Such a sad day

[Racenut20]

Last night late I received a call from my son in Missouri telling me of the Doctors diagnosis that my young daughter in law has MS. After having just watched the West Wing episodes in the past week where they delt with the President having MS, it was spooky. Like as he described the symptoms to me I knew what he was going to say.

So today, we need to go to that "spiritual place" on the Gulf and think about it. My job is up, I am 4 months from retirement, my lease is up in a month.... I hate decisions. The business ones always came naturally to me. The personal ones have always been difficult.

[LittleApple81]

1. I am so sorry. I have one of my best friends who suffers from MS.

She has had very impressive success with "natural" treatments. She has had MS for at least 18 years... the drugs were affecting her health so badly, she decided to stop them and go for exercise, swimming, massage (Vietnamese massage, which I had never heard of). She was able to move from using a wheelchair most of the time to just occasionally.
I hope you can find good alternatives and wish you the best.

[mike_c]

2. damn, that's tough....

Sounds like you're approaching it well, though-- step outside the day-to-day and find some inner quiet for reflection and decision making. Best wishes for your family and especially for your daughter-in-law. Sharing the burden can make it a bit easier to bear.

[MsUSA]

3. I'm so sorry......

*hugs*

[GreenPartyVoter]

4. I am so sorry to hear this. *hugs*

[ProfessorGAC]

5. Don't Despair!

I have MS. It's a manageable illness. Symptoms come and go, and some days are pretty tough! But, there are good days and good weeks, and that's true for 99.99% of us. I've head it for 9+ years, and i still work, still travel for my job, still play golf, still take care of my own yard, walk my dog, etc.

It'd be easier to not have it, sure! But, it's manageable.

I'm on Betaseron which is a mechanism blocker. It has worked terrifically for me.

Don't give up hope, and don't let your son or DiL give up either. It's the worst thing that could happen for her. Hope and desire to go on is the best medicine for this illness.

I know. Trust me on this.
The Professor

[upperleftedge]

9. Everyday has sadness and joy.

I have a dear old friend who has had MS for over a decade. Since he is a chemist his doctors let him us himself to experiment on various treatments. Now, don't get all weird on me about this, but he says the most useful drug he has found is pot. He has to use a chair to get around but the last time I saw him he was standing up dancing his heart out to a local band. He was having more fun than anyone there. His smile filled the room. It is sad that we take life for granted. There is a special joy we feel when we know that life won't last forever. We love the moments we have all that much more.

Be gentle with yourself.

[Hamlette]

6. there are some good books out there

in case you want to read about MS. It can sometimes plateau for years. A dear friend was diagnosed with MS in 1978 and has not gotten significantly worse in all these years. She was even able to purchase life insurance. (She was pretty psyched that day. Insurance required she not have progressed for 15 years.)

I have friends who have not fared as well too but there is some hope.

[ProfessorGAC]

8. That's A Weird Insurance Company

The death rate directly attributable to MS is virtually zero. There is no statistically significant difference between the life span of MS patients and those without. So, why an insurance company would withhold a policy due to MS is a mystery.

I have had no such issues with insurance of any kind, even health insurance. I've had it less than 10 years.
The Professor

[Boomer]

7. Don't assume the worst

The expression of MS can be very different from person to person, not to mention over time, so there's always a chance that your daughter-in-law can continue her life without significant loss of quality.

My partner has MS, and ten years ago she needed braces to walk more than a block. These days, however, she's in spontaneous remission and can make me tired just *watching* her tackle projects around the house.

One of the keys to managing MS is to avoid stress -- both physical and emotional. This doesn't mean become an invalid, but it does mean learning to recognize when your body needs to rest.

--Boomer

[Rainbowreflect]

10. I am sorry to here about your D-I-L's MS.

My brother was diagnosis with MS about 8 years age. He has been staying very healthy through diet, exercise and a great doctor.
He runs at least 4 marathons a year.
I hope she has a great, open minded doctor like my brother.
:grouphug:

[TexasSissy]

11. Rough times ahead. I'm sorry your daughter got this disease.