Hello, I am Michelle...

I have been living with MS going on 21 years now.  Although the history of my story may be a little complicated to follow, it is one that has been full of blessings every step of the way.  The purpose of my blog is to be able to share with others my MS journey both past and present.  I am praying that blogging will help hold me accountable in my daily "MS Walk".  I hope to be able to encourage others who may have just been diagnosed or others who have been on the path for some time.

I know that when I was first diagnosed, I reached out to certain groups but I found that I was in need of something that they were not able to provide. I was only 20 and just really beginning to live my adult life.  I really was in search of hope in the midst of this blow.  My life just seemed to have come to a complete halt.  I was living in Dallas, five hours away from my family when I was first "blessed" by MS.  I have to think of it this way because otherwise I would be in total state of depression all of the time.  This just allotted for my life to be changed in ways that I would have never known.  Not necessarily good or bad, just different.  I found that the MS groups I first found, yes, there were many, ended up just being a big pity party session more than encouragement.  I just kept thinking, "This is what I have to look forward to?" I quickly decided that was just not for me.  I knew that folks needed somewhere to voice their opinions and to share their struggles, but that was all that they did.  There was no hope, no one who jumped in and shared something good that came out of it.  Just one depressed situation after another.  I was playing the "Poor me" card well enough on my own.

I want this blog to be one where people can share such concerns or struggles, but I do not want it to be one that others come to and it just leaves them feeling drained, empty and hopeless.  That is not doing anyone any good.  Let's try to shine light on the good that can come out of it, and lets share ideas that might help in difficult situations.  Let's pray for each other & with each other. Life is full of ups and downs. Hey, these last few months of my MS Walk, I have had my fair share of "downs".  Lol!  I have hugged the ground more times then I care to mention.  But, boy, has it gotten my attention and I am ready to start fighting once again.  I have sat back long enough, just getting by.  I need your encouragement in my "walk" and I hope to encourage you in yours.  Let's take this first step together...