By: Lauren Kovac

Ah, spring is in the air. It means pollen-covered cars, sneezing, and nesting. Getting organized for the coming season is something we all want to do. Organization can help MS people feel a small sense of control.

I was extremely organized, before the MS changed that. It messed up my neatness. Actually, it was more like a tornado barreling through my nice organized piles.

I have learned to turn a blind eye, take a deep breath, and have some chocolate. However, some things cannot be left. With MS, you constantly have to learn to find alternative ways to keep the MS monster sleeping.

With three boys and constantly using my clothes for target practice, a laundry mountain cast a dark shadow on my life. Getting the basket from my bedroom to the laundry room was an obstacle course. My solution is now to push it with my walker on a plant stand with wheels.

Spring means soccer too. Games are fast, so outings are short. I get some much-needed vitamin D and adult interaction. Enjoy outside while you can. Take advantage of nice weather, before the heat comes. It is nice to enjoy the fresh air without being a bug buffet.

Interaction face to face is nice too. I love our dog, but he can’t talk back. He is not a conversationalist. He only has one sound and it sounds like barking. He will whine occasionally, if you are eating cheese. His conversations are rather one sided.

I relish my weekly therapeutic horseback riding lessons. The quiet of the farm, the green pastures, flowering trees, and even the horse poop means freedom. Swirling whirlpools of shed horsehair in the breeze means I can enjoy outside.

Once it gets hot, I embrace my inner hermit. Until then, I soak in the lovely weather, take an allergy pill, and get some rays. I like being a toasted mushroom instead of a pasty one. Sun, interaction, horses, and watching my son’s soccer games are great ways for me to keep that MS monster sleeping.