Dear MS....caregivers need love too!
Dear MS, you don't stop with the person you inhabit. You reach quietly into the lives of those who love us, the caregiver. The one that sits in the good and exhausting times. What happens to that person when they have a mental health condition like major depressive disorder, anxiety, or bipolar disorder.
As someone w secondary progressive MS i look at that person like they are trying to stay afloat while stones keep sliding into their pockets. They want to keep swimming. But the water keeps getting deeper. Or they become the anchor while quietly carrying anchor of their own.
We often ask how MS affects the person living with the diagnosis. We rarely ask how it affects the people who love them—the caregivers who are there through the long days and even longer nights. Especially those already fighting battles no one else can see. They are part of this journey too. And their story deserves to be told.
I wanna say thank you, I see you, and even on the days I feel like a burden, your love reminds me that I am not. And for that I am forever grateful.
My heart goes out to you,
and you are 100% right. MS very rarely just impacts the person diagnosed with it. We have patient leaders in this community who do not have MS but love and care for someone with MS and their perspective has helped me be a better caregiver and a more empathetic person in general. MS can most certainly change relationships and I am impressed by the couples and families that find ways to navigate the ever changing aspects of MS and how it impacts lives and relationships in a healthy manner. Heaven knows it's not easy for anyone involved! This community exists for anyone impacted by MS and that includes our wonderful caregivers. They step in the gap and show their love and devotion day in and day out. And I appreciate you for taking the time to create an appreciation post for caregivers. Thank you!
Best, Erin, Team Member.
