Journeys With Jani

Let me go ahead and say it plain: MS is a hateful disease!And just like that high school bully, she shows up on her own terms, makes a mess, and dares you to deal with it. Lucky for me (cue sarcasm), I seem to have collected most of the symptoms on the MS menu like I was at an all-you-can-eat buffet. Go big or go home, right?

So let’s break it down—what are the common symptoms of MS?

Fatigue: Not just “I need a nap” tired. I mean bone-deep, soul-zapping fatigue that makes brushing your teeth feel like you just climbed Everest. Numbness/Tingling: Ever fall asleep on your arm and wake up feeling like it doesn’t belong to you? Imagine that—but random and recurring. Muscle Weakness: Sometimes my legs act like they’re new here. Walking can feel like dragging cinderblocks, even on a “good” day. Spasticity: That’s a fancy word for stiff muscles and spasms that feel like your limbs are doing their own interpretive dance. Balance Issues & Dizziness: No, I haven’t been day-drinking—I just live with a built-in wobble. Vision Problems: Blurry vision, double vision, even temporary vision loss—just a few of the visual party tricks MS likes to pull. Cognitive Fog (aka “Cog Fog”): My brain misfires more than a 1982 Ford Pinto. Forgetting words, blanking mid-sentence, mixing up names—it’s all part of the charm.

And now for the less common symptoms—the ones that make doctors scratch their heads and make you feel like you’re starring in an episode of “Mystery Diagnosis.”

Heat Intolerance: I can’t regulate my core temperature, y’all. One minute I’m freezing like Jack slipping off that damn door in Titanic, and the next I’m burning up like Mount Vesuvius is erupting inside me. Cold Sensitivity: On the flip side, cold weather can feel like I’m living in a walk-in freezer wearing wet socks. Bladder and Bowel Dysfunction: Dignity-stealing and inconvenient. Let’s leave it at that. Sexual Dysfunction: Oh yes, MS likes to screw up everything—even the fun stuff. Speech and Swallowing Problems: Occasionally, my mouth refuses to cooperate with my brain and I sound like I’ve had a mimosa too many. I haven’t. Mood Swings/Depression/Anxiety: Chronic illness is a mental battle too. Some days I’m fine, others I’m spiraling because my body won’t cooperate and my mind is tired of fighting.

Now, all of this sounds like a downer—and honestly, sometimes it is. I have a lot of days where I just want to stay home. My body aches. My nerves are shot. I feel like I’m living inside a body that forgot how to be a body. And yet—I square up and push on. I intentionally do things to help make daily life better for me.

As the years pass, I find myself dreaming of a day when I can set my own pace without guilt or pressure. That’s the goal. And I’m so grateful that my job gives me the flexibility to envision that kind of future. (Shout out to the travel industry for allowing me to work from anywhere—even from my recliner with a heating pad and a fan blowing at the same time.)

Here’s what I want to say to you—whether you’re living with MS, another illness, or just the exhausting weight of everyday life: you are not alone. Whatever it is you’re walking through, give yourself some grace. Take the nap. Cancel the plans. Or don’t—get dressed and go conquer the day. Just do it your way.

Because we all have something. And life? She doesn’t pause for anyone. So don’t let your “something” define you—just let it strengthen your fight.

Stay focused, friends.

XOXO, Jani