Earlier this evening, I had to make a speech at a benefit about living life with Multiple Sclerosis and how I came to defeat my diagnosis. I brought my wheelchair with me, as a strong opener, and I was full of nerves. I’ve talked about MS a million times and thought tonight would be no different. Boy, was I wrong. My parents didn’t make it, but when I looked in the very front of the audience, I saw 7 close friends playing cheerleaders. I made it through most of the speech very well, until the end. As I was closing my speech speaking about how life has turned around for me, I looked at the faces of my 7 friends, some of the people I know from support groups, and completely broke down.
Through overwhelming tears of happiness, I expressed to everyone how never in my life, have I been this proud of myself. I spoke how I have MS, but will never let it have me. After I was finished, the room was loud and all I remember seeing was everyone standing, clapping. Backstage, crying continued during emotional hugs and well wishes. My phone was filled with “good luck” and love messages. It then dawned on me that not only will MS never have me, I will never let anything negative have me again.
I will turn everything around for the positive.
I will leave the people that bring me down.
I will love and respect myself.
I will love and respect my friends.
I will give my life every single ounce of effort I have left in me to make it amazing.
It will be almost five years this February. All of the hospital visits, time in rehab, battling my wheelchair and learning to walk again has made any other problems so very trivial.
Like a friend said, “if you can conquer that, you can pretty much conquer anything”.
