I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1993 and have been on a disease modifying drug since 1994. The web site "www.msworld.org" requested the submission of poems. The following poem was written in response.

MS, MS

"You are MS, you are MS",
Is what the doctor said, I guess.
However, that’s not what I heard.
'Twas something else that I inferred.

"You are a mess, you are a mess".
It’s what I felt. I must confess.
This doctor’s got it right I thought.
If he’d just figure what I’ve caught.

For I’m just feeling out of sorts.
It’s why I don’t do well at sports.
It’s why I’m always falling down,
And why I always wear this frown.

But when I have some work to do,
I drive to work while seeing two.
And so I have to close one eye.
There's something wrong, I don't know why.

I used to be so full of life,
But now my life's just full of strife.
Why can’t I do the things I did,
Those years before, when just a kid.

"You have MS, you have MS",
He said it clear, I must confess.
And then at last the penny dropped.
I understood. My heart just stopped.

The doc then said, "It’s not the end.
"There are a few things we can mend.
"We’ve caught it early, so there’s hope".
I felt to me he’d tossed a rope.

"There's many more much worse than you,
"So let us see what we can do.
"There are so many meds today.
"And I’ll prescribe one if I may”.

"We’re learning new things every day,
"So don’t feel sad, and don’t feel gray".
This session was some years long gone,.
And now I feel alive and strong.

I do most of the things I did.
I can’t believe I almost hid.
It’s not the end of all I knew,
It’s just that I’ve changed what I do.

I still walk along the shore.
I walk three times a week or more.
That doctor made me think again,
That there’s much more to life than pain.

We should give thanks for what we’ve got,
And not for all those things we’ve not.
This life’s for living, don’t you see?
So come and live this life like me!