It’s all relative(s)

It’s all relative(s)

Even though I’m not a religious person I still enjoy Christmas festivities. The house is decorated inside and out, family are around more often, the sun is shining, the birds are singing, flowers are blooming – it’s an all around happy time of year. Some of those descriptors are not true but you get the idea it’s mostly a fun time.

One of my six kids is a Registered Nurse(RN) and works with addicts and the disadvantaged that mostly live on the streets. She has saved lives and seen lives lost. It’s a very tough job with great highs and some terrible lows. Sometimes she works outreach meaning she goes out on the streets looking for people to help. She is tough as nails and soft as butter but is comfortable and confident with being in that environment where I am most definitely not.

I have a Narcan kit in my car along with my first aid kit. My daughter taught me how to use it but I really don’t know how I’d perform in such a situation. I’d be scared and for sure my heart rate would be through the roof.

At this time of the year it’s kinda hard to think about those whom have less without thinking about how blessed I am. I’m warm, I’m home, I’m comfortable, I’m with family, I’m incredibly lucky. I deal with the daily crap that MS can muster but when I look at that big picture; there is nothing absolutely nothing for me to complain about.

I think about if I was homeless with MS I’d probably be dead by now. Access to medical personnel and medications would be difficult at best. Imagine having to do something as simple as making and showing up for a Doctors appointment. You’d have to be able to keep track of days and time and be able to get to where you need to be.

And let’s say I actually get the meds how do I store them, keep them from going bad, getting lost, or stolen. How do I find comfort on those days when MS is doing its worst. How do I get rest when I need it where do I go to find a place to just be. How do I protect myself from others in such a state.

MS does its business on me but I have support, a roof over my head, food and comfort. At this time of year I think more about those that don’t and that’s what Christmas is really about right. Not just thinking about it but doing something. What can I do to make that persons life just a little bit better, especially now.

MS is a reason to feel distraught and pessimistic about life and what lays ahead. But I don’t because I know I’m way better off even with whatever ails me. There are so many that are in far worse situations and I am able do something to help.

And as I wrote this story I could not figure out how to end it. It took me a long time trying to write this last paragraph. I wanted it to have a positive outcome without making it look like I’m a better person than I am. That is as honest as I can be. I aspire to be that person but currently I am not. I’m just an average person who has come to the conclusion I need to do more.

Ahimsa