Living With MS

Living With Multiple Sclerosis

Rick Simon — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 03:26:04 +0000

It’s finally here!

It’s a new name for my book.

The new title is “Living With Multiple Sclerosis: 11 Lessons I learned About Overcoming Obstacles.” It’s available on Amazon today as a Kindle or a paperback.

The old title was “Living Your Greatness: 9 Ways to Overcome Obstacles and Live Your Dreams.”

I changed the name because I realized that the title didn’t really communicate what the book was about.

No-one searches for “Living Your Greatness.” Many search for “Living with Multiple Sclerosis” when they find out they have, or their loved one has, MS.

The cover picture didn’t work either. The old one was an triumphant man “getting to the top” or “living his dreams.” But most people with MS are trying to figure out how to get through the day without falling down. The new picture shows him getting through life with support from his cane and a loved one. It too, is truer to the message of the book.

If you bought the first book, I don’t recommend buying the second. Most of the content is the same, not new. The original book had 9 “ways” to overcome obstacles plus 2 bonus “ways.” They correspond to the 11 lessons in the new version. The core chapters of the two books are exactly the same so you aren’t getting much in the second book that wasn’t in the first.

But if you haven’t read the first book, and would like some help living with Multiple Sclerosis, be sure to read the new book. You might as well learn the lessons that helped me.

Here is an excerpt from the Amazon product page:

“I have MS, but I’m going to do it anyway.” – Rick Simon
A young man learns that he has a debilitating disease but he still has things he wants to do. He wants to have a successful career, a good marriage and live a great life. He isn’t ready to give up.
Noone knows what causes his disease and there is no cure. So he struggles, for decades, to learn the lessons he needs to overcome his obstacles. If he fails, he will become an invalid, confined to a wheelchair or hospital bed, way too soon.
Rick Simon has been living with MS since 1982. He has had to overcome a lot of obstacles along the way.
Learn:
Three ways to handle personal catastrophes
Why positive focus is better than positive thinking.
Some pros and cons of using technology.
When to share and when to keep it a secret.
His book will have you overcoming obstacles so you can live your best life, with or without Multiple Sclerosis, and without spending decades learning how.

YEG MS Podcast

Rick Simon — Sun, 22 Nov 2020 20:38:46 +0000

I have become involved with the YEG MS podcast. Sean Wingrave created YEG MS years ago. Sean has been involved with The Canadian MS Society, started the “Really Long Run To End MS” and created ownmultiplesclerosis.com.

I started listening to podcasts during a period when I was having trouble with my vision. It was difficult for me to read, and sometimes even to watch videos. I started ‘reading’ audio books and listening to podcasts.

My vision is much better after some surgery, but I still enjoy listening. I also spend a lot of time on my computer, so it is nice to give my eyes a rest and just listen. I also enjoy listening while doing chores or driving. It is one of the few ways I can multitask.

I have lived with MS for a long time – since 1982, and I am always looking for ways to help others deal with life with MS. I’ve written a book, “Living Your Greatness: 9 Ways to Overcome Obstacles and Live Your Dreams.” I’ve created ricksimon360.com and have an email distribution list. I am ricksimonlife on Facebook and @rick_simon_life on twitter, but the best way to reach me is by email at rick@ricksimon360.com.

I considered starting a podcast of my own. Before starting, I checked for other MS related podcasts, and found several. This made me question whether I wanted to compete with other MS podcasts for listeners’ attention.

Then I thought “What if I could work with someone who was already doing an MS related podcast,” and I reached out to Sean. I’m not sure why I picked Sean. Maybe it is because he is from my city: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. YEG is the airport code for the Edmonton International Airport. Maybe it is because I like the conversational style of his podcast. Maybe it is because he helps other people tell the world about their experiences with MS.

Whatever the reason, when I reached out to Sean, he was open to us working together on YEG MS. We started with him interviewing me in Episode 58. Then he and I had a discussion on COVID 19 and MS in Episode 59. In Episode 60, I interview Barb Robb about her 22 years of experience with MS. You can find them on ownmultiplesclerosis.com, apple podcasts, spotify, and soundcloud, among others.

When a person tells others about their experiences, it seems to help both the person telling and the others listening. Everyone feels better.

If you would like to share your MS experiences with the world, please contact me.

If you would like me to speak to your virtual or live audience about my experiences with MS and the lessons I learned, please contact me.

What is Your Major Struggle?

Rick Simon — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 00:19:35 +0000

What is your biggest struggle in life right now?

Most of us have more than one struggle in life and are frustrated when we don’t seem to be making progress. Figure out what your biggest struggle in life is right now and what to do about it. Walk through the steps to end your struggle.

My name is Rick Simon and I will be your guide through this perplexing problem.

