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I realise that my attitude to life may be annoying to some people. I always used to be suspicious of people who were happy all the time. They must be overcompensating, surely? Well, to be honest, yes I am.
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As some already know here, I have MS - Multiple Sclerosis. It is a neurodegenerative disease whereby your own immune system attacks the nerves in you brain primarily, but can also affect your spinal cord too. The way I explain it to people is that the insulator (myelin) which coats your wires (nerves) gets damaged, causing short circuits. The symptoms range from extreme tiredness to muscle weakness, pain, twitching muscles, it can affect your eyesight and your sleep.
I don’t suffer as badly as most with the disease. I suffer with tiredness, trouble sleeping and pain, muscle weakness and spasms, and my eyesight regularly goes on the fritz. A common symptom with MS is depression, and I suffer with this too. On occasion I have trouble walking and I am unable to go out to work. I have had MS since 1999 and the last time I worked was over ten years ago.
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The thing with multiple sclerosis is if you allow it to rule your life and get you down, it will drag you down quickly. When I was first diagnosed I felt like the world dropped from under me and I went downhill fast, unable to even get out of bed or walk. It took me a few years and a mental adjustment to literally get back on my feet. Throughout that period my marriage broke down and I divorced.
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Since then I have tried to focus on the positives in my life. I met the love of my life thirteen years ago and we have two beautiful children together. Although I can’t go out to work, I do get to spend an enormous amount of time with my family, and I see that as a blessing. As an aside, I also get to spend many hours every day on Steem and Discord, growing my network and account. The friends I lost during the first phase of my illness - yes, people are like that - are history and have been replaced by the best friends I could ever have hoped to meet.
When I am in pain, exhausted and my eyesight isn’t working properly, all it takes is a hug from my five year old daughter to perk me up. She has an uncanny ability to just know when I need a hug. Life is good and it could be so much worse. I have met people with MS who are confined to a wheelchair or are bedridden. Thankfully, I am not in their situation. If my arm one morning doesn’t function, I don’t sweat it. It will eventually return to scheduled programming. If one day I cannot walk, I look forward to the next time I can take my kids to the park with the dog. There is always a silver lining.
I don’t let things worry me nowadays. Unfortunately this bothers some people, my girlfriend included. But I have to keep a positive mental attitude, or I will sink into a deep depression making my health so much worse. And that’s no good for anybody.
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I have made Steem my second home and treasure the true friendships I have formed both on here and in the various Discord communities I frequent. Annoying chirpy GMuxx is here to stay, assisting with growing the community, helping newbies where I can and encouraging awesome content through my various curation efforts. It really does help me to help you.
Aaaagggghh! Stop scaring us with selfies of yourself dude! 😂
You may have a dodgy boat race but your positivity truly is an inspiration buddy.
Many folks in your position wouldn't have the testicular fortitude you have to carry on the way you do and those who chose to be negative for no good reason should read this post for a reality check.
As a mate I reserve the right to take the piss at any opportunity but that doesn't mean I don't have the utmost respect for your commitment to life and bravery.
I'm proud to call you a friend Muxxy.
Steem on.
Thank you dude.
Don't stop taking the piss, that's what friends do.
You're freaking hilarious!
"Aaaagggghh! Stop scaring us with selfies of yourself dude!"
Reminds me of that song by The Bangles - Just another Manic Muxxy :)
testicular fortitude... huh... notes down in book
The character of a man is not found in what happens to him, but rather in how he responds to what happens.
One of the paradoxes we encounter in life is that it often takes dark days to discover what is most valuable in this life. So good to see this affirmed in your experience and to see you stronger on the other side.
I wouldn't be the person I am today without the darkness. Thank you for your comment.
You have such a great attitude about it, and you're already seeing the bright sides of what could be a very negative thing, if you allow it to be that. Things can only be sad and depressing if you allow them to be, and it seems you have a firm hand on that. You're a role model for all of us :) Well done, and keep it up!
Thank you dude.
Very cool to be open about it and have such a great attitude, a good reminder for me to be grateful for what I do have and not what could be - perspective is so important. Chatting, radio shows (and lurking), I've always enjoyed your laid back attitude.
