My MS experience
And she’s feeling quite confident, stable, that she won’t fall today. So she strides along, only the occasional wobble that she easily rights. But the MS knows better. It knows that even if the pavement doesn’t have any irregularities or obvious tripping hazards, like man-holes or drainage pipes hidden under the road, it can still get her, as her foot can catch on even the regular pavement at the drop of a foot, whenever the MS wants. When she is walking along like this, confidently, seemingly sure-footedly, it strikes. She trips, over nothing, and starts to loose her balance. Arms flailing wildly, almost like she’s trying to take off, as she tries desperately to right herself, remembering how it feels to hit the ground with a thud. When it finally does happen, it means broken bones, sprained wrists and many bruises. One time a bruised face. Thank God she didn’t fall more heavily that day! She often wonders how it is, when she lives somewhere so busy like London as she does, she has managed to stay fairly intact. It’s normally just her pride that’s bruised as people around her see her fall, quite heavily, and come rushing, offering help, and first aid (many people have been trained, as has she). She accepts their offers of assistance to get up (that’s the hardest part) and tells them she needs no more assistance this time. Thank you, you’re very kind. She knows shes been lucky. But will it always be this way?
