Balance Point

On the day that I am asked to write this piece, it is a good day. Mom is safe, comfortable, and happy. Both she and we have made some complicated adjustments over the 21-year course of her multiple sclerosis, yet she deeply enjoys life and things are good. Her grandchildren, children, husband, and extended family are a great source of love and amusement to her. Laughter abounds.

Suddenly the next day is wracked with frustration. Mom is gripped by aphasia and can not locate the words she so desperately seeks. Dad slogs through insurance bureaucracies never achieving definitive answers to his questions. Two children are called upon to assist with Mom’s medical appointment. They help with both transportation and interpretation of the complex medical information offered. Overall, the day has been a major struggle for everyone.

How does one let the tears fall away while continuing to hold onto the joy and laughter? How does one not get swept away by emotion when circumstances are apt to change quickly and without warning? To our family these considerations have seemed the biggest challenge of a life with multiple sclerosis. In short—we must discover and maintain that ever elusive equilibrium!