"MS and You" FACEBOOK page is here for you!

Around the same time that I began this blog, about six (6) months ago, I also set up a Facebook page, "msandyou" (for consistency, of course). The intent of the Facebook page, as well as this blog, is to inform MS patients, and others interested, of new information about MS, of local area MS functions, programs, and meetings, of MS teleconferences and webinars, and how to live better in spite of having MS. As with this blog, the MS and You Facebook page will also provide strictly positive messages, no matter who contributes them.

Since starting both this blog and the Facebook page, I've been struggling to recuperate from complications after a cervical fusion surgery (NOT related to my MS). It's been a tough road, and yes, I followed my own advise given in previous blog entries, because I know that it works! Now that I'm feeling better, I will resume the work that I had originally intended, to give encouragement to those who live with MS.

However, I have to be honest: I'm not into the whole "social media" thing. I'm trying to learn as I go and have been posting MS events and an occasional positive comment on the Facebook page. Hopefully I've done it correctly but if not, please forgive me and, I'm always open to suggestions and/or constructive criticism. Since so many people love and use Facebook daily, often multiple times per day, many can share the benefits of our Facebook page. Recently I've enlisted the help of an MS friend to help keep the Facebook page up to date. She loves Facebook, uses it daily herself, knows how it works and how to use it and, understands my mission. Between the two of us, we hope to keep you "in the loop". Take care and don't forget to smile!

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ATTITUDES matter

Our ATTITUDE can help or hurt us. When we have a bad attitude, people don't want to be around us. It can make us complainers and miserable for anyone to be around; no one likes that!  But contrary, when we have a good attitude, we smile more and, more people want to be around us.  It's as if negative or bad attitudes repel people away from us and positive attitudes attract people to us.

This is something that we, individually, need to be aware of but, have probably not given much thought to before.  Next time you're around a bunch of people, be observant: are people smiling at you?  more importantly, are YOU smiling?  If not, maybe you should be; remember that a smile is contageous!  Are people visiting and socializing with you or are you standing or sitting all by yourself?  If the latter is the case, it should be an eye-opener that could motivate you to make a change that will improve the quality of your life over the long haul.  You may not be able to change the world but, you can change YOUR world, just by changing your thoughts and attitude.

Take What You Need

What is it that you are looking for in your life to help you live the best you can with multiple sclerosis (ms)? Above are many different options that many people (even those not living with ms) look for in life. They are all positive traits, some that we can strive for, some we can get with determination and some, we can obtain with the assistance of others. 

My initial hope (I just noticed is the second one on the list above) was that this blog would provide information, experience, and encouragement to help those living with ms deal with life constructively, to live well and fully. This blog finally came to fruition at the end of last year, 2012. However, not long after it's inception, I became ill and required intensive treatments that were physically draining. I was unable to do much of anything, even turn on my computer, for three long months. For those who have read my blog from the very start and tried to stay with me, I have to say "thank you" AND "I'm sorry"! for not being able to keep up as I had intended. Although I'm not yet fully recovered, the good thing is that I am feeling a little better and am ready to get back to what I started - to work on a place for people with ms to come for encouragement. Through this blog, if I can help just one person living with ms, then it makes this endeavor worth continuing (I remember what it was like when I was newly diagnosed just over 10 years ago). As long as I am able, I will continue to write about ms with the goal of encouraging those who need it, as we all do at times.

If you find any of the above traits in this blog and they can help you live life better than please, take what you need!