Hello! My name is Diana and I have MS.
I was diagnosed in 2012 at the age of 27. At this point in my life, I was engaged to be married and eagerly planning my wedding. An MS diagnosis was NOT what the doctor ordered but life has a funny way of throwing a wrench in your plans.
I would love to say that I quickly got myself together and approached MS as my new normal. Or that I was able to open up about my experience publicly, or even privately. Unfortunately, it took me years to accept the diagnosis and my new life of neurologist visits, insurance co-pays and writing songs while in the MRI machine.
Of course I had many feelings about having MS. In fact, many is an understatement. I had ALL the feelings and many times I felt I was drowning in emotion. Luckily, as a writer, I knew that writing down my feelings would help me feel better emotionally, and better understand my feelings mentally.
Below is a humorous post about journaling. Because as much as writing helped me, so did humor. And sometimes, we just have to look life in the face and laugh it off.
1. You learn that you have MS and you’re distraught.
2. You feel so many feelings that you don’t even know how you feel.
3. You get depressed.
4. You get sad.
5. You get angry.
6. You pretty much feel all the feelings.
7. But then you realize you’re ready to heal yourself.
8. You decide to listen to your friend/therapist/Twitter feed and start to journal.
9. You grab a pen and paper and write down EVERYTHING you’ve ever felt. You don’t stop. You keep writing. And writing. And writing.
10. And then when you’re down writing (and crying) you feel better. It’s magic!
11. Now you realize journaling is a part of your process AND treatment. MS has NOTHING on you!
12. You’re obsessed with releasing your feelings and are now ready to share with the world. You decide to listen to your friend/therapist/Twitter feed and join MyCounterpane.
Your world is now a brighter place because you’re empowering yourself and others.
13. You start making new friends who get you.
14. You are empowering others with your story and this empowers you!
15. You feel good. Sure, you still have MS journaling has introduced powerful perspective. helped you deal with your emotions. It feels so good.
And it is! You’re healing yourself through the story of you and that is something to celebrate.
Need more reason to journal your feelings? Read my other journaling post, Top 10 Reasons Journaling Improves Your Health, According To Science
Has journaling helped you cope with your MS? Please share your story in the comments below.
