One of the hardest things for me to accept has been not being "normal" anymore.

I know, I know. "Normal" is just a word, it's subjective, nobody's normal, yada yada.

But there IS some degree of normal, or at least average. Normal people aren't exhausted after doing a load of laundry. Normal people walk up a flight of stairs without feeling as though they've conquered Mt. Everest.

Normal people just hop in the car and go somewhere, without having to plan every tiny detail. Normal people's lives don't revolve around proximity to a bathroom.

Normal people don't freak out if two other people are talking at once. Normal people can stand in the middle of the living room floor without suddenly flapping their arms to keep their balance.

Normal people don't have imaginary things crawling or dripping on them. Normal people do normal things like going to high school concerts, Tupperware parties, and evening church services.

Back in the day, I ued to think "I'll be glad when things get back to normal". Well, duh, normal keeps changing. I might not be "normal" the way I used to be, meaning "average". But I'm working really hard at accepting my NEW "normal", and by the grace of God, I think I'm slowly succeeding.

I don't LIKE it, but I'm coming to terms with the fact that I'm not going to be what I once was, so I might as well get over it and get on with my life.

How goes your battle with accepting the "new normal"?

Tell you what, Blessings, being on crutches the past 3 weeks has really made me appreciate what some people face daily. As far as not taking anything for granted, I mean.

Ya gotta make every trek upstairs or downstairs count, cause it's just plain hard!

I've known from childhood I wasn't "normal", it's just that now I have a group of cyberpeers to hang with so I can fit in!!!

We just gotta keep smiling and make the most of what we've got.

Blessings to you, Blessings! Love your posts!

It is hard when things are in transition, especially. We are waiting to see our new "norm" and that can be scary.

Every time the disease advances, I do have to go through the grieving process again. I eventually come to the "acceptance" stage (so far anyway), but I have to go through all the emotions each time again to get there.

When it gets to the point that I can't accept my life for what it is, I guess I will be looking for a new drug (anti-depressant) that does what it should. I've had to use them a few times along the way, but once I am ok with my losses again, I go off (it's not easy to withdraw though either!).

I hope you are either feeling better or are able to come to terms with your limitations in the near future. The "limbo" emotional state you're probably in right now is difficult.

Cherie

I'm not normal and thats what makes me special.

DH reminds me all the time that the ways I'm not like everyone else are the things that make me "me" and he loves me just the way I am.

It's hard and frustrating to be tied all the time and I get mad when I can't do something that I feel like I should be able to do but I have learned over the years (I have had fibro for well over 10 years) that I can't bet my self up over it, that only makes it worst. I do what I can and that's all I can do.

In my world, "normal" has multiple personalities and I meet another one every single day. I don't accept it, I fight the daily changes on a daily basis. I will not deny that in the past few months, I have grown genuinely afraid of what is happening to me.

But, if there is a way —however unique, complicated, time consuming, or difficult— I will find it and use it to do what I want to do. It's hard, harder every single day. I'm simply not finished.

I'm sorry you are feeling bad. I guess I am "normal" and I sometimes wish I could step in your shoes for a day and hand you mine. I really truly do. I know I would take Jim's ms in exchange for him to have a "normal" life. I just hate to hear when you all just want to be "normal" even if for just a day.

I don't know what to say except sorry and maybe a hug?

i never held much respect for the term normal, thats a judgement call whats normal to me is (dare i say it) abby normal to someone else.

Yet, now in retrospect of my MS and things I did take things for granted I see there is a sense of normal and or at least there is a frustration level involved in not being able to do simple? aka normal like hang on to that pen find the shopping list remember why u went to store whats that thingy called again these type of things can and do give me a sense of being less than accepatable and or normal, or as I preceive it

Sandy, that is just the sweetest thing. Thank you.

B2Y, I feel that everyone has a new "normal" each day they wake up and take on the day.

None of us are the same person we were yesterday. Life's events - no matter how inconsequential - change us daily. Something we see, something we hear or something we do changes us just a little.

So, from day to day, our perception of what our "normal" is changes.

Since everyone is different and reacts to negative and positive experiences differently what may seem normal to me or you may seem strange to someone else. What may seem strange to someone else may seem quite normal to me or you.

I guess what I'm trying to say is who knows what normal is? For me - in my life - everything I do is normal for me. If I were to try and run across my yard that would not be normal for me because I can't run anymore. I'd fall flat on my face. For those who can still run - this is not normal. For me - it is.

Did that make any sense at all??

I'm getting to that point of admitting that I'm not as normal as I was just a couple of years ago. I have my near "normal" days only once in a blue moon.

I had an accident that made me use a walker for quite a few months. Made me learn to appreciate both what others have to go through and to appreciate what I still have now.

I've been learning tips and tricks with the other stuff that's been going on. The only problem I'm really having trouble adjusting to is the wall of endurance. It keeps moving on me. I'm trying to know when my bod is telling me enough's enough - but sometimes it just hits from nowhere.