Mother’s Death Brings Back Memories of Mysterious Disease
When I was a little girl, my mom used to get sick, crawl into bed, and stay there for days.
I can still vividly remember as a 10-year-old sitting in front of her locked door on the beautiful wood floors my dad had reclaimed from an old home being torn down in the neighborhood to make way for condos.
As a child, I did not understand her illness. But, I knew its cycle. I knew that it was unpredictable and that almost as soon as her flare-ups came, they were gone.
It didn’t get easier to understand my mother’s illness as I aged.
Doctors told her it could have been a host of things such as Lyme Disease, Lupus, or even a mental disorder. Unfortunately, the idea that stuck was that she exasperated her own illness because she was sick mentally.
It wasn’t until my mother was nearly paralyzed by her illness that she was officially diagnosed with multiple sclerosis – better known as MS.
She died in January.
[pullquote-left]“It is attacking women at a far greater rate than men.”[/pullquote-left]
Most people have heard of MS. Some may even know someone suffering from it. But most of us have no idea what it really is.
In honor of my mother, and with March being MS Awareness Month, I hope to inspire you all to learn more about this neurological disorder that affects more than 2.3 million people worldwide.
I hope to motivate you to take this message to social media, and share that despite its reach, it is unknown what causes MS, there is no cure for MS, and it is attacking women at a far greater rate than men.
If you’re looking for a great cause to donate to, check out a story on Page 46 about a former area resident who’s biking across the country to raise awareness and support for MS research.
