June 26, 2014
When I Walk
This week I watched the documentary, "When I Walk" about a young film maker who was diagnosed with MS at the age of 25. While on a beach vacation with his family, he fell down in the sand and all of a sudden could not stand back up. This moment was his very first sign of MS and ironically they caught it on video.
Being a film maker he decided to chronicle his MS story in a documentary that spans seven years. Over the seven years, he quickly deteriorates, starting the film walking, then by the end he's in a scooter. He's losing his eyesight and his hands have so deteriorated he needs help finishing the movie. He's been diagnosed with PPMS (Primary Progressive MS).
At least for now, I have RRMS (Relapsing Remitting MS). Approximately 85% of the MS population has RRMS. PPMS is much more serious, as shown in the documentary, the decline is very rapid.
I thought the documentary was fascinating. I anticipated it to be more depressing that it actually was. Don't get me wrong, every.single.thing about MS is depressing, but at the same time, I think knowledge is power. I don't want to stick my head in the sand and pretend it's not happening, because it is.
Also to consider, is that MS affects every single person differently, so while watching his story is heartbreaking, it's not necessarily going to be my exact future. But the possibility of losing my ability to walk, use my hands and my eyesight (among other things)? Yeah, it pretty much stinks, for lack of a better word. (This is a family friendly blog after all.)
"When I Walk" is being shown locally on KUED this week at all kinds of odd hours, like 2am. But it can be seen online on pbs.org, until July 23rd.