Daily Prompt: I will overcome

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Stick

There are some things that you succumb to because basically you have no choice. I did not invite MS, it just sort of arrived. So what, it could be worse. I did not even notice that it was arriving. You get all sorts of twinges in your body, especially as you grow older, so what. Rising from a chair is one of the easiest things to do, just give yourself a push and you are standing, although perhaps you do not make it the first time. Getting out of bed? Just a sign of getting older, but you can do it. Falling down and not being able to stand again under your own power? I never was the fittest.

And so it all goes on, until one day your get a diagnosis. MS, no problem, a modern complaint. I get a walking stick, then make sure it looks good. It is after all only physical. I can still write blogs  and use the computer, cook the meals and even do the housework. I will not give up. And how is your head? No, I do not have headaches, I never really did. Of course I need glasses, but that does not mean that you suffer from MS, it means you are short sighted, or long sighted, or perhaps any sort of sighted. I can read books, I like reading: perhaps not books, but more upload them onto the Kindle.

I go for walks. How dare my MS keep me at home. I look good with my new snazzy cane and providing my walks do not take me far and only last half an hour, then I can do it. Walking is boring in any case. Just putting one foot after the other and walking on, even if the left foot does turn at an angle of 45° – ministry of silly walks? OK, perhaps one foot after the other not in a straight line, but I will not succumb. I take photos on my walks to break the boredom. Anything that comes into the range of my lens is embedded on the camera.

Sometimes I seem to be regarded as an exotic. Perhaps I should change my outside cane for something more conservative, more fitting to my age, but I will not succumb. I am me and my stick is me. Now and again you check in Internet, of all places, to see what could possibly happen. Stick, walking frame, wheelchair, electric mobile. Anything could happen. Just do not succumb, keep fighting and above all do what you want to do. Today I took a walk to the garbage container at the end of the path with a bag of light weight stuff, without my cane: I wanted to see if I can still do it. Of course I can, no problem, although compared to a year ago, no longer like it used to be and I had to stop now and again.

We all get old, sometimes this way and sometimes a different way. Thank goodness for modern electronic stuff like smartphones that fit in your pocket. you can write your shopping list on it because you tend to forget more and the hands no longer want to write. You can fit all your doctor appointment on the smartphone. It even gives you a signal to warn you that today is the day. MS, forget it, carry on as usual. I am suppose to get depressed. Me, depressed, I do not have time to get depressed, I have a blog to write.

Daisies 12.10.2017

Daily Prompt: I will overcome

29 thoughts on “Daily Prompt: I will overcome”

  1. Life is a journey isn’t it. We start off holding on to things, then rushing full speed ahead, we begin to slow some for the corners, and then as we reach our golden years we slow down and begin to hold on to things again. The reason we slow down I think is so we don’t miss anything as memories have more importance to us now. We touch and hold things more because we have learned the importance of them through loss of other things not replaced. To live is good, to enjoy living is grand. May your world be grand. Hugs

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    • That’s definitely life. I hold onto everything. Otherwise I might fall. You have described that so well. I sometimes wonder what is so golden about it all. If only we knew what we now know when we were younger, although perhaps that would not be such a good idea. We would be too careful and might have missed some of the fun. Keep well, hugs returned. We have go this far, so why not a little bit more.

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  2. You really do give me hope. Especially on a week like this one where nothing in my body seems to be working properly. It took me hours to get out of bed after many long conversations with the various pieces of me that needed coaxing and cajoling … and promises of coffee and cookies if they would be kind enough to let me become upright. I finally did it, but it was a struggle today. Gray, and it looks like rain again.

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    • Yes those getting up sessions can be very exhausting, but once you have done it you have a feeling of success. My problem is more waking up than getting up. Today I was lost in the land of dreams after lunch and slept from 1.00 p.m. until 3.00 p.m. Where there is a will there is a way. Today I am having a non-stick day, at least to a minimum.

