Battle Scars
We have MS….and we have the scars to prove it.
I don’t mean the lesions from your latest MRI.
I’m talking scars.
Bumps. Bruises. Scrapes. Cuts. Burns. Marks. Abrasions. And lumps.
Unexplained owies. So many in numbers, if we asked Mom to kiss them better–by the time she finished her lips would be chapped!
My “wounds” seemingly appear out of nowhere. Like “Lee Press-On Scabs” with fake, halloween vampire blood.
My family will ask…”What did you do?” Or, “How did you do that?”
To which I have response. (“I dunno how that happened” is NOT the answer they were looking for as the blood runs down my leg.)
I’m not trying to be macho, tough or just plain stupid (I do THAT too often), but sometimes, ’cause of MS, I just don’t realize I’ve injured myself.
What do you expect when you are numb from the armpits down!
As a fellow MSer, do you know what I am saying?
Can I hear a collective…..”Will someone bring me a Band-Aid!”
Right now I am sporting more skin abrasions than a back-alley crack addict.
The other day, a kid was using a marker, drawing on me as he played “Connect-The-Scabs.”
Here is a rundown of my current batle scars. Call it a Triple-A Trip-Tic….only this one is from the Red Cross!
First off, you have already seen my left knee, pictured above.
Got that doozy kneeling on rough concrete.
Again, no feeling—no pain—no problem, right?
Next the tour takes us to My Odd Sock’s left pinky.
Injured this several years ago during a fall.
This little piggy has a big bump on the knuckle and won’t straighten as a result. (Sounds like my nose)
Yep, my finger’s as crooked as a Congressman.
Just another MS battle scar.
Next, we’ll move over to the right side of my body because I am equally talented at injuring myself on either side.
Here is one of those mystery marks on my right ankle.
Haven’t a clue how it got there.
Do you get mystery marks? I’m sure you do.
From the mystery mark, we go to the full-on boo-boo located on my right shin.
This occurred as I dragged my mannequin-esc dead leg over a bench.
It was one of those situations when, as it’s happening, you know it will not turn out well—you shouldn’t have done it to begin with–but you just hope the damage is minimal.
Well I was wrong. It looked nasty. But again, no feeling–so no pain!
I could go on to tell you about the fried egg sized bruise on my right hip…or the swollen knuckle on my middle finger–both injured in falls (NEVER wear socks on a laminate floor).
They are my MS battle scars. And I wear them not-so-proudly.
I bet you also have your own share of battle scars & mystery marks. Small ones. Big ones. Always ugly and always embarrassingly somewhere impossible to conceal.
They are an MSer’s code of honor. Our red (and slightly bloodied) badge of courage.
Just be careful, will ya. And keep the bandages handy!
4 Replies to “Battle Scars”
I’ve been married 3.5 years and after spraining my ankle last year I can barely do anything on my feet. Still, when I’m having difficulty trying to avoid falling, my wife always asks, “What are you DOING?” I angrily reply, “Having MS!” She’s been with me since I was diagnosed 4.5 years ago. She’s an RN. I don’t know how she doesn’t get it or what she expects out of me.
I tried giving myself a mani-pedi last Saturday, and I didn’t feel the clippers taking some skin off my toe! Talk about a blood bath! At least I can hide that one with shoes! Most of the ones I get now are black-and-blue marks from banging into furniture, door jambs, other people…
It’s a dangerous world out there!
Peace,
Muff
Muff,
You wear black & blue so well! It’s as though they are your colors!
Matt,
I understand completely. I really must watch my responses–almost take a deep breath before I reply to chill.
My fav is “Are you OK?” Inside, I’m screaming “No, I’m not OK, I have MS!” But instead, I pause, regroup, and say “I’m fine.”
It’s hard I know, but we must keep our wits and be calm.
Thank you for your comment!
Been there, Done that!! Maybe you need to shave your legs. I think the weight of the hair on your legs may be affecting your balance. 🙂