Suffering

Many years ago our friend and pastor, John North, defined as suffering in a sermon. It is always stuck with me. Suffering is getting something you don’t want and it is not getting something you want. The simplicity of it struck me and over the years I’m amazed how true it is.

I now have a debilitating and chronic illness. I appreciate everyone who acknowledges my suffering. I do not begrudge anyone of their suffering. If it is a day, a week, a month or longer all suffering is felt and not to be minimized. When I first started going to the MS support group most of the people had Primary Progressive or Secondary Progressive. There seem to be an underlying tone that people with Relapsing Remitting didn’t have it so bad. I mentioned once the worst type of MS is the one you have. All of them are bad in all of them create suffering. There is no hierarchy all of them are tough to deal with.

This same with any sickness whether be an awful day they are all hard to take. MS is considered an autoimmune disease. It’s as if the autoimmune system goes a little crazy. Due to this I’m pretty sure that is why I have been had a serious cold or flu for 10 years. I don’t miss serious cold or flu so I’ve MS gave me anything it is an appreciation of people go through those diseases. When I get a little sore throat it is usually gone the next day. Other people I know it takes two weeks for them to get out of their system.

Again suffering is getting something you don’t want!