Living with Multiple Sclerosis
Professor Knoles' Class
Issue date: 3/18/08 Section: Feature
Sitting in front of the class, Jeannie Felton laughs and says "My motorized wheelchair makes me stand out in a crowd!" But what really makes Jeannie stand out is her determination to live life to the fullest and use her experience with Multiple Sclerosis to help others.
During the month of March, Jeannie Felton, Elaine Kneeland, and representatives of the Multiple Sclerosis Society visited the composition classes of Professor Lucia Knoles to help students understand the experience of living with M.S. and the importance of raising awareness and money to support those with the disease.
Since being diagnosed with MS in 2001, Felton has had to deal with constant fatigue and pain. She said, "I wake up in the morning tired. I'm never not tired" Sometimes the problem is so bad that she has difficulty even holding up her head or breathing. It frustrates her that by the end of a day, "I can't think well. I can't talk well. I can't even stand hearing someone else talk. I love my dog but sometimes I want to hang him when he barks because I just can't stop it." Felton acknowledges that MS can sometimes lead people into depression, when she said "The dark side is always there beckoning me into the pit."
However, Felton fights to live as full a life as possible. She walks, stretches, and does yoga to maintain her strength. Even though she doesn't always need a wheelchair, she uses one to expand the number of things she can do. Prioritizing is also important, as she explains, "What I want to do and what I'm able to do are not the same. So I have to choose wisely because . . . I don't want a wasted day, a wasted moment."
Humor is an important tool Felton and her family use. When she starts having trouble with her coordination and drops things in the kitchen, her children say to the dog: "Look out, Patches, mama's throwing knives again."
When she feels the need for support, Felton turns to her family, the MS Society, and God. She said, "My daughter was 12 when I was diagnosed, and her response was to learn and understand all about it, and she's been incredibly supportive." Members of the MS society have become a kind of extended family for Felton, who explains, "Some of the most gracious and loving people I know are people who have MS and are in the MS Society."
During the month of March, Jeannie Felton, Elaine Kneeland, and representatives of the Multiple Sclerosis Society visited the composition classes of Professor Lucia Knoles to help students understand the experience of living with M.S. and the importance of raising awareness and money to support those with the disease.
Since being diagnosed with MS in 2001, Felton has had to deal with constant fatigue and pain. She said, "I wake up in the morning tired. I'm never not tired" Sometimes the problem is so bad that she has difficulty even holding up her head or breathing. It frustrates her that by the end of a day, "I can't think well. I can't talk well. I can't even stand hearing someone else talk. I love my dog but sometimes I want to hang him when he barks because I just can't stop it." Felton acknowledges that MS can sometimes lead people into depression, when she said "The dark side is always there beckoning me into the pit."
However, Felton fights to live as full a life as possible. She walks, stretches, and does yoga to maintain her strength. Even though she doesn't always need a wheelchair, she uses one to expand the number of things she can do. Prioritizing is also important, as she explains, "What I want to do and what I'm able to do are not the same. So I have to choose wisely because . . . I don't want a wasted day, a wasted moment."
Humor is an important tool Felton and her family use. When she starts having trouble with her coordination and drops things in the kitchen, her children say to the dog: "Look out, Patches, mama's throwing knives again."
When she feels the need for support, Felton turns to her family, the MS Society, and God. She said, "My daughter was 12 when I was diagnosed, and her response was to learn and understand all about it, and she's been incredibly supportive." Members of the MS society have become a kind of extended family for Felton, who explains, "Some of the most gracious and loving people I know are people who have MS and are in the MS Society."
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