By Doug Ankerman
The word “progressive” brings to mind images of broad, dynamic thinking.
Progressive is fresh. Progressive is modern. Progressive is revolutionary in every aspect.
Progressive was NOT me in any way, shape or form.
Just look at me as a kid. Absolutely nothing progressive. Big ears. Big head. Eddie Munster hair. Shy. Backward. Sucked my thumb till I was eight-years-old.
My progressive aversion continued well into adulthood till finally being tagged “Secondary-Progressive” years into my MS journey.
It was the first-time I had been “progressive” at anything.
Though my new-found classification never bothered me because I figured I had had Progressive MS since day one. I never experienced the ups and downs of Relapsing-Remitting. It’s always been a gradual downhill slide. Like the most boring roller coaster ride ever. Like a driveway tilted just enough to let the rain run to the curb.
Having the label “Progressive MS” was no biggie to me because it is just that – a label. Someone’s opinion. A moniker. A mark. My hope is you feel the same way.
Whether your MS is RR (Relapsing-Remitting), SP (Secondary-Progressive), PP (Primary-Progressive) or CP (Chronic Progressive), it doesn’t matter. MS doesn’t define you. MS doesn’t limit you. So don’t let it change you.
After twenty-two years I have come to accept my progressive MS…it’s my not-so progressive sense of fashion that continues to embarrass my wife in public…
But I LOVE my cargo shorts, honey!
All this progressive talk reminds me today, March 28th, is the first-ever Progressive MS Day, a day raising awareness for those living with the most debilitating forms of the disease. You can help spread the word in your social media by using the official hashtag: #ProgressiveMSDay.
Join me as I give #ProgressiveMSDay a well-deserved sitting ovation.
Keep moving my friend.
*Doug writes about MS and other stuff on his humor blog at myoddsock.com, Facebook.com/myoddsock & on Twitter @myoddsock.
