MS = Multiple Sclerosis
A few weeks ago a friend of mine sent me a box of T-shirts left over from last years Bike MS.
She asked me to make them into journals for her to raffle off at this years ride.
She has an MS connection.
Here’s her story…………
“My dad was first diagnosed when I was 3-4 years old. I didn’t know what that meant and my folks explained it but there was no worry, no urgency in their voice, just this is what’s happening and what we need to do. I grew up with my dad having good days and bad days, strong days and weak days. He was first put on a medication called betaciron (undoubtedly I spelled that wrong) where he had to give himself injections in his stomach. That was always fun to explain to my friends I’d have over “what’s your dad doing??? Doesn’t he know needles are bad????” (we were in D.A.R.E. at the time). But after a while, it seemed my friends started to understand and absorbed it into their daily lives.
My dads absent-remitting MS was held at bay for years, with his occasional MS attack that left him short of crippled for weeks. One particular attack had done long term, permanent damage and after the attack he had to use a cain to walk. Ever see your stone cold, stoic grandpa cry because his oldest son was slowly becoming disabled? I have. But still, we got through it. It was normal, every day life for us. But things continued to slowly get worse and the dam holding his MS and our family together threatened to break…
After being terminated from several jobs because his MS flare ups prevented him from doing or going to his job, he had finally accepted the fact that he was disabled and needed to start the long, painful process of applying, fighting for, and getting his federal disability. By this time we’d been in and out of welfare, barely scraping by. I was in high school then. Since my mom could not work (chronic back and heart problems) and my dad couldn’t, even if he wanted to (when applying for disability, you can’t work) I thought I’d get a job. I started working for DQ and that’s a terrible story in itself.
But with my trying to finish school, applying for college, I couldn’t work enough hours to cover our bills and rent. In late March of 2006, my parents were officially homeless. I moved in with some co-workers until I graduated. I was accepted at Alaska Pacific University for Marine Biology. However, getting together the money to go was as difficult as paying rent…
Luckily, I had applied for a few scholarships, one being from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society for $1,500 a semester. Wasn’t much, but it was a start.
I reluctantly left for college, knowing deep down that this is what my parents wanted and needed. I had been in Alaska a month when the APU financial aid office informed me that my scholarship from the MS Society had not been applied, they never received it. I called up the Greater Northwest Chapter of the MS Society and asked what had happened. “I haven’t received my scholarship from the society and it’s been a month since classes had started…” Kristin from the society replied “we tried to mail it but it was returned to us” “where’d you mail it to?” “your home address of course…” that’s was the first time since being in college I had to admit my folks were homeless and I had no home address. I explained to Kristin what had happened and was happening now. The only reason she believed me? She didn’t think someone would make that up. After that the MS Society stepped in.
When it felt like no one else even cared, the MS Society fed my family, helped put a roof over our heads and helped keep the power on all while putting me through school.
That’s why I volunteer for the MS Society, why I now work for them, why I started a walk team (Lady Divers of Alaska) and why I’m asking all my friends and family to help me reach my goal of $100 for people who were in the same situation I and my family was in.”
And here are the completed journals
The full view
Each journal will have a bookmark inside with this blogs address so they can see where their journal came from and the story behind it.
I am proud to know Jessie. She was a Marine Biology student at Alaska Pacific University when I worked there. She has since graduated and is doing wonderful things with her life.
You go girl!!!!
Blue Dragonfly Creations 