HOW MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS HAS SAVED MY LIFE - CHOOSING HAPPINESS

Hello Friends, how are you? I know that many of you have been following me on social media and networks, and you have seen that my health has not been the best the past few days. This is MS, it can never be underestimated ... And I've been playing with it. = ( I'm here today to share good things!!! This post is to say how Multiple Sclerosis has saved my life and the good things i get from it everyday, how every day I wake up and choose to be happy, and why I do it ... And also why everyone should do the same!

For those of you who do not like to read much, please, do not start reading this, because it will be a long one. I'll start with a very special story that certainly has changed my life as well. I will let you on a little secret: I've wanted to be a journalist for the longest time, but fate did not, and I ended up becoming a lawyer. So I like to write A LOT!!! hehehe PS: I have read someone really good the past few days: "Fate was the way that God found to remain anonymous." And you know what, believe in God or not, faith is very important, especially in yourself. The Pope himself has recently stated that the Big Beng does not contradict the Bible (Thank you!!!). But anyways, let's get to work ...

In January/2014, when I was diagnosed and had my first outbreak, besides the common scare, my family and I had a psychotic episode (topic already addressed on the Blog and featured on the side colunm), which made me question many of the points in life, including happiness.

In one of the episodes (I had an identity crisis, persecution mania, panic disorder and euphoria - all handled very well by an excellent psychiatrist, to whom I owe my life), I bought a magazine that changed my life! Many women, in Brazil, must know: NOVA Magazine, Publisher of APRIL. A note from the then Director of Writing, Monica Gailewitch in the January Edition / 2014 "Happiness is a Choice", helped me pass the most difficult situation I have faced in life.

After being to many different doctors, because of all these symptoms, I did an MRI which left no doubt as to the diagnosis - and, as I said here, MS is a difficult disease to diagnose, this is done by elimination. As MS is a disease little known in Brazil, nobody in my family had no idea what we were facing, we were all very scared. I, felt relieved to have finally discovered what was torturing me for so many days, was very afraid of the future because, with so many symptoms, I thought I was doomed to live, thence forward, in a wheelchair.

Remained hospitalized for seven days, and the symptoms began to ease. Eventually, with the help of physical therapy, I recovered almost completely, leaving little physical trace of the condition (besides the fatigue, I would come to know later!).

In lucid moments of my psychotic breakout, I was too scared to never return to reality. Luckily, a friend pointed out this excellent Psychologist Psychiatrist, who managed to stop the bout with drugs (of which I never believed!!!). Unfortunately, after having been in a state of extreme euphoria for about a month, thinking at various times to be someone else (usually with realities better than mine) when I realized I had a rebound effect and ended up becoming depressed. The diagnosis of a serious chronic illness, and the cumulative work stress, lack of exercise and lack of someone to share all this with made me sink into tears, put on weight, 20lbs in two months, and isolated myself from the world.

You must be wondering what does the NOVA Magazine article has to do with this story. I'll tell you! I've always loved to read, so I chose law as a profession. When I'm not working, I love light reading, distracting me and at the same time, working other aspects of my life. Here comes NOVA Magazine. In January, when I left the hospital and went on a medical visit, I stopped at a cafe that sold magazines, when I bought the edition with the Carolina Dieckmann, brazilian actress, on the cover (left). I had no idea, but I was already in a psychotic state and in a complete state of euphoria, so many of the things I was doing did not make sense, or they were extreme. And after the outbreak, forgot about several of the things I did, among them that I had purchased this edition of NOVA.

When I was organizing some of the tests and exams I had to do and all the mess I made during this psychotic outbreak, I found the magazine, WITH SOME HIGHLIGHTS! Among them, the following:

I confess that being always reading a lot - and eventually get tired - I have never been to "dissect" the magazine, I read what interests me and stands out. But during some of my outbreaks, for some reason, I decided to read NOVA from start to finish ... and that would highlight what interested me (hahahaha go figure?!).

And reading back what was written by the Editor in Chief that month, I decided to get out of depression and choose happiness!!! This is not a simple choice, the day-to-day life is cruel, especially when dealing with a disease like Multiple Sclerosis, and my profession does not help much - it's impossible to dodge the issues being lawyer. But I decided to start making that choice to work slowly to not give up. How? I cut my hair a little, I started a good and healthy diet, started walking on the beach, I started working less, I took a trip that was planned for years, I see my friends regularly and personally, I spend more time (quality) with my family, going to the theater and most importantly, I started to look at multiple sclerosis - "Esclerosinha (Little MS)", as we usually call it - as my friend.

Because of my disease, I was forced to change a lifestyle that only harmed me, I value things that had lost their importance - particularly to people. If the disease has

done me so good, the harm it causes me, I can reveal, because I choose happiness!!! And that's what Monica, editor of Writing a note of NOVA that helped me to see. So I am very grateful. I have not yet reached all my goals, but after having a psychotic breakout I could realize that happiness is more related to the balance then the euphoria and certainly is much easier to get to the middle to the apex!

The part (highlighted) on the note that most impressed me was the following: "Now many things make sense and probably others will make more sense one day. But more than fate or karma, I believe happiness is a choice and never forget that... it's mine (yours too?) one goal for 2014."

I hope my NEW lifestyle can inspire many people to choose HAPPINESS, like I did to me, and I've been doing it daily.

And, the blog has had a huge acceptance, has gained the world (have you checked out the the English version ????). Soon, many, many new features, to begin with the Comments Box below!!! For now it is entitled to only 10 comments but we are workingon it to increase it. STAY CONNECTED!!!

SOURCE: Cynthia Macedo

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