Forget the glass. Look for the silver!

To some people the glass is half empty. To others it’s half full. Then there are others who have the drive to say, “This isn’t the drink that I ordered,” and send the proverbial glass back for a new one. Which person are you? I’ve always considered myself an optimist who finds the best in the worst. Glass half full, right? The other day I poured myself a bowl of cereal and when I went to the refrigerator, I quickly discovered the milk had expired the day before that other day. Rather than thinking this unfortunate turn of events damned the next 15 hours of...

Faith in the face of MS

MS and our story are making it to the East Coast! We spent nearly 45 minutes on the telephone last Monday evening with Paul Kretchmer, producer of the WIHS Journal (104.9 FM) radio program for the Christian radio station based in Middletown, Conn. He had contacted us to follow up on the news release we recently distributed about our book, Despite MS, to Spite MS. While Jennifer and I spent most of the time with Paul discussing our experiences and perspectives with the disease we share, he asked questions that presented the opportunity to talk about one of the most...

“Come and see”

This Lenten season our church – Immanuel Lutheran Church – developed a devotional booklet where different members of the congregation wrote their individual reflections on John 1:43-51. Here is the devotional we wrote that appears for today, March 12. How convenient that this appears during National MS Awareness Week, March 12-18. We share Nathaniel’s uncertainty when he questions, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” When we both were diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, it was hard to believe anything good could ever come out of having a chronic...

To spend three coins

All I remember is standing on the basketball court one evening at the elementary school I attended across the street from my home. I was taking a break from shooting baskets, and I caught myself staring at our family’s one-story light green house. It was the last place I wanted to go. I don’t recall exactly how old I was, but I was old enough to know the realities of a life lost after earlier in the day I had seen my dad cry for the first time. My mom wept with him and, seeing them both so sad, my brother, sister and I cried too. Dad had received the call that his...

An MS caregiver’s cry – Take me

I always thought I could handle whatever MS threw at me. Numb hands and feet all the time. Tingly torso and cheeks when I’m tired. Weak left leg after I run two miles. I’ve managed all of these symptoms since I was diagnosed. But after nearly nine years it has found my weak spot, and all the trash talking I throw back at MS won’t help me on this one. All I can do is humbly ask MS to leave Jennifer alone. She’s gracefully moved forward with everything MS has thrown at her. Taking away her ability to walk and stand without help from others. Limiting use of her left...

Tearful trash talking

I’ve lived my life with MS as though we’re in a competition together. I trash talk it every day. Gotta be tough, ya know? Not that this chronic disease of the central nervous system cares what I have to say. I won’t hurt its feeling. But I talk tough so it won’t hurt mine. Still, no matter how tough I talk after I throw down and capitalize on accomplishing another goal – everything from getting out of bed in the morning to finishing another training run or organized race – I know this disease will bring me to tears at least once every other year. I cried...