Wheelchair Recovery

Hi, !

I couldn't find any posts from our community members that have been able to recover and get out of a wheelchair, though staying fit and healthy can delay disease progression . . . sometimes.

Please keep in mind I am not a doctor, so I am in no way offering medical advice. Honestly? Some amount of your disease progression/presentation depends on things outside of your control. For example, your type of MS will impact the disease progression.

That in no way means there is nothing you can do or that you are destined to end up in a wheelchair. It's just . . . hard to predict.

I really love the MSAA (Multiple Sclerosis Association of America) https://mymsaa.org/ and NMSS (National Multiple Sclerosis Society) https://www.nationalmssociety.org/ and they often have some great resources. I wanted to share an article from the latest publication of MSAA's "The Motivator". It's all about wellness and maintaining one's health while living with MS -- https://mymsaa.org/publications/motivator/winter-spring26/cover-story-enhanced-wellness/. I know it's more of a generalized piece, but I found it fairly well written and thoughtful.

It sounds like you are doing things right, especially doing what you can to maintain and improve your muscle strength and overall physical health. I say keep that up as long as you can and adapt exercises as needed.

Again, so much depends on your form of MS. And, treating your MS can help slow disease progression. You can also experience exacerbations and relapses and you may need to use mobility aids and then be able to set aside those aids as your relapse wanes.

And let me end with this. Just because I couldn't dig up any stories along the lines of what you were looking for doesn't mean that it isn't possible to leave the wheelchair behind. Hope and determination are powerful things. So is the ongoing research into MS treatments.

I do hope we have members here that can chime in and offer you some success stories! And just know that every day you wake up and fight MS is its own success story, too!

Best, Erin, Team Member.

My first exacerbation left me unable to walk for 19 months and I also had to retrain my speech patterns for 17 months.
I dragged myself around a second floor apartment like an oversized Rhumba for about a year.
My speech therapists worked patiently and tirelessly, putting up with my doubt and self-pity tantrums (refusals to try). I am quite indebted to them. Today, I hear slight variations from proper pronunciations in only certain infrequently used words.
I had 2 lower back operations for Sciatica pain, the second time I was able to walk to the bathroom, or the kitchen for 8 months, but I would scream into a pillow from the pain. The 2nd operation worked and when I awoke in the hospital room I walked to the bathroom.A nurse rushed in as I was exiting and told me I could not do that. Her observance for the obvious was quite lacking, lol.
I have good walking abilities. I cannot run. I cannot jump more than an inch. My left foot slaps occasionally, I forget the medical term for that.
I have an abundance of gratitude. A positive mental attitude is the greatest practice of endurance I have ever achieved. I no longer think in terms of what I cannot do. I think of things I cannot do yet. I was Dx'd in March of 2006 at 40 years of age. I am now 61. I have learned there are symptoms I have to submit to, and symptoms I can physically and mentally oppose. I live with this illness, rather than suffer from it.

Yeah, way to overcome. Accepting new normals was challenging for me. I am in and out of a wheelchair every year. I live in Az and monsoon season and my legs do not play well together. I end up sitting the season on the bench(wheelchair) But… I choose to not be out- I choose to have a different perspective. My legs can’t seem to work together. They bicker about who is in charger or one doesn’t (usually the left) complains “I just took a step , do I have to take another”!?!?!
I am a self appointed old man zipper checker. Mind you I live in Az with a high population of advanced aging citizens. I am eye level to most waistlines while in my chair. The phrase “ your cows are getting out” or “shut the front door” comes out of my mouth. Every man in earshot will do the slight hand movement to check if his zipper is up. Any women near will look at their husbands knowing they at any given time could be “that guy” . Life is short , make light even in the pain.
I do loose strength after the lack of use over the season. Every year it becomes more of a challenge to regain the lost strength. I give myself grace and God builds me back up to where I need to be.

I had to have knee replacement surgery last year on my left knee. Of course, this was my weak side for the past 21 years. Up until the surgery, I was able to get by with just my cane. I discussed the surgery with my neuro. He told me that I would be able to get back to where I was currently or maybe I wouldn't. Well, that was encouraging doc.
I went ahead with the surgery. I am now one year out from the surgery and still can't get around without a walker. I've had months of PT and still can't get the strength I had before the surgery. I keep my cane propped up in a corner in my living room, mocking me, but it also encourages me to keep going. My daughter is getting married in October, and I am determined to use my cane only. Maybe I'm overthinking this. Maybe I can get the strength back I had before the surgery. Only time will tell.