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  3. There’s no point in giving up since, ultimately, no one will ask us and we’ll know there is no longer any point in resisting. That sounds kind of fatalistic, but I think of it as realistic. Sometimes I’m very down cast by the whole thing — not just the arthritis but other things that have happened (or were waiting to happen?) but 1) I think of my dad and all he went through and fought against with incredible courage, 2) I think of the incredible beauty of the world and how I am NOT tired of it at all and want more, 3) my dogs — Mindy who’s as messed up as me but is still happy; Dusty my sweet, loyal boy who would have been put to sleep if I hadn’t shown up when I did with the will to see he had a happy life and Bear, my young dog who, if I can’t be a decently active human for her needs to find a better bet. I’m amazed that — at this point in life — I’m really alive for the purpose of walking my dogs but what could be better? 😀

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    • I had read an article today from the Swiss society for MS and the psychological implications of having MS as sometimes I worry if I have any. You are always the last person yourself to realise it. Most of the victims seem to have heavy depressions, which I don’t have. I asked Mr. Swiss and he found I was not as depressive as others. I don’t do depression because quite honestly I don’t have the time. I think my housework is also therapy. MS must have been a fight earlier. I know of two people, your dad and my friend’s boyfriend’s dad, who both passed away too early. It seems in the long gone days MS was more life affecting than today. I have my photography, my writing and my reading books and you are never alone with a computer. Facebook and WordPress and all of them might have their reputation, but I have met many wonderful colleagues on the way and am glad to know them.

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      • I think before all the research into autoimmune disorders (thanks to HIV 😟) there were almost no treatments. My dad had some ACTH treatments when they came out to some good effect. I don’t know about depression with MS, if it’s real chemically caused depression or depression from the loss of abilities. When MS affected my dad’s ability to communicate, he became desperately depressed. He was trapped inside himself, all his ideas and his beautiful mind. Those were not the Stephen Hawking days when a computer could help. My dad had to spell out words and he used a Ouji Board—nothing mystical. Just that the alphabet was all there 😄

        I’m also grateful for social media—I’ve met nice people and reconnected with others from long ago.

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        • Depression can easily arise from the fact that there is no cure for MS, although there are many illnesses that cannot be cured. I can inject to slow down the illness and I have no great pain, just fatigue. I also count myself lucky that Switzerland has a good health system

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  4. I love your attitude, MS is going to have a very hard time slowing you down much, that is for sure. I like your walking stick, what I might do is have a spare, a really long one for who when you go trekking in the mountains. They are a good getting up again assistant. I have found out one thing about myself I do not dare go very long distances if I do I have to make many rest stops along the way. I have SM Syringomyelia in my spinal cord.We must keep our legs as strong as possible they are our only hope to keep us out of the easy chair and finally the bed. Best wishes to you and yours. Each day is as good as we make it, a tough job at times.

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    • MS is an illness with many faces. I suppose it depends on which part of the nervous system is depleted. I am perhaps one of the lucky ones as, although I must have had it for at least 30-40 years, it was not bad enough to be diagosed, but now I have it. It seems to be speeding up, or perhaps it is because I no know what to look out for. I am not very good at getting up with stick support, but can manage to give myself a pushoff and grab the stick afterwards. I have two sticks, the snazzy one and a 200% Swiss mountain climbing stick in brown with a cork handle. It very much depends on if you have the correct length: mine are adjustable. I just take each day as it comes.

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  5. I had to have another cancer-related surgery 2 weeks ago. Sometimes I allow myself a pity party, but you know what? It does not last long because I cannot allow it. There is a life to be lived. I can still do so much. Cancer, sadly, has become so common. I don’t use the word ‘hate’ but I truly ‘hate’ this disease. But, like you, I have a blog to write, photos to take and so it goes. I do love your walking stick, though! Taking each day as it comes works for me. Enjoy your walks, Pat; I love the photos you provide.

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    • There are so many illnesses which we are powerless to cure. I try to continue as always, but there are always moments when you see people of your own age being able to walk normally and you ask „why can’t I „. I know the pity party, but it’s something you keep to yourself, an internal feeling, and the next day life goes on. Sending you hugs from across the pond

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  8. You are an inspiration. Sorry that this has happened to you but I am glad you still find the joy in life and refuse to let it stop you. I don’t think I could take it as well as you do.

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    • You look at the world with other eyes. I am not alone, and my situation is manageable. Life has just slowed down a bit, but it goes on. As long as the computer is still online, so am I.

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