I find that having MS brings me back to my “glory days” more often than I would if I didn’t have MS. I wonder if anyone else with MS feels that way. These are great memories for me and they give me great pleasure. I’ll share some:
I was such a beach person, water bug, tanning fiend, (it was the 70’s) I spent many vacations at the beach, from with my parents on Cape Cod, Long Island beaches, Jersey shore, Miami, Bermuda and any nearby lake. On my own, again any lake, pool, Florida coast, Daytona, N. Carolina Outer Banks, Jamaica, (twice), St. Lucia and Hawaii.
My favorite thing about being on the beach is walking on the sand, feeling the sand beneath my toes. Since I have MS, I have been to the ocean, actually on the beach twice. Once in Wildwood, NJ. I was so happy, I thought I would never be on the beach again. The problem was the heat. I take it very badly, totally debilitates me. Another tine on Long Island, my husband took me and we didn’t go far, just enough for me to put my feet in the sand. It was off season, so I wasn’t dealing with the heat.
I also loved to dance. I am a total rock ‘n roller but in my youth there were no clubs playing rock to go dance to. (there were lots of dives playing rock’n rolI, and I’ve been to quite a few), I did go to quite a few dance clubs with my friends and on dates. I’ve been taken by limo on a date to NYC and had such a blast! I was at my friends house with the kids, she had a son too. She was going to babysit for me while I went out with a guy we worked with. Once I was at her house I was so comfortable and we were having such a nice time, I didn’t want to go on the date. I went to call him and he wouldn’t take no and showed up 10 minutes later in a limo! I couldn’t refuse then so we went to my apartment, (40 minutes away) I ran upstairs and threw on a leather miniskirt and some top and heels and off we went. It was one of the best dates of my life! I remember being in this huge club and having to go to the bathroom and on the way in it was like a cave, I got lost and made some friends, (I am friendly and talkative when I drink). He was so much fun but I only liked him as a friend, never anything more, although we tried a few times and I did sleep with him.
Another date, another limo with my boyfriend at the time and 2 of his friends, We went to a famous club at the time, (can’t remember the name). Very Indian, lots of textiles and many many rooms. I felt famous surrounded by 3 big guys, like they were my bodyguards, another great time with another fun date.
These are things that I cannot do anymore so that is why I like to remember them fondly. Hell, just thinking of running up a big flight of stairs and throwing anything on and being back downstairs in 10 minutes is a fantasy at this point!
I appreciate and am very grateful for those experiences and many more. The fact that at least in some point in my life I was able to be so free and unencumbered by my health is amazing.