Thanks. The way I look at it, any of us could die tomorrow. Enjoy what you can while you can. You never know what is around the corner.
I don't find you annoying. I find you someone to admire--and envy. I wish I could learn to do what you do. I try often to remind myself that at least i'm not in a wheelchair anymore and at least i don't currently hurt with every step i take, but i sink into the darkness easily anyway, especially when happiness over an improvement in one symptom is quickly defeated by the frustrations of a new one.
don't change, Muxxy. Just keep on being an inspiration to us all. But if you do have those off days where cheery is too much for you, remember that we still want to be there for you and only retreat if it's for your own sake.
Thank you very much Bex.
Positivity can be infectious. Bring it on!
Where there is love there is life.
- Mahatma Gandhi
I learned I can be in pain without being a pain and attitude is how it happens ;-)
See I much prefer chippy people over the debbie downers...
In regards to pain and MS, 2 herbs call out to me that might benefit you.
For pain I use Ghost Pipe (Monotropa uniflora) and for rebuilding the sheath of the nerves is Lions mane (Hericium erinaceus). I encourage everyone to do their own research on just how well both of these work and the benefits of them.
Thanks for that, I will look into those.
I was so inspired by this post.. I had to make a reply in a WHOLE NEW POST !
HERE IT IS
Holy crap, the Mini-Muxx is adorable...
She is 😁
Muh Muxxy 💜
❤️
On the other hand I'm a grumpy old git :P
This, we know 😉
Thanks for sharing ... I don't find you annoying, at all. Keep doing what you do and what you need to do. Take the wins with the knocks. Spending time with your kids, at their age, is precious. Your daughter is a doll. You exemplify and extol the mannerisms and attitude that we all should try to emulate but sometimes forget in our own hustle and bustle.
Keep being the @gmuxx that we all know and rhapsodize on and on about :-) and deservingly so.
Thanks dad. 😉
Who says you're annoying? I'll kick their ass! Give them something to really whine about. ;)
😂
I have personally witnessed someone with MS fall into depression and it wasn't good for the condition on the body and made a bad situation worse very quickly, as you mentioned. Power thru my friend! Attitude is everything!
Thanks.
Thanks for sharing about your condition gmuxx!
Even after all you’ve been through your always giving back and trying to support your fellow minnows which is beautiful!
Thank you.
What a fantastic outlook on life. They say that when life chucks you lemons, don't be sour, make lemonade. That's not always easy and I've seen first hand within my family how negative feelings can spiral into depression.
Hi @gmuxx thanks for sharing your story. We sometimes have a similar thing at home where I remain optimistic in the face of adversity and V goes properly mad... My attitude doesn't help of course. But in the end we both agree that it is easier to deal with bad things when you keep a positive and upbeat approach. It doesn't mean to resign to it, but not to let anger or sadness take hold. We have ourselves made a big change recently to live a happier more fulfilling life and hope to keep on learning from people like you.
If you're interested in hearing more about our adventures follow us on @kensholife, we'll be soon posting our second entry!
Stay annoyingly happy! :)
That pretty much echoes my household. Thank you very much for your comment.
Go forth and annoy the hell out of people. :) I think that the secret to surviving life is to search long and hard for the glimmer of light in any situation and head that way. Chirp on dude :)
Informative post.good health tips here,I like your post.
Thanks#gmuxx sharing your good content.Can i resteem on your this content?.I am sure that you have made steem in your second home.I agree with you I am a new steemians and already 16days passing the steemit life but I have made my steem in second home.Really steemit is the best for me.
I thank you so much for giving a very important news
Well, I didn't know anything about your personal life beforehand and I must say I admire your attitude.
I'm... prone to meltdowns. I always feel like life is a step away from throwing everything into chaos; it always feels like the next step might very well be the last, and it's hard to handle sometimes. Staying positive and focusing on the wonderful things around us, and most of us do have some, is key to taking that step even if it feels like you can't.
Truly inspiring and eye-opening. Some people can't even get out of bed in the morning - we need to cherish every day that we can.
PD: Your daughter looks like a pocketful of sunshine. I'm glad you could rebuild your life and get things going again.