My friend Danielle was diagnosed with MS last week.
She's 26.
She's lost half her eyesight and about 25 lbs in two months. She's been getting MRIs, Catscans, bloodwork, steroid injections and has been seeing a neurologist for months, trying to figure out what the hell is wrong with her. Now they finally know. They say she has substantial nerve damage already. We kept saying "Okay, worst-case scenario is MS" and we all kept telling her there was no way it was MS. And it is. And they anticipate she has 20 years left, as MS affects women far worse, and heat induces the symptoms. She's exhausted all the time.
The guy she was seeing was cheating on her the whole time, and one night, his new girlfriend, that Danielle was completely unaware of, showed up and introduced herself. She's moving to Mississippi to be with her family and transfer with her company in two weeks. I cannot imagine what she must feel like right now.
I need to plan a party, pack her up, get her moved and try to focus on the positive all at the same time, and let me tell you, this is all so surreal.
Things like this really make you take a step back and think. Really think about the things in your life, what you're doing, what you need to be doing, what you should be grateful for, and sacrifices you should make for other people.
It really is so unfair, though. I'm going to miss her a lot. She's taught me a lot about life in the short time I've known her, and I know there is going to be a huge void without her being around all the time.
She's the drinking partner you can call up any day, anytime and she's there with bells on to go with you. She's the one you can tell all the awful things you've ever done, and not only does she laugh, she's done half of them too. She's the one who tells you to knock it the fuck off when you're being stupid or obnoxious, and she's the one who understands the power and liberation of being a young woman in their 20s. Danielle always has a positive outlook on everything, with a dash of cynicism just for humor's sake. I'll never have another friend like her, and she won't be easily forgotten when she leaves, as so many of my friends in the past have been.
In your life, you have a lot of friends. For a lot of different reasons. And you begin to understand that they come and go and they all aren't meant to last forever. I get that. And despite the fact that she's going to move and slowly deteriote even with the aid of diagnosis, I'm really not ready to let go of her as one of my best friends, but the sad reality is that we're going to lose touch. We'll promise to call and visit...but how often do people really go through with that? Life attaches it's claws and drowns you with the daily conundrums that are ever-present despite your intentions.
I guess I'm just having a hard time with the fact that I basically have two weeks left with her. It really is sad.
She's lost half her eyesight and about 25 lbs in two months. She's been getting MRIs, Catscans, bloodwork, steroid injections and has been seeing a neurologist for months, trying to figure out what the hell is wrong with her. Now they finally know. They say she has substantial nerve damage already. We kept saying "Okay, worst-case scenario is MS" and we all kept telling her there was no way it was MS. And it is. And they anticipate she has 20 years left, as MS affects women far worse, and heat induces the symptoms. She's exhausted all the time.
The guy she was seeing was cheating on her the whole time, and one night, his new girlfriend, that Danielle was completely unaware of, showed up and introduced herself. She's moving to Mississippi to be with her family and transfer with her company in two weeks. I cannot imagine what she must feel like right now.
I need to plan a party, pack her up, get her moved and try to focus on the positive all at the same time, and let me tell you, this is all so surreal.
Things like this really make you take a step back and think. Really think about the things in your life, what you're doing, what you need to be doing, what you should be grateful for, and sacrifices you should make for other people.
It really is so unfair, though. I'm going to miss her a lot. She's taught me a lot about life in the short time I've known her, and I know there is going to be a huge void without her being around all the time.
She's the drinking partner you can call up any day, anytime and she's there with bells on to go with you. She's the one you can tell all the awful things you've ever done, and not only does she laugh, she's done half of them too. She's the one who tells you to knock it the fuck off when you're being stupid or obnoxious, and she's the one who understands the power and liberation of being a young woman in their 20s. Danielle always has a positive outlook on everything, with a dash of cynicism just for humor's sake. I'll never have another friend like her, and she won't be easily forgotten when she leaves, as so many of my friends in the past have been.
In your life, you have a lot of friends. For a lot of different reasons. And you begin to understand that they come and go and they all aren't meant to last forever. I get that. And despite the fact that she's going to move and slowly deteriote even with the aid of diagnosis, I'm really not ready to let go of her as one of my best friends, but the sad reality is that we're going to lose touch. We'll promise to call and visit...but how often do people really go through with that? Life attaches it's claws and drowns you with the daily conundrums that are ever-present despite your intentions.
I guess I'm just having a hard time with the fact that I basically have two weeks left with her. It really is sad.