Why do so many people fail to get past barriers in life to achieve their dreams?

Is it because they are not strong enough, they don’t recognize their barriers, or do they not believe they can overcome them, so they don’t even try?

If there was a way to overcome your biggest challenge, would you want to know it?

Well there is a way, but people seem to overlook it, and never get past their biggest struggles. It has two steps. First, know what your biggest struggle is. Second, keep focused on it until you overcome it. We let less important problems take all our time and wonder why we don’t make progress on the big things.

My Major Struggle (MS) was Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Yours probably isn’t! I have MS, but MS doesn’t have me. Learning some 35 years ago that I had MS was the biggest obstacle I have had to overcome. Learning that I had MS was a shocker. It was a life changing event. I didn’t know MS was going to present a series of other struggles as life went on. For each one, I could use the same strategy to get through.

So maybe you know what your Major Struggle (MS) is, but maybe you don’t.

Do you think it would be easier to overcome barriers if you could focus on one at a time?

Which barrier, challenge, or obstacle should you focus on first? Let’s start to figure it out. If you already know what it is, write it down along with what it is blocking you from doing, having, or becoming. Now move on to step 2.

If you have a bunch of challenges, then you need to figure out what your MS is. If that is your situation, take a piece of paper and make a big T on it, like a balance sheet. Down the left side list all the obstacles, barriers, and challenges you have in your life.

These are candidates for your MS. Having done this, one may pop out to you as being the biggest one. If that happens, write it down. Then write down what it is preventing you from doing, having, or becoming, and move on to step 2.

If you still don’t know, write what each challenge is preventing you from doing, having or becoming. Write them on the right side of your “T.” As you do, you might come across more challenges. Add them to the left side of the “T” with the other challenges.

Then you will have a list of obstacles, on the left, matched up with things they are blocking you from, on the right. Maybe your MS will jump out at you at this stage.

Look at the things your barriers are blocking you from, and put a check mark next to the most important one(s). If you can pick one, that is your MS.

If you end up with a few, look at those few and put another check mark next to the most urgent one(s). Pick the one you need to deal with first, or quickest. If you can pick one, that is your MS.

If you still don’t have it down to one, look at the ones that have two check marks next to them. Put another check mark next to the easiest one(s) to overcome. Picking the easiest will lead to the fastest results. You will see the process work, and can come back to the others once you overcome your MS. If you can pick one, that is your MS.

If after all this, you still can’t get down to one, then pick one, any one, that has three check marks next to it. These are the most important, most urgent, and easiest, so it doesn’t matter which one you choose. Pick one to focus on right now and come back to the others once you have solved that one or have it under control.

Once you know what your MS is, you can move to step 2, and focus on getting past that challenge. With your focus on that one thing, you will get past it. When you do, you can come back to solve the others, one at a time, as they bubble to the top and become your Major Struggle.

Step 2: Focus On It

Do you ask yourself “What should my priorities in life be?”

If you have struggles in life, and who doesn’t, overcoming your MS should be your first priority.

Once you know what your major struggle is, you know what your first priority should be. When you know what your first priority is, you can focus on it. How do you stay focused? How do you keep from getting distracted?

Some solutions I’ve used included:

Turn overcoming that struggle into a goal. Make it a SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound) goal. This will go a long way to achieve it.
Put it on a goal card that you carry with you to remind yourself.
Put it in your paper or electronic organizer so you get reminded each day.
Find someone to be accountable to, and announce your intention.
Tell your parents, spouse, and kids about it. If possible link overcoming your MS to something that benefits them.
Put it on your screen saver or the homepage of your phone.
Put it on the bathroom mirror, the refrigerator, and on the ceiling over your bed.
Figure out what you are NOT going to spend time on so you can spend time on overcoming your MS. Schedule some time for it.
Break it down into bite sized chunks so you can start to make progress. If you don’t know what steps to take, ask someone.
Figure out 2 things you can do in the next 7 to 10 days to get started.

So here are 10 things you can do to help keep yourself focused on overcoming your MS. There are many more. They might not all work for you. But they are a place for you to start. I have done each of them at one time or another, and they worked for me, so I know they can work for you.

So give some of these 10 ideas a try.

Maybe you feel you need more than one thing going on at once, but it is crucial for you to find the time to do the most important things. One way you may be able to use this approach with more than one major struggle is to have one in each area of your life. You might identify a physical MS, a mental MS, a spiritual MS, and a financial MS.

The key is to be very clear on what is most important in your life. Once you are clear on this, you can be sure to focus on achieving it. Don’t pay so much attention to the little things in life; focus on the big ones.

Get started. Get going. Get growing, and other ideas will come to you on how to stay focused and how to overcome your MS.

