Follow Here To Purchase MS Madness

Author: Yvonne de Sousa

Publisher: SDP Publishing

ISBN-13: 978-0-9899723-6-9

e-ISBN-13: 978-0-9911597-4-1

In this story, the author was handed out, the diagnosis of an extremely debilitating disease, viz. Multiple Title: MS Madness: When Life Hands You a Lemon... Sclerosis (MS)

Dealing with a disease that “sucks”, according to the author’s physician Dr. M., would involve a choice, the proverbial glass would either be seen as “half empty” or “half full”. The author, Yvonne de Sousa, unfailingly chose the latter.

Life began to change completely for Yvonne after her diagnosis. Her sister had also been given the same diagnosis some years ago, so she had something to go on. But gradually as the unique nature of the disease began to reveal itself, the unceasing sense of fatigue, the ever present urge to urinate, the brain fog, among others, she began to realize the ruggedly uphill nature of the journey that she was to undertake.

“The aches became a regular part of my life...If it wasn’t a killer headache..my body was filled with the overall flu like aches I was becoming used to.”

As her body took its toll, there were also the obvious financial and work related repercussions. From being the one at the workplace on whom everybody relied on as a last resort, to being the one who constantly needed help,, she realized that she could not continue her service with a clear conscience, although her employer was loth to let her go.

Economic issues and collisions with bureaucratic officialdom over health insurance issues were also important matters  for Yvonne to contend with.

Most people would be daunted at the new turn of events, the loss of bodily health, financial security and the acute uncertainty in life situation. Yvonne’s reaction was

“This week’s mounting stresses were my brain and body’s way of telling me things needed to change. It was time for something new.”

After leaving her job, Yvonne channeled her energies into writing. This book is a result of her efforts in that direction. An effort in which she has documented in detail, the first year of her relationship with the MS bug, her experiments with surveys to supplement her income, going to confession and Christmas and birthday celebrations among others. It makes great reading, being spiced with a wry gallows humour as Yvonne relates the story of how she dealt with her symptoms without diminishing their severity, and how she was supported by her family and friends. She also delves into her pre MS free years to show how MS affects her life today.

The final chapter, entitled “Sucks is in the eye of the beholder” elucidates Yvonne’s final take on the MS bug, where she

“...describes some of the brilliant and incredibly helpful things I learnt in my first year of dealing with, getting to know and accepting MS.”

One gold nugget from the summary:

“MS potentially can mean the end of some things for you. But it does not have to stop you.If you dig deep down and find what truly inspires you, you can do anything you really want to…

You can still dream anything you want to...If it’s in your heart, you can do it.”

Enough said about this engaging story and the much needed wisdom that it imparts.