I've been thinking lately that I am so grateful for the dear people that take the time to read this blog. And I thought it might be worth sharing a little more about the platform God has given me to do this in the first place.
If you look to the top of the blog, you might be reminded of John 9 and the blind man. You might be reminded that for me, there is a God in heaven who saw it fit to allow me to have a disease called Multiple Sclerosis, commonly known as MS, so that "the works of God might be displayed in me."
I remember growing up that my mom had a friend with MS. I can remember the way my mom talked about MS--it made certain activities a challenge at times, her friend was encouraged to stay active, although that was at times difficult to do. I remember thinking I didn't ever want to have MS.
But that was all I knew. MS is a tricky disease. It is never the exact same for any two people. There is currently no cure.
I confess that the day I went in and was told there was a good chance I had MS the doctor told me not to look it up. "Do NOT research this on the internet," he commanded. "Go nowhere other than The National MS Society website. Nothing else is reliable."
I remember in the waiting room that I Googled it and saw the word "blindness." I remember that it took me months even to go to The National MS Society website after that. I allowed the doctors and neurologists to explain it to me. Just in the last 6 months have I begun to do more of my own, careful research.
I still know that I do not want to have MS. But the fact is that God entrusted it to me, and so I want to take the opportunity to share a little about MS in a few posts for you, dear reader. I will quote mostly from the The National MS Society as well as a wonderful little book written by the wife of the generous founder of the clinic where I am treated for my MS--a place that specializes only in Multiple Sclerosis--a place I call a miracle.
So...let's start at the very beginning...
What is Multiple Sclerosis?
From nationalmssociety.org:
"In multiple sclerosis (MS), damage to the myelin coating around the nerve fibers in the central nervous system (CNS) and to the nerve fibers themselves interferes with the transmission of nerve signals between the brain, spinal cord and the rest of the body. Disrupted nerve signals cause the symptoms of MS, which vary from one person to another and over time for any given individual, depending on where and when the damage occurs."
"Multiple sclerosis (MS) involves an immune-mediated process in which an abnormal response of the body’s immune system is directed against the central nervous system (CNS), which is made up of the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. The exact antigen — or target that the immune cells are sensitized to attack — remains unknown, which is why MS is considered by many experts to be "immune-mediated" rather than "autoimmune."
- Within the CNS, the immune system attacks myelin — the fatty substance that surrounds and insulates the nerve fibers — as well as the nerve fibers themselves.
- The damaged myelin forms scar tissue (sclerosis), which gives the disease its name.
- When any part of the myelin sheath or nerve fiber is damaged or destroyed, nerve impulses traveling to and from the brain and spinal cord are distorted or interrupted, producing a wide variety of symptoms.
- The disease is thought to be triggered in a genetically susceptible individual by a combination of one or more environmental factors.
- People with MS typically experience one of four disease courses, which can be mild, moderate or severe."
Multiple means many and sclerosis refers to the scars left on the protective coating after it has been damaged.
(from The Electrifying Story of Multiple Sclerosis)