Tuesday, February 24, 2009
In Part One, Quality of Life for MS Patients: Is it Health-Related?, we outlined four aspects to quality of life which include clinical health, role-performance, adaptability, and well-being. It is important to note that one aspect can and does affect the others. We are complex beings who...
Rehabilitation
MS Quality of Life
Ms Rehabilitation contributes a great deal to the quality of life to a person with MS, or any crippling disease. Remaining active allows a person to be able to keep some sense of independence which is the key. Everybody needs somebody, but we all have a need to be independent to a certain point. With MS it is almost a way of life, a necessity a need to live. Rehabilitation keeps us going from one day to the next. With the new administration in place, and the workings of new programs in health care, hopefully everyone with a need to have these types of services will have access to them. Which will give them a better quality of life, which could possibly introduce some not all, but some of them back into the ranks of a working and productive society. One could only hope, for myself it may be too late. But for those newly diagnosed there is hope. For me when you look at a person quality of life, you must look at the whole person. Inside and out, not being able to walk because of spascity may have done a real self esteem job on that person, not being able to function all day because of fatigue issues. All of these issues would need to be addressed. It just depends on the person. My biggest issue for me was I could no longer were my heels, and I could not function all day. My quality of life went down the tubes or so I thought. I had to step back and take a look at myself. Not everyone can do that. My wish is that the services that are needed to help improve to help make the quality of life better for anyone with a life changing illness. We cannot give up, when we get tired; we just have to rest and go again. Mandy, your writings are great and full of fantastic information, Thank you!
Sherry,
You've nailed the concept. It's often not just a funny walk or spasticity or depression which affect a person's Quality of Life. Each of these things affect the other.
Rehabilitation may not be about improving your gait. It might focus on getting stronger so that transfering is safer. Or improving coordination and strength in an arm/hand so that you can safely hold your grandbaby.
A patient doesn't need to wait until she is struggling greatly with physical challenges, or emotional challenges, or cognitive challenges. It is in the early stages of a developing disability which is when the guidance of a professional can reverse the effect and stave off the severity.
One of the first things my PT asked me during our initial appointment was, "why am I just now seeing you?" My neurologist had not offered a script for PT before; I went into an appointment and said, "I want to do this. Can you order PT for me?"
We have to be proactive. We have to be our own best advocate. We have to be willing to accept help and guidance. We have to work hard for improving our Quality of Life, which is as you say, the most important thing.
Thank you for continuing to read and share your insight. I appreciate that greatly.
Lisa
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