When I was first diagnosed with MS I didn’t tell many people about it. There were various reasons for that, the biggest one was that I had been warned not to tell people. At any rate, I was feeling very isolated and alone.
There’s a woman out there somewhere who doesn’t know me, but she helped me get through those first few lonely days.
I wasn’t talking to many people about my diagnosis and I got stuck in traffic on the way to see one of them.
Sitting in that bumper to bumper traffic with no hope of moving, I just couldn’t take it anymore. I started crying. Hard.
Since I was all alone in my car, I didn’t bother trying to stop. I’d just left work, where I’d spent the day focused on not crying. I’d told myself I could do that when I got to my friend’s house after work. When the traffic kept me from getting to her house, I knew the whole world was working against me.
I wasn’t really alone, though. I was surrounded by people who were also stuck in their cars. The woman in the blue Volkswagen Bug next to me had noticed I was sobbing. When I looked over at her she mouthed the words are you alright? I nodded back yes.
I doubt I was very convincing. But, really she did make me feel better. Just her silently asking if I was OK was enough for me to realize I wasn’t all alone.
Stripped Nerves 