A key difference between MS and Jenga? Simple.With Jenga, other players will call you out if you don’t follow the rules. You are not allowed to help each other, steadying the sway. You can’t replace removed blocks to avoid a crash.Fortunately, MS does not require people diagnosed with the disease to be alone in their battle to embrace life. How can you keep your MS tower in place? While it’s wonderful to have friends and relatives across the country who “check on me,” they may not be able to quickly reinforce my lost pieces.Whether it’s another person with MS, trusted family members or friends, I have identified local folks who will help me discover the best alternate blocks for my MS tower. When I ask for help, it’s not cheating MS. Frankly, MS doesn’t care. Maybe I can use a different supporting block.For me, it’s a list of supportive blocks. When parts of my left leg become numb and fatigue limits movement, it doesn’t mean being idle. With a cane in hand, an ankle-foot orthotic strapped to my leg and a family member’s hand holding my free one, my stance becomes steadier. The walks are shorter, sometimes just a couple blocks, but I’m moving. When I welcome a helpful and steady hand with daily routines and family obligations, it’s stabilizing. Accepting help is powerful.I believe it’s fair to adapt and replace foundational blocks. Even long-prescribed medications may need to be reviewed for their current effectiveness. Ask your medical provider if a switch would help you. Maybe a new prescription or occupational or physical therapy would now work to substitute for recent losses.People living with MS may not be stuck with their initial impediments. It has been vital for me to explore options and incorporate assistance from informed medical professionals, friends or family. Learning to ask someone to hold the tower steady and determine if a different block can be slid in for support keeps my MS from crashing.There’s no MS foul for walking with a cane or having someone show me how to use a new phone or computer. I am grateful others have discovered and shared their strategies.My MS path may have common impediments, but MS is personal. Just put 10 people with MS in a room and you’re likely to hear 12 varieties of MS. What triggers my MS impediments may be different for you. The inserted stabilizing piece may be different for you, too.
