"If you don't use it, you'll lose it"

Within a few years of my MS diagnosis, I met Randy at a local MS support group. He's a few years older than me and has had MS almost his entire life. He had been diagnosed with Relapsing Remitting MS when he was in the 7th grade, which quickly became Progressive MS. Throughout the years of knowing Randy, I learned that he was fortunate enough to marry but his wife left him within five (5) years as she felt life would be too difficult with his MS. It broke his heart but his faith has kept him going. Randy's favorite saying is "I have MS but it doesn't have me!" - we all need to remember this.

Something Randy said to me years ago struck me and I will never forget!  He told me, from his own personal experience that, "if you don't use it, you'll lose it". He told me how his inactivity over the years had caused his extremities to no longer function. This is something that applies to everyone but is much more critical that MS patients remember this and stay active as much as possible!

A few years ago I had a very bad MS exacerbation that caused severe pain in my feet and legs and confined me to a wheelchair. Depressed, not seeing progress, and feeling doomed to be in the chair for the rest of my life, I was like a miserable lump in a chair doing practically nothing. That was when I started hearing Randy's voice in my head every day, "if you don't use it, you'll lose it". Don't get me wrong, there were (and still are) times that I end up in bed all day because I might have done too much the day before. But, it's the multiple days of doing nothing that will do us in.

Another person in my MS support group, Anna, who is much younger than Randy, agreed with his philosophy and shared with us her similar experience. Years earlier she had been given an electric wheelchair; thankful and pleased, she sat in that chair every day. As a result, her lack of physical activity caused her to lose mobility in much of her extremities in just three (3) years. Now she cannot do anything without that wheelchair! Anna is so young and full of life, it makes it difficult to understand how easily this happened to her. Therefore, I believe that all MS patients can learn from both these two personal experiences - and I'm thankful that Randy and Anna have allowed me to share them - so that others can avoid duplicating it in their lives by remaining as active as they can.

Many years ago MS patients were told by doctors and therapist NOT to exercise, maybe do just a little stretching, nothing more. However, that philosophy has changed in recent years and MS patients are now encouraged to exercise regularly - just don't overdue it, take care not to over exert yourself. The valuable lessons we all can learn from both of these unfortunate personal experiences of these very real MS patients, (Randy and Anna) is to: keep moving, even when you're tired - which may be often - so that you don't lose mobility in your body sooner than you need to.

Note:  Earlier this year I learned personally (from experience) that water aerobics is an excellent exercise for people with MS! Walking with a cane, as I do now, I was expecting to have to hold on to the edge of the pool to avoid falling. However, in the water I could walk freely in the water without having to hold on! What a great feeling!  If you can find a good water aerobics instructor in your area, I highly encourage anyone with MS to try water aerobics!!