My Opinion...What's Yours?

Sitting down to write a new blog, I find myself somewhat angry, or dismayed.  After returning home from a very long and painful MRI, I signed onto to read new posts and information on what’s become one of my go to sites for relevant information and positive encouragement. I learn from answers to the questions posed by other patients, and I sift through that information for relevancy to my life. I may not agree with everything that is written or find anything helpful every time I sign on. However, I do love hearing everyone’s ideas and positive comments. I love hearing what’s worked and what hasn’t. We need more of the glass is half full vs the glass is half empty. My dismay comes from negative posts to facts and non biased information. 

Although I have been a healthcare professional for greater than twenty years, I write this blog as a patient who is no longer able to practice my trade.  I know that I not only speak for myself but for other patients as well.  We turn to sites like this for updated non biased information and support.  I can honestly say, that is what this site has provided.  I find the site positive and supportive.  It is not cluttered with advertisements or marketing material.  In my twenty years of practicing as a registered nurse, I have attended many luncheons or dinners given by large corporations promoting their individual products, however, I have always listened and made my own choices regarding my care and the care of my patients.  Do no harm is what I lived by in my daily routine as a nurse and as a patient.  Never once has any one drug or treatment been pushed at me by my caregivers.  I have always been the driver in my own care.  That said, there have been times when I have relinquished those decisions to others qualified to make them for me. 

There are hundreds of sites in the cyber world and so much information to sift through.  This site for me has been refreshing.  We aren’t going to all agree on care, treatments or ideas.  What I think most of us agree on, is we need great websites like this to help all of us trying to deal with this chronic illness called MS.  We need accurate information and POSITIVE encouragement.  Granted it is my opinion, but this site provides that. 

--Susan

A BIT ABOUT SUSAN...Susan is a registered nurse who worked in high risk obstetrics at Brigham and Women's for twenty years. She is also a certified nurse paralegal. She is currently not practicing as she is disabled because of MS.  She was diagnosed 8 years ago with RRMS and has a daughter who also has MS.

---