diagnosed with MS, people started treating me differently. Everyone wanted to do everything for me. It started making me mad. Afterall, I thought, "I'm not an invalid or stupid, let me do what I can, and if I need your help, I'll ask". They weren't trying to make me feel useless, but they did. I vented most of my anger out on my mom. I knew what I was doing, but was unable to stop myself. I've heard it said, that we only take our bad behavior out on the people we love. Well, I must love my mother alot, because I made her cry. That was when I realized my problems were more than I could handle by myself.
 
Whenever I was having a bad day, my dad would always say that he knew how I felt. He genuinely thought he did, but he didn't. A couple of years ago, he was diagnosed with cancer. He's been getting worse, and was recently put into a nursing home for a short 10 day stay to regain some of the strength he had lost. Dad called me on the phone crying, and told me he was sorry. I asked him what he was talking about. He said that at the nursing home, he relied on everybody for everything, and was stripped of all his pride and dignity just like they had physically stripped him of his clothes. It was truly humiliating and humbling for him. He was always a big, strong man, prideful, and very independant. No one had ever seen him naked except for his mother and my mom. Dad felt very vulnerable, alone, and scared. Now, he looks at me with understanding and respect. Never again will he mistake fatigue, for merely being tired, or running into doorway trim with my wheelchair, as being careless. Dad can now, without a doubt, say he really understands.
 
Talk to individuals like yourself who know, and feel exactly what your going through. They are the people who can most probably help you. Also, read all the literature you can, so you can learn every bit of information available. Communication and knowledge are key, because no matter how your friends and family want to understand, they can't truly unless they had or have an illness themselves.
 
I'll try to write every month and encourage everyone to communicate with each other about all diseases. Acceptance of your disease is very important for your physical and mental well-being. Remember that acceptance does not mean your surrendering. Be strong, and always stay positive, because it's a fact, that your mental status can affect your health.

Take care and until next time,

 
Bye
Jeana

You can contact Jeanna by E-mail or respond to her Blog

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