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When Living With MS How Much Planning Is Enough
We can’t prepare for every eventuality, so where do we cut it off? By Trevis GleasonFor Life With Multiple SclerosisReviewed: November 19, 2021Everyday Health BlogsFact-CheckedWhat’s in your MS preparedness kit?iStock On a recent morning walk — on the short loop that we take when either Maggie or I aren’t feeling 100 percent (it was Maggie that morning) — we were forced to stop to attend to a nosebleed. Mine, not hers. They are not uncommon for me, but also not so common that I leave the house prepared to expect them. The times we live in being as they are, each of my coats, jackets, windbreakers, Mackinaws, and anoraks have their pockets stocked with a disposable medical mask as well as a roll of bags for picking up after Maggie, a pen, and a bit of paper. It’s just a bit of preparedness that I’ve found to come in handy just about every time we venture out. On this occasion, the absorbent material of the mask served the purpose of helping to stop and then clean up after the epistaxis. After five minutes or so, we completed our loop, and I was able to clean up properly. Had I not had something to absorb the blood, I fear a shirt sleeve would have been sacrificed, and I would have looked a sight as we made our way home. I Could Have Brought More Supplies
I could have had a wad of tissues in my pocket, I suppose. But at what point do we say enough to planning for every eventuality, so we don’t look like new parents heading out for baby’s first weekend away — packing three contingency backups for everything from pacifiers to spare wheels for the buggy? There has to be a line, and I suppose everyone’s “enough” is different. I find that, particularly when packing for a few nights away, I have to do a bit of future prediction (guessing) as well as wagering the odds as I assemble my gear. Might I need the AFO (ankle-foot orthosis) brace, or will my lightweight Dictus brace be enough? Should I pack a forearm crutch, or will a walking stick suffice? Extra clothes for possible “leaks”? How many? Bandages for possible falls? You see how preparedness can easily turn to paranoia. Overpacking Saps Both Energy and Fun
Like those new parents, I suppose we become accustomed to abbreviated versions of our “potential threat analysis,” and also learn to multi-purpose some of our gear. Not a few of us have learned to MacGyver ourselves out of more than one multiple sclerosis (MS)–related situation when the unforeseen presents itself when we’re away from home. The energy spent on too much planning can both make a journey less enjoyable and wring us out with all the work that goes into readying ourselves. Budgeting energy to simply get ready for an outing is one thing we often forget to do, as we’re usually so focused on the part after we close the front door. Learning to Make Do in a Pinch Is a Valuable Skill
The mask-as-handkerchief was a reminder that I needn’t pack everything for any eventuality. Rather, I need to have something for most things. The number of times I’ve overpacked (even for a trip to the shops) has decreased over my years of living with the disease, but MS is so unpredictable that it’s hard to give up such habits. Perhaps I’ll think more in terms of multi-use when I make my decisions going forward. That Dictus, for example, can be adjusted to several levels of support. If I need more than its tightest settings — to the point that the AFO would be required — perhaps a bit of rest would be the best decision rather than pushing through. It might save a bit of room in a suitcase, and it will surely save me from doing too much or going too far. It’s something that I’ll think about from here on. Though, it must be said, a tissue or two in a pocket mightn’t be a bad idea. Wishing you and your family the best of health. Cheers, Trevis My book, Chef Interrupted, is available on Amazon. Follow me on the Life With MS Facebook page and on Twitter, and read more on Life With Multiple Sclerosis. Important: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not Everyday Health.See More NEWSLETTERS Sign up for our Multiple Sclerosis Newsletter
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