An unpredictable and disabling condition -Anthony Thanasayan
- Details
- Created on Thursday, 18 December 2014 07:00
- Published Date
- Written by Anthony Thanasayan
- Category: Columnist
Multiple Sclerosis - or 'MS' in short - is a disease that most people are scared about.
That is because it is an unpredictable, and often, disabling condition of the central nervous system.
It not only disrupts the flow of
information within the brain, but also between the brain and the body -
causing the body to go haywire.
Because MS is a complex disease, every person's experience of it is different.
Some experience vision loss, problems
with balance, itching and more. Others have pain or numbness which can
lead to serious paralysis.
More women are affected by MS than men.
The first symptoms often start between
the ages of 20 and 40. Most people with MS have attacks - also called
relapses - when the condition gets noticeably worse.
They’re usually followed by times of recovery, when symptoms improve. For others, the disease just gets worse over time.
There is no cure for the condition, only
treatment on how to manage the symptoms by preventing relapses and
slowing down the effects of the disease.
Although MS is common in Western countries, it is rare in our part of the world.
An estimated one or two for every 100,000 population in Malaysia have the condition.
One Malaysian, who knows MS well, is 37-year-old Keshvinder Kaur. She hails from Subang Jaya in the state of Selangor.
"Kesh", as most of her friends call her,
knows about MS because she has the disease. She was diagnosed with it
in 2004, a decade ago.
MS changed her life drastically.
Her symptoms began first with numbness
in her legs. She also had problems in balancing herself resulting in
falls. She also had incontinence and, most of all, fatigue.
"I found myself strangely tired all the
time," Kesh told me over a chat session last week. The constant attacks
on her nerves and body made her unable to walk properly.
She had to depend on a walking aid.
Today, Kesh is in a wheelchair.
Funnily enough, Kesh pointed out, it is more of a positive thing rather than a negative.
"Somehow, I find myself to be more active and less tired compared to before. It’s all in the mind," she laughed.
Kesh said she is never happier than when she has the opportunity to be in the company of people like herself.
She did exactly that, last weekend.
Kesh attended a family day event with
some 50 persons suffering from MS, and with their caregivers tagging
along. It was held in Petaling Jaya last Saturday.
"It was not a 'typical reaction' that the 'uninitiated' would imagine at an MS gathering," explained a beaming Kesh.
"The moment anyone stepped in, they were greeted by a busy, chattering and laughing crowd.
"Everyone was moving around and
pampering themselves, meeting new faces, catching up with old ones, and
simply having a terrific time.
"For the MS patients who find themselves
stuck at home for most of the time, it was a godsend to get out of the
house for a while.
"The few of us, like me, who 'turned up'
in our wheelchairs, were delighted that the organisers had made it a
point to have the event in a wheelchair-accessible venue.
"So this was a good opportunity for us
to come together and break away from our regular routine and enjoy
ourselves!" added Kesh.
Kesh went on to point out that whilst
all the group had to do was have fun at the half-day event, which ended
up with a hearty lunch, a serious talk on health was also part of the
agenda that morning.
It was presented by a clinical psychologist, the guest speaker for the day.
"The topic was quite bizarre, and at the same time, most interesting: 'Mental Hygiene'!
"Most of us had never heard of such a
term. However, we were all impressed with how the speaker managed to
encourage us - whether disabled or able-bodied - to get rid of all the
negative thoughts in our minds.
"He then went on to inspire us to rediscover our true selves in order to realise who we really are as individuals and humans.
"At first, it was confusing. However, as
the talk progressed, we got a clearer understanding of what the speaker
was driving at - a positive mind complements a healthy body."
After the talk was when the FUN part began.
A clown showed up and soon left the kids and adults in stitches with his antics and jokes.
"The adults forgot themselves for a few
fleeting moments and ended up with balloons in their hands, beaming from
ear to ear just like the kids - including me!" said Kesh.
"We were all practising the 'good mental
hygiene' thingy by being happy and positive - and most important of
all, staying on top of MS always!" concluded Kesh.
Last Saturday's event was organised by
the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Malaysia. To find out more about MS,
please visit its Facebook page:
http://on.fb.me/1xrlHvK
The aNt
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