12 years ago today, I was diagnosed with MS at UCLA Medical Center. The chief resident said the five words that would forever change my life, at 8:25am PST:

“I’m sorry, you have MS.”

I remember he looked rather pleased with himself. A brief disagreement between doctor and patient ensued, but I knew. I knew what he was saying was true. I remember calling my mother in Tennessee and telling her they were not going to do brain surgery. She was excited with relief until i said I have MS.

At the time, we knew very little about the disease, but I do know I never once shed a tear or asked, “Why me?” It is my belief that asking why me is a waste of time. What makes me so special that I wouldn’t get a disease like MS?

Not saying I should have gotten MS, just that I am not immune from crappy things happening to me. None of us are really.

I never really lived in a state of denial, I just decided that my new, unwanted passenger, could either make me bitter and miserable, or strengthen my resolve to continue living the best life I could.

It is not always easy, often frustrating, sometimes humiliating, but never boring living with MS. It just is what it is, and the only thing I can control, is my reaction to it.

I choose to take the late coach Pat Summit approach:

Left foot, right foot, breath, repeat.

Really? Why disability MS ms can