Inspired by Del

Rick Simon — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 00:07:46 +0000

I made less progress than I would have liked to this week because Judy and I took a well-deserved vacation.

I thought that the vacation would mean that I didn’t have anything to post this week, but it turned out I was wrong.

We spent our vacation with my sister and her husband , Del. After spending a few days with them I was inspired by the way Del manages in spite of having had a stroke.

MS is like a stroke in some ways. Symptoms of MS depend on what part of the brain the Multiple Sclerosis damages. Symptoms of a stroke depend on what part of the brain the stroke damages. So MS and strokes are similar.

I noticed Del did what he could despite his stroke. He has limitations. He has difficulty walking, poor balance and ignores much of what happens on one side of his body.

He doesn’t choose to ignore this. He says he can see what’s happening there, but for some reason his brain doesn’t pay attention to what he sees. He was happy to be riding a three wheeled bike, which he could do despite his poor balance. He told me that he has to concentrate to make sure he doesn’t ignore things he shouldn’t, like traffic.

He also gets tired easily.

Despite his challenges, he pitches in to help out where he can. When we were planning a foil wrap veggie mix for supper, he volunteered to cut up the veggies. He cooked some of most meals on the barbecue. In general, he seemed to help out wherever he could.

It occurred to me that he was showing characteristics like the ones I commend in my book. He is fiercely independent, in that he will do what he can, and he has a positive focus.

He inspired me to do more for myself despite my MS. Watching Del made me think about more things I can do for myself; More ways I can pitch in around the house.

Del inspired me so I thought that I would share this story in hopes that it inspires you, as well.

Overcoming Obstacles

Rick Simon — Wed, 22 Jul 2020 23:01:52 +0000

Hi, I promised you that I was going to keep you up-to-date about how things were going with the revisions to my blog, the new edition of my book and how things are going for me.

To do that, I have decided to write a new type of blog. In the past, my blogs have all revolved around one of the chapters of my book. The purpose was to share book content of use to people who are having to overcome challenges.

I’m trying to do a lot of things right now so it feels like the progress I make in any one area is slow.

To give you an idea, I am working on my book, my website, and my public speaking career.

My wife and I are Airbnb Superhosts. She does the physical work but I manage listings and interact with our Airbnb guests.

My wife and I are working on a blog about how to make extra money from your spare room through Airbnb.

I do freelance work on Upwork, helping people set up WordPress websites.

It might sound like I’m complaining, but I’m not really. I’m glad to be doing all this stuff because it will make a difference. I have things I want to share and I’m finding as many ways as I can to share them.

Did I mention that I do all this while dealing with Multiple Sclerosis symptoms?

I was diagnosed in 1982 and worked a full-time job until 2017. In 2018, I found I couldn’t work full-time anymore. My MS was getting worse and I ended up on a disability pension.

Right now, my biggest MS obstacles are spasticity, getting enough sleep, and getting enough exercise. I need to exercise to keep my muscles from deteriorating further.

I can still walk, but I am very slow. To get around my home I use a cane or surf the walls and furniture. I use a walker for exercise. I have a mobility scooter that I use if I have to go very far.

It probably still feels like I’m complaining, but believe me, I’m not. I’m sharing the obstacles I am now working to overcome. Pretending I don’t have obstacles and I know how to solve yours would just be untrue. We all have obstacles in our lives. We can choose to give in and give up. If I do, my body will give out. I choose not to let that happen.

Perhaps knowing how I struggle through will help motivate you to do the same. Keep doing what you do. It will make a difference in the world!

Keep It a Secret

Rick Simon — Fri, 17 Jan 2014 05:32:40 +0000

(If you don’t need people to know)

Why do so many people share all of their challenges with the world? Do you like hearing stories about one bad thing after another that has happened to someone? Woe is me! My life sucks! Blah blah blah blah! Are you like that?

One way you can make sure you are not is to keep your challenges, obstacles, and barriers secret. Share these things on a need to know basis. If you need them to know, so they can help you, let them know. If you don’t need them to know, don’t tell them! Keep it a secret.

When I first found out I have MS, there were still things I wanted to achieve in my life and I wanted to achieve them on my own terms. My achievements might have been lessened if people went easy on me because of my handicap, so I kept it a secret!

Rick Simon – Life Breakthrough Expert
I have MS, but MS doesn’t have me.

If you are interested in more information about Rick’s “9 Strategies to Break Through Obstacles and Live Your Dreams” fill in your email address on the right side of this page, and he will send you a free report!

Free Living Your Greatness Tele-Seminar

Rick Simon — Mon, 06 Jan 2014 05:58:03 +0000

Rick Simon, creator of the Living Your Greatness System is offering a free tele-seminar on January 7,2014 at 6:00 pm pacific time and 9:00 pm eastern time.

