It’s OK That My New Year’s Blog Is Posted in February: In Which I List Other Things I Learned in 2019

Being both a nostalgia whore and a planner, I adore the change from one year to the next. New Year’s Eve as an event ceased to be fun when close friends moved too far away for quietly drunken nights in together. Now I immerse myself in reflection instead. I scroll through photos on my phone. I sort through the basket filled with cards received and Playbills from shows seen. And I think about what I’ve done and what I hope to do.

In my reflection, I realized I have learned some things that might be useful to folks with chronic illness–and even a few tips for you healthy people.

1. Go easy on yourself.

You may have noticed that I don’t blog regularly (hi, Patrick!). I started this post New Year’s Eve and have thought “Damn it, Rebecca! Just finish it already!” repeatedly over the month. When I can fit in only one Pilates session a week, I think “Damn it, Rebecca! Even for someone with MS, you’re a lazy blob of humanity!” Too tired to finish dinner prep? “Damn it, Rebecca! If you’d planned better, you could have done this without help!” There are kernels of truth in each of these statements of self-abuse, but focusing on them neither helps me exercise nor gets dinner on the table. So I’m leaving self-damning behind and doing my best to accept my limitations without discouraging notes from my internal peanut gallery.

2. Don’t apologize.

Okay, I don’t mean NEVER apologize. I didn’t become a jerk in 2019. Apologies have their place, but that place does not need to be a permanent residency on my lips. If I move awkwardly through a crowded room, I smile and say “excuse me.” If I step on someone’s foot in the process, I apologize. I would never expect someone else with a disability to say “Sorry!” to me, so why on earth should I expect it of myself?

3. Ask for what you need.

I’ve spent a lot of time grumbling about being placed in the back of planes in spite of having declared a disability and requested assistance getting from gate to gate. Should that trigger a “hey, give this lady an aisle seat near the front of the aircraft” notification in the system? Yes! But we aren’t there yet. Airlines have numbers you can call to ensure your needs are met. You may have to call regular customer service first to get that number. Once you have it, save it in your phone and use it.

On a more quotidian note, I exhibit fierce independence usually seen only in toddlers determined to pour orange juice from big jugs into their tiny cups. I want to do everything MYSELF, even at the risk of my safety. After one too many burned hands and sloshed waters, I have humbled myself to bravely ask strangers (without apology!) to carry things to my table for me at restaurants. And they’re happy to do it.

4. Find and embrace things that make life easier.

Perhaps the biggest revelation of 2019 was my discovery of True & Co. bras, many of which have no clasps! Plus, they’re pretty, flattering (no uniboob, a usual risk with this style), and comfortable–even for those suffering from the dreaded MS Hug. Being able to put on a bra on my own is the smallest of victories, but eliminating little frustrations gives me a greater chance of making it through the day happy.

5. Make peace with your body.

Years ago my massage therapist Laura suggested I ask my legs what they need. Although I have yet to get a clear answer from any of my body parts, I have changed the way I talk to them. (Sensing a pattern? A+!) Uncooperative legs used to get an audible “Fuck you legs! Pull it together!” Now it’s much more of a calm “You’ve got this. You are strong, and you can do it if you go slowly.” I often feel ridiculous hearing myself utter this sort of positive self-talk, but I’ve realized that taking an adversarial relationship to my body–and, for that matter, my disease–does not help. I’m not sure that kindness makes me stronger. It does make me feel slightly less shitty, though, and we could all use more of that.