This is so follow up or maybe part 2 of yesterday’s post. I’ve listen to many people and read many blogs that discuss the need for assistance devices and how they “aren’t ready”. A huge part of the progression of multiple sclerosis chips away at your personal independence. It’s a stage of the disease that affects the ego and the perception of normal or healthy. It’s when we start to look different from everyone else. When we can’t hide the progression anymore or we need something to help us walk, move, function in the day to day life. It’s when we know we need the help but are still too embarrassed to use the device; cane, rollator, walker or wheelchair.

People have an image of themselves. Pretty, handsome, fat, skinny, tall, short, ugly, awkward, etc. we look in the mirror each day trying to justify what is looking back at us. Everyone has flaws they want to change in their appearance that’s how the ego mind works. Fine I’m not here to give the lesson on my reading of A Course in Miracles, but I will say we are all created perfect. However it’s the ego mind that compares us to everyone around us. That’s how we even determine our flaws. That girl is prettier than me, she must be happier. That person is thin she never has to worry about gaining weight…we’ve all done it. Now we add a rollator into the mix and our mind instantly makes us feel worse. We feel uncomfortable that we are being looked and judged. We become embarrassed. However that rollator or walker or wheelchair is what keeps us safe, gives us independence. However until we feel that ease that the device has brought to our life as opposed to the difficulty without it, we fight it.  We have to mentally prepare ourselves to use such devices. This happens at each stage as the device changes from a cane to a walker from walker to a wheelchair etc. Each stage, each it’s on mental process. However we all get there eventually and do what ends up being the best thing and get over the embarrassment. I have learned we all through a similar process. However in the end the results are also the same, the device gives us a sense of relief and freedom we were losing. Will we still fight each time? Yes but we will eventually accept too.