The Curious Case of Multiple Sclerosis Part 1

MS and the aging process

How is it even possible that an illness can make you feel like a little old lady and a little girl at the same time?    It seems only multiple sclerosis has the insanity to do just that.

The old lady part isn’t surprising; I have felt older than my actual years for some time now.   It started even before my MS diagnosis with innocuous signs such as: this former party girl no longer interested in well, partying, my not being able to stay awake until the end of a movie, having trouble getting myself up when sitting on the floor, my aches, and, of course my pains.

My MS diagnosis coincided with additional signs such as; choosing to no longer sit on the floor, engrossing conversations regarding boring medical stuff, a super size portable pill container filled with a wide assortment of needed medications, a written list of all my medications tucked securely in my purse in case I need it but never in a place where I would remember it, and my extreme forgetfulness.

What were we talking about?  Oh yes, my dose of thyroid medication is much higher than your dose, dear.

MS making me feel older than I want to feel comes with the MS territory.  But recently, this illness had me feeling like a little girl as well.  It was during a road trip my dad and I were taking to visit a sick relative.  Going back to the old lady thing for a bit, my dad and I have taken a lot of road trips lately as he has (thankfully as city driving is just too much for me,) appointed himself my designated driver to all my appointments.  We have turned Driving Miss Daisy into Driving Miss Yvonne.  But at least my dad and I have a common taste in rock music to listen to along the drive- take that Morgan Freeman!

Usually half way through the drive to the big city my dad stops for coffee and while he chats with the counter girl, I slip into the ladies room.   This time however, we drove right past our regular stopping place.  I didn’t panic.  I had to go but not too badly and I was a grownup, I could hold it.

Forty-five minutes later though the city traffic was at a stop and go crawl.  I had forgotten about city traffic, old lady again. I tried to hold it, I really did.  I wasn’t five years old, this was silly.  But as the next exit approached, I broke down.  I was a child again.

I think I said, “sorry Dad, but can you take the next exit, I have to use the bathroom and don’t think I can wait til we get there.”

But it came out sounding like “Daddy, I have to go potty right NOW!  Really, really bad!”

I waited for the response my dad would give me back when I was five, “be a big girl and hold it Yvonne- we’re almost there.”

Or, “didn’t I tell you to go before we left?”

I worried that he would go back to being the dad he was at that time and just pull over expecting to me go on the side of the road.  Thankfully, the seventies were over and my dad decided maybe coffee wouldn’t be so bad after all and he took the exit.

Back on the road and listening to Elvis, the side trip to a bathroom made me think of my childhood.   Not for the first time I wondered if I had jinxed myself with an illness that made me feel older than my years.  As much as I love babies now, when I was a little girl my go to comfort doll was Mrs. Beasley (who in my family thought that giving me an old lady doll would be a good idea?)   You remember her, the grandmotherly looking doll Buffy on Family Affair dragged around.

My dad drank his coffee and started to sing to Elvis.  It again reminded me of being five when he would sing Elvis songs into a hairbrush for me as he got ready for work, making up lyrics when appropriate or when he forgot the real ones.

So, maybe the movie of this time in my life isn’t Driving Miss Daisy.  Maybe it is actually The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.   Maybe MS has just screwed up the natural order of the aging process, accelerating to elderly stage and then going back to being a kid.  Hopefully, this time I will be cuter.

 

Would anyone like to play a quick game of Candyland?  No, not on the floor, let’s use the kitchen table like the grownups do.

And then it will be time for my nap….

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

10 thoughts on “The Curious Case of Multiple Sclerosis Part 1”

  1. Only those of us with MS can laugh at such a picture and empathize at the same time. You are lucky you can be daddy’s little girl and go on this trips together. When my urges started, it was about the same time as a granddaughter was being potty trained and I felt like we were in it together.

    Thanks for sharing this –
    Laura

    Reply
    • Thank you for visiting Laura! Love aand appreciate the comment about you and your granddaughter. How old is she now? I bet she plays a mean game of Candyland!

      Reply
  2. I loved reading your story. I was only diagnosed a little over 2 months ago, but everything you’ve been describing about feeling old has been slowly progressing into me as well. I work for a place that takes care of the severe to profoundly mentally disabled adults, and all of the ladies I take care of are older than myself by quite a lot (I’m only 36) and it’s sad…if the laundry basket is under a table, I have to ask one of the 50-60 year old women I take care of to get it for me because I physically can not, and they do it as if it’s nothing. If I tried, I would just not be able to get back up for a good 5-10 minutes while I floundered on the floor like a turtle on it’s back. So glad to hear that it’s not just me.

    So, thank you so much for sharing!!

    Reply
    • Hi Lori I am so sorry to hear about your diagnosis and I hope you are handling things ok and feeling well. I know this must be a scary time for you. I have said it over and over and what helped me was using my sense of humor and reaching out to others who understand for information and support. It sounds like you are doing both and I hope it is helping.

      I am also very glad that my blog helped you smile and to understand that you are not alone in what seems like bizarre issues and symptoms. Please check back often for more smiles (hopefully) and for more validation of what you are going through.

      It sounds like your work cann be very stressful but I enjoyed the example you shared because it made me think that the residents you work with are happy to help. It is only a guess but I bet they feel empowered by helping you do a task. If so, then by your asking them for help it is a win/win situation for both of you.

      Thank you so much for visiting my blog and I am so glad it helped you. Feel free to send me a message through the contact page on the site if you would like to chat more privately. Yvonne

      Reply
  3. A motivating discussion is worth comment.
    I do think that you ought to publish more on this subject, it might not be a taboo subject but
    usually people do not speak about these topics.
    To the next! Kind regards!!

    Reply
  4. Wow, fantastic blog layout! How long have you been blogging for?
    you make blogging look easy. The overall look of your website is magnificent, as well as the content!

    Reply

Leave a Comment