Sorry about you not knowing how to get in touch with me! You can always send a message through Facebook (since we're friends). I'd give you my e-mail address, but since this is a rather public forum, I'll forgo that and just tell you that it's listed on my facebook account.
As per your questions: My mom was initially diagnosed in 1985 with relapsing-remitting MS. About 10 years ago, she starting having difficulty with balancing and walking and after a battery of tests, the doctors diagnosed her with secondary progressive. Currently, she's in a wheelchair most of the time because it's too painful for her to walk. Her major problems are spasticity (muscle cramps) and muscle atrophy. She has other problems too which, again, I won't list because this is a public forum.
I struggle hard core with my mother. Anyone who is close to me will tell you what a huge battle it is for me (just check out my latest LJ post to get a taste). My struggle boils down to this: She needs me because she needs (essentially) 24 hr care. I am selfish and cold and an awful, horrible daughter and want to get on with my life, so I don't want to make her my existence. I want to move to frickin' Chicago for crying out loud (500 miles away) just so I can escape. While I was in counceling last Fall, this is an issue that my therapist and I worked on pretty frequently. I'm angry with her a lot because she can't do simple things like go to the mall or get into my apartment without it being a huge production, but it's not her fault, it's the disease so, again, I feel like a shithead. In short, it sucks, and I hate every second of it.
I hope that little tirade wasn't too depressing for you. I love my mom. She is my rock. But the disease makes life really hard and I'm sorry to hear that another has to go through it. I'm happy to talk (or rant) any time.
Sorry about you not knowing how to get in touch with me! You can always send a message through Facebook (since we're friends). I'd give you my e-mail address, but since this is a rather public forum, I'll forgo that and just tell you that it's listed on my facebook account.
As per your questions: My mom was initially diagnosed in 1985 with relapsing-remitting MS. About 10 years ago, she starting having difficulty with balancing and walking and after a battery of tests, the doctors diagnosed her with secondary progressive. Currently, she's in a wheelchair most of the time because it's too painful for her to walk. Her major problems are spasticity (muscle cramps) and muscle atrophy. She has other problems too which, again, I won't list because this is a public forum.
I struggle hard core with my mother. Anyone who is close to me will tell you what a huge battle it is for me (just check out my latest LJ post to get a taste). My struggle boils down to this: She needs me because she needs (essentially) 24 hr care. I am selfish and cold and an awful, horrible daughter and want to get on with my life, so I don't want to make her my existence. I want to move to frickin' Chicago for crying out loud (500 miles away) just so I can escape. While I was in counceling last Fall, this is an issue that my therapist and I worked on pretty frequently. I'm angry with her a lot because she can't do simple things like go to the mall or get into my apartment without it being a huge production, but it's not her fault, it's the disease so, again, I feel like a shithead. In short, it sucks, and I hate every second of it.
I hope that little tirade wasn't too depressing for you. I love my mom. She is my rock. But the disease makes life really hard and I'm sorry to hear that another has to go through it. I'm happy to talk (or rant) any time.
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