| As an MS victim individual, I never dreamed | | | | anymore. Everything, it seemed, was now a |
| that I would be disabled. Who would, unless | | | | major task, an incredible object to be |
| they were in to nightmares? Who would ever | | | | overcome.At every turn, the same ugly |
| expect to become a burden to others, | | | | question loomed, "Should I do it myself, or |
| dependent on friends and loved ones for | | | | ask someone with legs that work to do it for |
| things that we all take for granted? Sure, | | | | me?" Tough test for an individual who has |
| these things do happen, but they would never | | | | been independent. I suspect that this feeling |
| happen to me. Right?I am certain that most of | | | | of frustration has engulfed virtually every |
| us MSers share this basic feeling, regardless | | | | person with a debilitating disease or |
| of gender. What I believe matters most are | | | | physical injury. Our response to this |
| what we do with our lives once the reality | | | | critical question is the subject of this |
| sets in. Maybe, it doesn't fully sink in for | | | | article.For slow learners, like myself, who |
| some time? It didn't for me. I was going to | | | | resist what ~ we must come to realize ~ would |
| beat this thing, bounce back, overcome the | | | | have saved other people an incredible amount |
| dread disease, in the same way I had always | | | | of frustration, this is an "Open~book" test. |
| successfully overcome obstacles, by shear | | | | Question: "Should we routinely ask others to |
| determinations: resolve, action, faith and | | | | help us?" Answer: "We should ask for help."If |
| "Will~Power!" This is a test.Well, it was | | | | our marriages and relationships survive, we |
| most frustrating to discover that my old | | | | learn to appreciate our partner's commitments |
| methods of passing the tests were largely | | | | to us ~ in ways well beyond what we might |
| ineffective in the battle to be normal again. | | | | have ever imagined that person capable of. |
| I had the resolve, just not the endless | | | | Maybe, we might wonder, if the situations |
| reservoir of energy from which I could always | | | | were reversed, would I have been so |
| draw.I would take actions, affirmative | | | | committed? I hope so, but really ~ I wonder ~ |
| actions! Some of them impulsive and not | | | | would I have been?When we fail to ask our |
| affirmed by my physicians and professionals | | | | partners or others for assistance, even when |
| who have had experience with | | | | we want to believe we can do it ourselves, we |
| "Problem~Patients," like me. I would become a | | | | put even more of a burden on the very ones we |
| test for them. I would even become their | | | | don't want to bother. Hey, they are bothered! |
| problem. Yeah, as if they didn't already have | | | | I see it is a selfish act to cause people who |
| enough tests of their own going on in their | | | | care about us to worry that we might cause |
| professional and personal lives?OK, I would | | | | injury to ourselves or to others.Perhaps, my |
| defeat this deceitful devil then with faith. | | | | limited energy could be better utilized by |
| If I haven't been as close to my Devine | | | | writing articles that will help others speed |
| Maker, I'll see is I can be reunited. | | | | up their learning curves. Huh? Is this the |
| Heb.11:1 says, "Faith is the substance of | | | | best use of my "Will~Power?"Russ Miles is the |
| things hoped for, the evidence of things not | | | | author of the novel, For Sale By Owners:FSBO. |
| yet seen." Well, I haven't any problem with | | | | |
| the hope aspect, at least. And | | | | |
| | | | Seasoned Real Estate NAR(R) Broker Disabled |
| James 2:26: "For just as the body without | | | | by Multiple Sclerosis, |
| the spirit is dead, so also faith without | | | | |
| works is dead." I am already into the works | | | | FOR SALE BY OWNERS:FSBO ISBN |
| by my taking actions. Right? If I'm not | | | | 0-595-28703-4,in trade paperback, |
| getting the desired results, perhaps I will | | | | |
| need to study further? Job 36:15: "Hard times | | | | is available by phone or |
| and trouble are God's way of getting our | | | | Internet:1-800-Authors to order direct! |
| attention!"I am not really certain I like | | | | |
| that...Increasing my frustration was the fact | | | | Very HOT-LINK Adobe e-book & hard cover |
| that the strength, I could muster, was being | | | | editions also available |
| increasingly consumed by mundane tasks | | | | |
| involving movements. Simple things, like | | | | FSBO at at Barnes and Noble and other fine |
| taking out the trash, were not so simple | | | | booksellers. |