To sign up please go to http://ricksimon360.com/free-teleseminar/

Thanks, and I look forward to working with you.

Rick Simon – Life Breakthrough Expert

I have MS but MS doesn’t have me.

More Technology

Rick Simon — Sun, 15 Dec 2013 22:24:03 +0000

My cane is a technology that definitely helps me, but one of the things I learned was that now I need two legs and one arm to walk. I had to figure out what to do with the cane when I got where I was going. I didn’t need it and I needed my hand free to do something else, and now the cane was a nuisance wasn’t it?

Many of us hesitate to use the latest technologies, don’t we?
Do you walk with a cane, or do you know someone who does?
Do you use other technology that becomes a nuisance at times?
What do you when you are walking somewhere using your cane and carrying a bag, and your cell phone rings?

If you are interested in more information about Rick’s “9 Strategies to Break Through Barriers and Live Your Dreams” fill in your email address on the right side of this page, and he will send you a free report!

If you don’t use a cane, you probably haven’t thought about this. I had to stop, figure out what to do with the cane and bag, and get my phone out of my pocket, before I could answer it. Then, I was left standing there, unsteadily, with my phone in one hand, my cane and packages in the other. I had to finish the call before I could move!

So what could I do? I could not answer the phone, which was my solution until I found more technology to help with this situation. I got a Bluetooth earpiece for my phone! Mine is a jawbone! I bought it so I could answer the phone in the car and keep my hands free, and it is great for that! But once I had it I learned that it was great for other things too.

Now all I have to do when I get that dreaded phone call, is stop for a second, push the button to activate the earpiece, and continue walking while I talk (no not to myself) on the phone. No more worrying about tipping over while I stand somewhere and finish a phone call, and no more worrying about whether the phone call I missed was important or urgent.

More technology to overcome the challenges created by the earlier use of technology. What a concept! If you want to learn more about the pro’s and con’s of using technology to overcome your challenges, break through your barriers, and live your dreams, check out The Living Your Greatness System, or fill in your email address on the right side of this page, and we will send you a free report!

Use Technology

Rick Simon — Sun, 08 Dec 2013 01:21:28 +0000

Are you a person who delays the adoption of new technologies?
Do you wish for the day when cars didn’t have computers, and normal people could actually fix them?
Many of us hesitate to use the latest technologies, don’t we?
Do you walk with a cane, or do you know someone who does?
But what is technology, and why should or shouldn’t we adopt it?

http://www.merriam-webster.com concise encyclopedia says it is the Application of knowledge to the practical aims of human life or to changing and manipulating the human environment. It goes on to say Technology includes the use of materials, tools, techniques, and sources of power to make life easier or more pleasant and work more productive.

So is a cane, or a walking stick as I long preferred to call it, an example of technology? To see the answer to that, we can first answer “is the cane a tool?” and then answer “does t make life easier”. If the answer to those questions is yes for you, then the cane is technology, isn’t it?

So why not use it? Maybe because:

You have to figure out what to do with the cane when you get where you are going.
You now need two legs and one hand to walk.
Some of your muscles may become weak because you don’t use them as much.
You may overuse, stress or injure your arm.
As you become more dependent you may be less able to walk without it.

I use a cane, and I know from personal experience that these down sides are real. For me the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, and we’ll talk another time about how I use more technology to help me deal with the disadvantages.

Thanksgiving Message

Rick Simon — Fri, 29 Nov 2013 03:48:13 +0000

An interesting thing happened last week that is related to the Have A Positive Focus strategy I described previously.

I live in Canada, and in Winter we get some snow. Someone posted a picture of their back yard covered in snow on Facebook. One headlight of her car was showing. The Message said “My car is out there somewhere…Richard Simon? Please, please write something positive…I have to shovel this$@&)(!@&$”. In a later comment she said she wasn’t going to shovel till tomorrow.

My reply “Positive thinking on demand! You can be grateful that: 1. You can shovel snow. Many aren’t healthy enough. 2. You can wait till tomorrow to shovel it. 3. You have a warm place to wait till tomorrow. 4. You have food so you won’t go hungry while you wait. 5. You have entertainment while you wait aka the internet and Facebook. And finally, you have a car to be covered in snow. Those are the first positive thoughts that come to mind… “

She replied with “Did all that…still shoveling tho…but thanks for all that. As my boots fill with snow tomorrow…I’ll think of you!”

And someone else responded “Another positive…you have boots!!”

I found positive things to think about while acknowledging the negative – that the snow had to be shoveled. I was especially happy to be of service given that I didn’t have to shovel the snow…

The names have been excluded to protect the guilty.