Recently, a certain celebrity made appearances on shows like Oprah and Monique. His celebrity causes people to listen to his voice and his story because it is the loudest and the most seen face of multiple sclerosis. That being said, Montel doesn't speak for me nor any of my friends I am connected with in my very personal life, many on Facebook or anywhere else. I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis 18 years ago, suffered with it's effects 20 years pre diagnosis and have had to regroup and reorganize my life every step of the way to adjust to live a new and often uncomfortably different life.
WORDS AND THE WAY THEY ARE SAID HAVE MEANING....ESPECIALLY BY THOSE WHO PEOPLE LISTEN TO AND KNOW THEIR NAMES....IMPLIED OR NOT....TRUE OR NOT...
Montel Williams has during the course of his talk show and even now represents no one I know. He has on numerous occasions referenced that he is "still a contributing member of society",.....WELL, SO AM I AND EVERY OTHER PERSON I KNOW....even though we have had to rearrange life on different terms but still figure out how to survive. No, many are no longer able to work, do the type of work we used to, can't afford to go back to school, start a new business, etc, etc., etc.,......There was no driver, administrative assistant, nanny to care for my children. So what does one do when they must a life clouded by a chronic disease...they just keep trudging along until they just fall apart....at least that's my story and that of others I know.
As a matter of fact, I even bought the Live Well machine, but it had nothing to do with him, but that purchase adds to his bottom line. No problem, I still a a consumer too. We do although plagued with this illness.....spend money. I thought it was a good piece of equipment for me to use to regain or maintain aspects of my health. It really was not something I really could afford outright, but saw it on Easy Pay on QVC for 5 payments that got it to my home. The jury is still out on that one for me since we don't use it too much. I can't function on my own anymore, need to rely on my spouse to be my caretaker, cooking, cleaning, take me places. I haven't driven for a few years. All that seems to be lost though will be regained...Call me crazy...but that's my HOPE and BELIEF SYSTEM...that's one thing I have left...and will hold onto...SOMETIMES THAT'S ALL YOU'VE GOT.....
The thing is the people I actually look up to are those whose stories have truly triumphed adversity in any area of life and pushed forward in spite of it all. I couldn't cry each time I thought of the emotional toll this disease had burdened my life with. My "audience" meaning family and friends would have listened but that wouldn't have served me well since my health would have suffered more from that added self administered stress load. I couldn't cry at work everyday around my co-workers, that would have led to me being taken out by security or sent for counseling. There wasn't or isn't much space for tears even now as one still strives to push through the terrible effects of m.s. Still after so much time, interruption and devastation caused, one must be determined to manage to hold onto a vision of success and continue to fight to regain footing of their life.
Sufferers with ms need a cure, and my long term problem I will write about again concerning the angst I have with the multi-billion dollar pharmaceuticals and other industries the prey off those of us who are sick and CCSVI - Chronic Cerebrospinal Venous Intervention although a new option that is angioplasty to correct venous malformation is not being heard. Although angioplasty for CCSVI is not a cure it is the only thing that has made sense to me in all these years and thousands of others who opted to have the procedure performed mainly in the past 2 years and maybe up to 3 for others. I will post links later this week for anyone seeking further information, or let the internet be your starting point with Dr. Paolo Zamboni who pioneered the theory of CCSVI.
This post was written on a whim as my tweeting began so please overlook any errors as I just felt compelled to write tonight based upon an entry on a FB. So, thanks to my friend Keisha on Facebook who traveled with Oprah to Australia last year as one of the audience members for posting about the TWEETING tonight. Hopefully the TWEETS bring more awareness as this is coming to the close of MS AWARENESS MONTH! TBC and BE BLESSED!
