EVERYDAY HEALTH - Holiday Blog Contest Winner: The Good That Has Come From MS - Multiple Sclerosis Blog, Nov 01, 2011

"Multiple sclerosis appeared in my life when I was 17 and just edging into adulthood. Recently, I read and have to agree that some of the most formidable years of personality development occur in your late teens to mid 20s. As such, I realize now that my diagnosis and early struggles with MS are undeniable facets of my current personality and identity. MS accompanied me through adolescence, high school graduation, college applications, my first serious relationship, two college transfers, coming out of the closet, my study abroad, building most of my current friendships, college graduation, my first real-world job interview and subsequently my first job, and the list goes on. MS has had some effect, to varying degrees, on every one of those things. Certainly all of us with MS want to believe that—so to speak—we have MS, MS doesn’t have us. A big part of that rationale is knowing that we are who we are with or without it. But when I think about it I realize I’ve really only had the chance to know who I am with it."