Friday, October 4, 2013

This is Why it's Important to Attend Support Group Meetings & Have a Support Network of Friends: Care & Treatment Doesn't End at the Doctors



M. S. Support Group Meeting and Seminars

I attend a support group meeting every month. When I was first diagnosed, I went to a meeting, and it seemed everyone was afraid to talk about the issues they were having with m.s. After going a few times, I stopped. Fast forward to this year after moving to a different state, I ran across an article in a local paper...
...about a young woman who had been diagnosed a couple of years and had started a support group in the area. I decided to attend.
In the mean time, I had met a person who had been diagnosed for 2 years, and her doctor had told her that attending a support group might not be good for her, since there was a chance of meeting people in different stages of m.s. and that it might be disheartening. I told her about how our meetings are uplifting and to attend one and decide. She did and now she is a regular.

I feel that it is important to attend support group meetings and seminars. When you go to the doctors, treatment and care don't end there. I feel it is important to have a support network of friends, family and people who understand and can help you understand and deal with the symptoms and setbacks and to just be there.

 I've always said that everyone's m.s. is theirs, and just because this person is in a wheelchair doesn't mean that's where you will be. I didn't always think this way, but after some time and encouragement from family, friends and my doctor, I know this is true.

I attended a seminar not long ago, and my doctor was there. One thing she did was to explain m.s. in stages. I had heard it all before, but it was good as a refresher, and I was reminded of some things I had forgotten. A representative was also there asking if people wanted to have a refresher training in doing their injections. I signed up for that, because I had started to abuse some areas more, and it was good to hear from a professional about the importance of doing the injections right. I have been diagnosed for 20 years, and I still learned something that day!!
Just sharing!!