Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Support Group

You are definately not an alien, none of us are even though we may feel like it when others dont understand us.
I dont explain ms to many people as they never seem to "get it", my family are useless & think I am a hypochondriac ect. I have a very wonderful husband who understands & supports me.
I have found that there are only a few close friends that I explain anything too. I have given them all a pamphlet from the ms society (you can print it from websites too) with the basics, explaining how the messages dont get through & it can affect different ways ect. This is really the extent that most of them can handle. I have found.
Some people (including family) just dont want to know as it is not about them.
Sorry if I have rambled. You have come to the right place here too, people will understand you & you will find others that have been through what you have or similar too.

I totally understand,,,, My mother in law did not even believe that I had MS. My husband and children and one best friend understand what I am going thru, evreryone else just looks at you with ( deer in the headlight) look, ya know co workers and other friends. The ones who really know are US/people with MS. We can honestly say " I know how you feel" cuz we do. Good thing about this website is that everyone here is so understanding and truly care about each other. You take care of yourself.

Hi AusSue,

Thanks for the reply. Sorry I was moaning.

My lovely husband is my carer and he understands and supports me along with my married children.

Like you I realised long ago that I had to give people something in their hands to read. I wrote out a letter explaining my life with MS. I also included a medical explanation of what MS is all about. I only give these to people who keep on asking me for explanations . I think they read the articles because they genuinely want to understand but some have known me for a long time . ..but I think you are right they just don't "get it".... So glad I found DS. .

Thanks again for replying and here is something you should tell those who think you are a hypochondriac. Please tell them that hypochondriac's are only wrapped up in themselves, but the fact that you take time out toreply to letters like mine shows that you care for others. You take care.

Thanks Pj22. You also take care

It certainly feels like it some days! :)

I am not but I think my in-laws are! *thunder of laughter*

Best wishes to you, I hope you find laughter in the absurd it sure is better than being sad..in my humble opinion.

Wishing you much happiness,
EP

as they say, if you don't have it, you don't get it - period.

My apologies Alexana. I was just trying to make a joke.
My in-laws at different points have told me I need to apologize to them because "look" their son/my hubby he has no symptoms.
(me) because you know if you don't see any symptoms he must not have any. If they had even read one book on MS they would know that there are MANY symptoms that you can NOT & does have some of these.
I am thinking if I am helping him and doing things like making jokes after he has an accident in bed on me. Clean the bed and have him tell me this is part of why we have such a good marriage because I can make him laugh after such an event that I do get it a little. Yup but to my in-laws I need to apologize to them because he has no symptoms.

I guess I just didn't want to write all that.....but maybe I don't understand anything at all because I myself do not have MS.

You are right, the ones with MS are the only ones that truely understand what we are going through. My family understands that I have MS, but they really do not know how I feel. They give me trouble all the time when I fall or when I trip, but I really can not help it. I know that I have limitations, and I am finding them out, but they do not give me a chance to learn them. Just to put this out there, I wish that people would stop staring at me because I walk weird or asking why I limp. I hate that!

It is so true that we as people with MS, no others can really understand what we are talking about. Normal people who do not have anything wrong with them can undertand how hard it is for us. We can talk about it until we turn blue, but no one understands the challlenges we go through everyday.