Field Trip 09/28/2009
 So I got this flyer in the mail last week from the Providence Brain Institute, where I go to have all my brain needs met. There was a forum dealy thing happening not too far from where I live, and Dr. Stanley Cohan (my specialist) was the speaker. "What Every Patient Should Know About MS" was the title, so I figured what the hell. I registered to attend one of these quite a while back, and didn't end up going, so I figured I might try to make this one. For some reason I felt like it was something I should do, at least once. My biggest concern about going to this thing (yep, I like to make mountains out of molehills) was the fact that I figured there would probably not be a many younger people there. Well, that was an understatement. There was like, none. I got there and peaked in the doorway to about ten round tables, filled with older people. And we wonder why there is this idea out there that MS isn't a disease of teenagers and twenty or even thirty somethings? Jesus, it's because we don't show up to anything! Us younger folk need something a little more enticing than a "free lunch" to get our asses out the door. Anyhow I walked in and immediately felt like some sort of a leper, haaahahaha. I'm supposed to be in a room full of people who have the same shitty ass disease that I do, my comrades, but no, I felt completely out of place. I'm sure much of the confusion I saw in the faces of my fellow MSers was in my own head, but I'd say there was definitely some there. So I sat down at one of the awesome round tables, naturally shaped to allow discussion, which really just made it all the more awkward for me. The lady next to me was super nice (her name was Dana too) and we talked a bit. There was sort of a surly guy who I'm pretty sure was a big proponent of Dr. Swank and not so much for medication, which is totally cool. He grumbled a bit when Dr. Cohan was talking drugs. Anyway, surly dude was cool, but I didn't talk to him. Neither did I talk to any of the other three people at my table, one of whom I know had MS, but I think the other two were just there to support him or whatever. Anyway, the negative bitch in me wished that it would have been some big dark auditorium where I could sneak in and sit in the back, takes lots of notes and just people watch. I suck at making conversation when in an awkward position, so I totally dropped the ball on this one. The food was pretty good, I will say that. For some reason, being a little more able bodied than many of those in the room, I waited until everyone else had gone through the line, until I got myself a plate. Once we got our foodstuffs the talk began, and although much of it was just stuff I've already heard or read, it was still interesting. Dr. Cohan talked a bit about stem cell treatments and his excitement about that, which was way cool to me. I wish I would have chimed in and asked a few questions, but the twelve year old "if you talk everyone will look at you" in me came out and I didn't. The event ended on a sour note when the polite "youngster" in me once again waited for everyone else in the room to grab their cookies. Let's just say I saw more than a few people wheelin' out of the room with like four cookies in hand, and I got none. No cookies. CommentsMon, 07 Dec 2009 09:49:54 I am so with you. I went to one event shortly after being diagnosed and felt totally out of place. I am a 31 yr old male, 6'4'' 300....big, young (and unhealthy) guy. It was pathetic. Average age had to be at least 45/50 and everyone was frail or in a wheelchair. Not only was it hard to connect with everyone on an age level, but it scared me stupid to see all the wheelchairs and walkers, and to think they were most likely in my future. I don't know if I will go back. Leave a Reply |
