NAVIGATING THROUGH THE UNEXPECTED
All of us have been there. Life is happening, everything is going well, you’re in a good groove managing your health, life, hobbies, then boom! You get up in the morning and your limbs don’t function! This recently happened to me. After having a total hysterectomy in December, and recovering for almost three months, I began to feel like myself again. I began going back to the gym doing light cardio and getting back to my weight training. I’ve even been full force back in my other responsibilities as a certified marriage coach and my additional roles at my church as marriage leads and worship and arts director.
To say my life went back to busyness is an understatement. Then the unexpected happened. I woke up ready to do my usual tasks, and I began to feel pain from my hip, leg and chin. At first, I didn’t think much about it because from time to time, I’ve experienced a similar pain. I began to feel numbness and burning pain on the outer side of my thigh. This time, the pain got so bad that every time I attempted to get up and walk, I would immediately fall or stumble because my right leg wouldn’t function due to heightened MS symptoms. I began to literally drag my right leg. I was forced to use my walking cane again.
After contacting my primary doctor, I was told it was a flare up and was referred to physical therapy and anti-inflammatory drugs. Great! More unexpected pain and issues to add to my already hefty list of symptoms. I just felt defeated. Just when I thought I was good — or should I say my MS was good, here comes more. I didn’t anticipate healing post surgery leading to being faced with this. Unfortunately, the flare caused more severe fatigue for me. Although I’ve dealt with MS flares before, not one flare is the same.
As MS fighters, we are never in the know ahead of time what could and might happen to us, but we can be proactive to ensure we have what we need in the midst of unexpected health situations.
Below are a few helpful tips I’ve adapted for dealing with unforeseen health challenges:
Keep a clear and concise record of all your physician’s information. In times of uncertain health situations, this is the last thing you need to look for. Keep all the contact numbers with each physician’s name in a book in a nightstand. This is especially handy as a quick find for your support system.
Stay calm. Whenever an unexpected situation arises, your level of calm will be your help. We know as MS patients that stress is not good for us and can contribute to worsening disease progression. Although experiencing stress is our typical response to any perceived threat to our way of life. Major life events like moving, starting a new job, or having a baby can all cause stress and affect our well-being. Deep breathing has always helped me focus and release physical stress. Avoiding stress altogether can be impossible, but finding ways to respond better to stress helps us manage our condition.
Give yourself permission to feel but don’t overwhelm yourself. In my panicky moment, I made things in my body worse because of anxiety and embarrassment with having to use my walking cane again. I felt defeated. All my progress was lost. The unnecessary traumatic thoughts we think can be draining. I’m learning that it is okay to give myself permission to feel and do not overwhelm myself. Taking responsibility for the way we think and feel is key.
