Difficulties with the vertical posture come in many colors, shades, and tones for those of us on different places on the MS rainbow. When I was first diagnosed, and trying to keep my jet-set, full-time employment, my boss in Germany told me of a dear friend of his with MS. Your man had apparently had MS for years and the only way you might notice anything is that he couldn’t stand for very long at a cocktail party. If that is the “infrared” end of the MS standing spectrum, “ultraviolet” would be those who cannot stand at all. I recognize that there are many in our Life With MS Blog community who are unable to stand on their own. Please forgive if I concentrate today’s post on those who can… even with difficulty. Issues with strength, balance, tremor, weakness, numbness… (OY! I could go on) can make standing for long periods anything from tiring to nearly impossible. The longer I find myself in any position (standing, sitting, etc.) the more difficult it becomes for me to do the next thing – rising, walking, whatever… All the unintended work my brain and muscles have to go through just to keep me from swaying or falling makes me so very tired too. I’ve oft likened it to being on a boat at sea; my muscles have to work extra hard to keep me upright, which can wear on one before you know it. If vertigo enters into the picture – as all too many of you know – Forgetaboutit!!! If one of our feet or legs goes (or just stays) numb, all bets are off. Standing on line for the latest Harry Potter film or even a queue for the restroom can be painful, difficult, and downright dangerous if we don’t take precautions. Standing up to multiple sclerosis is one thing. Standing up with MS… That’s a horse of a different color. How about sharing your standing stories? Wishing you and your family the best of health. Cheers Trevis Don’t forget that you can also follow me via our Life With MS Facebook page and on Twitter
