One thing that has always impressed me about the MSpals group is that it is run by people with MS.  As I have been working more closely with this group, I have found that my issues are better understood.  If I’m unable to focus or if I don’t have energy to put into the group, it is okay, because there is a group of people to support me that have had those days.  It makes me want to work as hard as I can for these people!  And because I know them, I know that even though they deal with the same types of issues, they work hard for us!

Knowing that a Multiple Sclerosis support organization invests more than money in the people with multiple sclerosis is very meaningful. There are a lot of organizations that provide support.  My health insurance company even assigns someone to support me with insurance issues.  The problem is that many of these people that are there to help do not truly understand what ms symptoms can do to us.

If you suffer from anxiety, mood swings, or other cognitive issues, dealing with things like filling out forms or making your way through the insurance maze can bring a frustration that may seem insurmountable.  Dealing with organizations like your bank or even the local grocer may bring its own hardships, but when you look for assistance from a multiple sclerosis organization, it may become so much more frustrating when the person you deal with can’t understand your frustrations.

Multiple Sclerosis Doesn’t Always Make Sense!

When I began my decline at my job, it was very difficult to explain to my co-workers what was happening.  None of them could understand how I could be so tired that I couldn’t do my job.  Or when I was able to be proficient previously, it didn’t make sense that I couldn’t do the same later.  Multiple sclerosis doesn’t always make sense.  It can take someone who has dealt with this first hand to understand that.

As you go through your days, if you feel like people do not understand what you go through, please remember that every one of your MSpals understand.  Everyone in this organization has been where you may be.  Everyone has experienced issues that they have felt no one understands.  Pay attention to all of the people that you deal with every day.  When the cashier looks at you oddly because you have a hard time holding onto your money, please know that it has happened to one of your MSpals too, so you aren’t alone.  If you want to talk about it, I know there is someone who has dealt with it and understands.  We are truly all in this together!