caution larry

Hi, I’m Kim! This site provides a little insight to my journey of being diagnosised with Remitting Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis on October 26th 2004. I review books and documentaries, post MS-related news, and share my photos.

Subscribe (RSS)

no larry

My bloglines

Archives

Current

November 2004
December 2004
January 2005
February 2005
March 2005
April 2005
May 2005
June 2005
July 2005
August 2005
September 2005
October 2005
November 2005
December 2005
January 2006
February 2006
March 2006
April 2006
May 2006
June 2006
July 2006
August 2006
September 2006
October 2006
November 2006
December 2006
January 2007
February 2007
March 2007
April 2007
May 2007
June 2007
July 2007
August 2007
September 2007
October 2007
November 2007
December 2007
January 2008
February 2008
March 2008
April 2008
May 2008
June 2008
July 2008
August 2008
September 2008
October 2008
November 2008
December 2008
January 2009
February 2009
March 2009
April 2009
May 2009
June 2009
July 2009
August 2009
September 2009
October 2009
November 2009
December 2009
January 2010
February 2010
March 2010
May 2010
June 2010
July 2010
September 2010
November 2011

 

Tuesday, March 11, 2008
If March is MS Awareness month...
 
What better way to bring MS to the lime-light than to announce it in the media? I applaud Janice Dean for using her persona on TV to highlight our disease. I believe every little bit of attention it gets helps. From her blog:

Having said that, I also think it is important being a broadcaster to be able to use the bright lights, the microphone and the written word to communicate and lead by example. I find nowadays, there hasn't been enough of that. Media has (lately) been used to show the mean and sad side of the world today. The focus has shifted to celebrities-gone-wild, and their downward spiral to presidential candidates who will do or say anything to make themselves look better than their running mates. It's depressing, and maybe one of the things that has motivated me to do better. Luckily, some of us can still use those bright lights, a microphone and my laptop for a better purpose.

So here it is - no fancy lights or flashy graphics: I have Multiple Sclerosis.

I join about 400,000 Americans that are diagnosed with this strange and scary disease every year (the MS Society says a person is diagnosed once every hour). I have been pretty open around family and friends about this since I first became aware of it 2-1/2 years ago, but I was always a fearful to let anyone else in on my deep, dark secret. You can imagine why this might terrify me to go public because of the stigma it carries and the uncertainty of how this disease may affect me in the future. It was much easier just being called "Janice Dean the Weather Machine" instead of possibly "the lady that has MS."

But I'm fine with that now. Instead of remaining silent, I would like to be a voice for those who don't have one. Maybe even give someone hope that they too can have this disease and still fulfill their dreams.