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What has changed about you since you were diagnosed with multiple sclerosis? 

I’ll give you a few seconds to stop and truly think about it. 

Seriously. 

Stop.

Ask yourself: How am I different since I was diagnosed with MS? This isn’t a trick question, and there are no right or wrong answers. 

Among my initial personal thoughts are that I:
 

• Don’t walk as well as I used to.
• Deal with incessant daily fatigue. 
• Have less control over an often-uncontrollable bladder.
• Can’t type as well because my hands and fingers are always numb.
• Find tasks as simple as closing a resealable sandwich bag are as difficult as threading a needle while wearing mittens.  
• No longer play basketball because, well, as I previously mentioned: numb hands.
• Am living with an underlying sense of apprehension that my MS will progress.

These merely are my initial thoughts because, yes, this is an incredibly complicated and unpredictable disease. And now that I’ve offered some samples of my experiences, I will ask again: What has changed about you since you were diagnosed with MS?

This is such a wicked disease that messes with many elements of our very being. I dare say it’s something none of us wanted and would instantly give away if given the choice.

But hold on for a second. Let me ask you another question that has the potential to shift our collective thinking about what’s changed about us since we each heard the words: “You have MS.”

Why are we so quick to think of all the bad that comes in living with MS? 

Is it because none of us wanted the MS, are we instantly conditioned to let the bad outshine the good? And yes, I believe there are a lot of positive changes that have come about since I was diagnosed with this disease.

I’ll give you a few seconds to stop and truly think about it. 

Seriously. 

Stop.

Ask yourself: What has changed positively about you since you were diagnosed with MS?

Think of the new friends and connections you’ve made. The strength you’ve shown in rising above the relentless challenges. All of the accomplishments – both small and big – you’ve reached in spite of MS.

Among my initial personal thoughts are that I:
 

• Live with a greater sense of gratitude. 
• Met my wife, Jennifer, who also is living with MS, and in September we’ll celebrate our 19th wedding anniversary.
• Cowrote a book with Jennifer about our life with MS.
• Pushed myself to earn a graduate degree.
• Became an MS activist and advocate for legislation important to the MS community.
• Developed in-person and online friendships with countless people who understand what I’m going through with MS. 
• Take more time to appreciate and enjoy the simplest of life’s gifts.

This isn’t to say that everything is perfect, and life is always happy and full of sunshine and rainbows. Far from it because at the end of the day, yes, we still are living with MS.

But living with MS doesn’t mean immediately letting the darkness overpower the light. Rather, it means taking the time to change our perspectives and remind ourselves there still is good in our lives despite this disease.