When Making Plans Is Impossible

“No offense, Mom, but you used to be fun before you had MS,” declared my daughter Sophie when we went to the local mall recently. Before my diagnosis, my daughters and I would spend hours browsing through the stores there, but this time, we were only able to visit four stores before my body said it was time to leave. My other daughter told me she missed playing tennis and swimming at the local pools with me. These are just a few things that I took for granted. Never did I imagine not being able to do these activities at the age of 41.

What has MS taught me? That you really don’t know what tomorrow holds. I do not know how I will feel day to day. One day I will feel like going to the grocery store, the next day I won’t even be able to leave my house. One day I will be in bed by 6:00 p.m., the next I’ll be able to stay up until 10:00.

This has been a hard lesson for my family and me. They want me to be able to do the things we have always done. I hear it in their words and see it in their disappointed faces when our plans get canceled. The one constant that both caregivers and patients have during times like these is God’s love. My plans might have to change from day to day, but his love is unfailing.