Brittany quiroz

Being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis for many can feel like a death sentence. I mean, it is generally understandable to feel like you’ve just been catapulted into a progressive state of impending doom, confusion and pain. You may start to feel like time is ticking away and you now have a huge obstacle in front of you that may prevent you from accomplishing all of your goals in life. Let’s just say you become hyper aware of time in general. At least that is how I felt during the first few months after my diagnosis of MS in 2019. I kept thinking to myself, “Who knows when I won’t be able to do the things I love, so I need to cram it all in as fast as I can.” I will tell you right now- this mindset does not work. Slowly is the best way to get to where you want to be. Baby steps. One day at a time. But how can we be so nonchalant about it when we are living with a scientifically proven progressive disease?  

If you’re anything like me and you have checked off the personality box for being stubborn, self critical and optimistically resourceful, then you are already ahead of the game in figuring out how to navigate through living with MS and still maintaining the lifestyle you want. Pity parties and self loathing will get you nowhere. No, I’m not saying don’t have an ugly cry session. Do it. Ugly cry. Play some Celine Dion in a dark room with a box of tissues and go to town. Perfect that fetal position darling. But put a timely cap on it so you don’t get stuck in the “woe is me” state of mind. If you’re unsure how to approach maintaining your personal interests and hobbies while living with MS, I truly hope I am able to motivate and encourage you to “getter done”. So how do we maintain hobbies that we love after MS Diagnosis? Sure you may have to put the Raves and Mud Runs on hold for a bit but you don’t necessarily need to say toodle-oo to all the things you love to do in life. 

I credit my knack of being an overall resourceful person to being an only child growing up. I have a Step Sister but we were so busy growing up I was typically alone most of the time. I created my own fun pretty much out of nothing. My Mother could sit me down in a corner with a rock and a cup and I would literally be entertained for hours. I found ways to enjoy my time regardless of the lack of tools or environment. Growing up my Mother and I struggled financially and we certainly didn’t have much money but somehow she always found creative innovative ways of having fun. She taught me how to be resourceful and most importantly, grateful. 

So let's get into hobbies. I myself am an avid angler. If you’re not familiar with the terminology- I love to fish and I take it very seriously. Both Saltwater and Freshwater and I’ve been doing it since I was 5 years old. I’ve fished lakes in Maine, Newhampshire and the Sierra’s in California for Bass and Trout and I’ve dropped a line off the Coast of Catalina and in Mexico’s waters for Dorado and BlueFin Tuna. After my MS diagnosis this was one of the biggest concerns I had being “How on earth with balance and mobility issues will I ever be able to stand on a boat again? Especially with a group of 50 grown men.” I loved being the only Woman on a boat of 50+ guys who thought I knew nothing about fishing. I would play it off like I was clueless and confused until I won the jackpot with a 35 lb Dorado and a 45 lb Bluefin after a 1 hour battle of strength and determination. I loved the competitiveness of the whole scene. Lines everywhere. Battling for the most active bait in the bait tank. Being the first line out when you roll up on a kelp patty. It was heaven for me. 

Is it in my best interest to put myself on a giant floating object with 50+ grown men while having balance and mobility issues? Not so much. But there’s nothing stopping me from strapping myself to the side of the boat or posting up in a deck chair instead. I tend to do more freshwater fishing now simply due to the intensity factor being significantly less but when I hear the counts for Tuna are high, you bet your Bass I’m going to look for a small boat with less capacity and ask if they accommodate people with disabilities with neck chairs and such. Or better yet, find a friend with their own boat and you now have your own private fishing experience where you can go at your own pace. My days of overnight fishing trips are definitely gone simply because you just don’t sleep on them. 

But it all comes down to this. 

Now I know not everyone reading this is going to be angler obsessed like me so here are some suggestions of generalized hobbies you may be struggling to navigate around. 

• Hiking- Look for trails that are paved or smoother to accommodate a mobility aid or rollator.
• Dancing- Who says you can’t dance sitting down? Flail those arms proud!
• Painting- If you struggle holding a paintbrush due to your fine motor skills being affected- paint with those hands! Who says you’re limited to brushes?
• Sports- Start your own team locally full of other chronic illness warriors! Meet at your neighbor park and have a blast. You’re not setting yourself up for failure by joining a group of trained and agile athletes that don’t have the limitations that you do. 
• Cooking- If you’re struggling with cognitive function like me, shoot for easy step by step cooking instructional guides or videos. Set a stool up at your kitchen counter that is on wheels so you can roll yourself around the kitchen. 
• Camping- Can’t handle sleeping on the ground? Opt for a “Glamping” trip instead or purchase a cot with a memory foam mattress for optimal sleep support and comfort. 

Now maybe I haven’t mentioned your specific hobby but my point is the same. 

And Yes, YOU CAN! I recently started a “I can’t Fund” for my 12 year old Son. He is very self critical and determined yet when he allows himself, he can enter into a very self damaging state with little confidence. So now for every time he says “I can’t” he puts one dollar into the “I can’t fund”. After a few weeks of going broke the “I can’t”s stopped all together and overall he became more confident and determined to figure it out. 

It can be really easy to give up and throw in the towel. But why should you sacrifice something you love because of a disease? You didn’t ask for MS. You didn’t cause yourself to have MS. MS for many of us have caused us to be faced with daily pain, struggles, numbness, weakness, fatigue and more. Why should it take away the things we enjoy doing in life? 

So get out there, get creative, get scrappy and make it happen. Why? Because you love it!