There is an added benefit to having a chronic illness. It lets you walk a mile in someone else's shoes. I need to walk that mile, because my husband will tell you I am a very unsympathetic person. (Other people will not tell you that. Evidently you really need to get to know me before I say things like, "My god how many times are you going to clear your throat today? Take some Claritin before I end your suffering.")
So the MS, in its infinite variety, lets me feel what it's like to suffer the ills of others. Most recently, I got to endure a young man's sex drive thanks to the pelvic muscle spasms. Those have settled down, thank God, but now I know not to expect any productive behavior from any man under thirty again.
MS and its treatments gave me some sympathy for my difficult brother. He had diabetes, asthma, and bipolar disorder.
- The IV steroids in the hospital gave me temporary diabetes and a hint of what mania is like.
- The scariest side effect of the Copaxone side effects was the post-injection asthma.
- The brain cell death from my first noticeable exacerbation kicked me in the face with depression.
So, I need to find some way that MS can give me seasonal allergies, because seriously, Gary has either harrumphed or horked every ten seconds for the last hour.
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