tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3500936220214961312.post1994375307999091906..comments2023-10-02T04:06:53.185-04:00Comments on Brass and Ivory: Life with MS and RA: Carnival of MS Bloggers #83Lisa Emrichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10862232056342347990noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3500936220214961312.post-85603194657036236052011-03-13T13:00:30.542-04:002011-03-13T13:00:30.542-04:00Jennifer,
It is so very difficult to find a balan...Jennifer,<br /><br />It is so very difficult to find a balance between family members wanting to help (or do everything for you) and maintaining as much independence (and control) as possible. Fortunately, I have people around me who seem to be able to "read" me and my needs almost better than I can.<br /><br />Talking with other MSers who are going through similar things helps so much in dealing with these balance in life challenges. Welcome to the MS blogging community. I hope that you find many people to read and interact with. I'll be reading your blog. ;)<br /><br />ThanksLisa Emrichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10862232056342347990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3500936220214961312.post-15895687500124328282011-03-11T02:03:37.979-05:002011-03-11T02:03:37.979-05:00Oh Lisa, How I totally see myself inside all of th...Oh Lisa, How I totally see myself inside all of the words written within this blog... My husband, John, God bless him for all that he does - just doesn't understand my need to be independent as long as I can... He doesn't understand I it bothers me when he says he is sorry... For what? For me having MS? WHY? What could he have done to prevent it? Isn't all part of the human condition to contract illness, diseases or what have you? Was there something that he did to me to have cause me to contract MS? NO, it is all part of the human condition. He can not understand why I get so frustrated and aggravated at people or him when they say that they are "sorry" that I have MS... OMG, I swear IF one more person says that to me I am going to smack them across the face!!! It infuriates me when people pity me... Do not feel sorry for me, I do not feel sorry for myself!!! Why should anyone else feel sorry for me or pity me for having MS... It is only a disease, yeah a debilitating one, but still I am strong and a fighter - so do not pity me!!!<br /><br />I love my family dearly Lisa, truly I do... I appreciate everything they do for me... However, they try to do to much... Instead of letting me TRY to accomplish something or TRYING to get it done, they take it away from me... Or tell me to "Go sit down Mom, I will do it..." I know they are only trying to protect me and make my life easier, but LET ME DO FOR MYSELF... If I can't do it or I NEED HELP I will ask for it... Let me be as independent as I can for as long as I can... They worry because the MS has affected my hands and arms more so than my legs... I don't know why, but I am slowly loosing my ability to use my hands for holding things... I am afraid to use glass glasses for fear of dropping them... If I do use glass it has to have a handle, for obvious reasons... I can't stand for long periods of time - as the length of time to prepare one of MY dinners... So we have ordered a Scooter to make life more independent for me... But they do not understand why I get so frustrated when they try and take away my independence... I am MOM, I am supposed to do these things and it is hard for me to turn over the ropes... It is bad enough I have had to come to grips with the fact that I am never allowed to work again - as per doctor's orders... I am a worker - wasn't raised to sit around the house taking up space being a drain on society... At least that is how I feel as I had to apply for disability and SSI. Yes, I was able to get it... But I feel horrible about it. I don't like it! I would rather be working, not sitting on my butt at home doing nothing... This is the one thing I have not been able to get over and it is causing me a bit of depression I think... Of course it doesn't help it is winter either...<br /><br />Do others feel this way as well... Others who have had to file and receive SSI and Disability? I was fine with my diagnosis of MS, didn't phase me - I just asked where we went from there and what were my treatment options... I had already researched MS and knew what it was, so it didn't scare me... At the time, I was also a psychology major in college - a degree that never came to fruition... Not once I started getting worse... I too am blogging about my days with MS... I think it is very therapeutic and it gives us an outlet to share and help each other...<br /><br />Thanks Lisa!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16655744182404833324noreply@blogger.com