I keep believing
my body’s capacity
for self healing reigns.
Surely keys exist
I can use to open doors
unleashing good health.
I will keep searching
despite how improbable
solutions may seem.
How we and other couples balance love, care & MS
4 weeks ago
9 comments:
What a timely poem for me Judy! As you know, I had a serious slip and fall accident. I am healing quickly and somewhat "miraculously" according to my doc . He asked me what I was doing to facilitate this rapid improvement. My answer was, "I dunno".
I didn't realise why, until I read your poem. One of the keys for me, at this time, seems to be, complete self indulgence. Being forced to lay low while not being able do all the things I once did before the accident, I went totally into myself. My days have been completely void of responsibility or stress, physically or mentally. I have been able to use my time for mediation, visualization and rest. I really think , at the end of the day, I let go of everything, so I could tend my soul. Within my soul, there is happiness. And that, I truly believe is what has afforded me this speedy recovery.
This may sound goofy, but when stripped of the mundane, and not being focused on what we have been led to believe is crucial, despite the physical pain, I recognized and encountered happiness…from within.
Another factor in my recovery is, I have been blessed with a wonderful Hubber, he has taken good care of me, and encouraged me to “just be”, while he has taken command of the day to day stuff. And my “girls” (Sweet Pea and Beep), have been instrumental in my healing process. The love, and laughter we share, is surely better than any medicine that the doctors can prescribe.
Once again I will be sharing one of your poems with my MS self-help group.
thank you, I love reading each day.
Self-healing does exist! I watch my lesion-riddled body cope with illnesses and see that I bounce back quickly! On the other hand, I have to really, really, really persevere in believing that my MS symptoms will heal also. Each time I read an article about reversing the effects of this blasted disease, I buy into the Kool Aid position. So far, nothing has resulted, but I keep going forward.
Peace,
Muff
HI JUDY - I so admire your faith and determination. It mirrors my hopes most days. I believe this disease has a force in-of-its-self! I also believe that I do, as well. The forces battle - some days I win, some days the disease wins. I guess the key is to keep battling. And your strength and poems helps me to do just that. "Thank you"
Love Gailpeace.....
You so are in line with several Springsteen songs that help Jennifer and me through MS! "Jackson Cage" and "Trapped" (a Jimmy Cliff song which Springsteen sang), both speak of finding keys to solve problems.
From "Jackson Cage" (my anthem, in which "Jackson Cage is a euphemism for MS):
"Just waiting to see some sun
Never knowing if that day will ever come
Left alone standing out on the street
Till you become the hand that turns the key down in
Jackson Cage ..."
And from "Trapped" (Jennifer's anthem which is like her ode to MS):
"Seems like I'm caught up in your trap again
Seems like I'll be wearing the same old chains
Good will conquer evil and the truth will set me free
And I know someday I will find the key
I know somewhere I will find the key ..."
You truly have a gift, Judy. And thank you for sharing it to help us all find that seemingly ever elusive key. Dan
I agree with Karen...when I have to rest...it seems that I bounce back. I think the body does self heal to a degree
Hello, i loved the poem as well. I'm holding a seminar on MS in los angeles April 14th on alternative natural treatments to cure MS . I was diagnosed years ago and have never had another symptom or relapse. my name is tracy and i can be reached at chiroii@yahoo.com or 310-461-5084.
God Bless you
Judy, this is why I often refer to my brain and body and me, all as individual entities. I FEEL them doing their own thing. Hey, I saw a comment from you about my Best MS Blogs, but I think I can't release it---blog drama at my place again, any way I wanted to say I am happy to hear you are going to compile a list---there are so many now and I just scartched the surface. Peace my poet, Diane
I have had MS since I was 23; am now, several decades older. I have lived through long periods of remission when I thought, aha, I kicked this sucker in the behind. Alas, said sucker met me again around the corner. It turns out the disease is still active even when you can’t see external manifestation. During all the years of having MS, though, I have kept trying to improve my situation; indeed, trying so many things, I lost count. Though impossible to prove, I believe my MS is better than it would have been, absent the measures I took involving diet, supplementation, exercise, mental health, spirituality, et al. Indeed, my current neurologist, also a researcher, marvels at how “well” I have done. Instead of pushing medical intervention, he says, “Keep doing what you’re doing!”
So, what have I done? Beyond what’s mentioned above, the one thing that is a constant has been a willingness to keep searching for the, perhaps only metaphorical, key which will open doors. I have lived through enough fashions of how MS is defined and treated that I maintain a healthy [sic] skepticism of what constitutes accepted truths. There is enough doubt about what MS is, what its causes are, and how to treat it that I found the best thing to do is to act responsibly, keep an open mind, and keep searching for the key(s) that will unleash good health. I constantly read about current research, but I also allow myself to be receptive to whatever ideas I find, whatever their source, however humble or unlikely. I have found that, often, though the idea might not be entirey right for me, it might have some kernel I can apply to my situation. In other words, I remain receptive to learning. I also, deep down, believe there is a solution. We may not yet know or understand it, but it exists. This attitude is important because it feeds a posture of seeking, of never giving up, of feeling that I have some say in the matter; especially, since MS tries its damndest to wrest control.
Are there moments when I feel less than confident about my outlook and my actions on this path? Oh my, the better question might be, when am I not concerned? But, through it all, I strive to retain or, if necessary, regain the openness mentioned above. If not, I would face, not just the reality of the disease, but also the consequences of surrender. And, that would mean a loss of hope. I refuse to live without hope.
Karen, you confirm that our doctors, well intentioned though they may be, have only partial knowledge. Indeed, we have to be full participants in creating our own reality with respect to this disease. I am thrilled that you are exceeding their expectations. And, you’re right, we must go within to find solutions as well. And, finally, having a great support network is so important. Mine is not especially great so I know the importance, first hand.
Brenda, thank you for honoring my poem. Too bad I can’t just drive down the road and join you!
Muff, it can get discouraging. Your MS is so more advanced than mine, and I would never minimize the difficulty of keeping hope alive. But we keep trudging forward as best we can.
Gail, yes, two forces, sometimes in opposition, but we try to align them as best we can for the greater good. Your wisdom helps me with that.
Dan and Jennifer, what can I say about being included in the company of the Boss, except that I am profoundly honored. And those songs express precisely what I’m talking about! Thank you for thinking as highly as you do about my humble efforts at expression. Really, they are a cry from the heart, and that they touch someone else’s heart and spirit just makes it all the more powerful for me.
Kim, I think we have no idea just how powerful our bodies can be.
Tracy, good luck with your seminar and with your life.
Diane, with Google discontinuing Google Reader, I am not sure what else they might do, and I don’t want to lose contact with my peeps!
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