A couple of days ago Michelle MacDiarmid send us a copy of her brilliant poem about her mother’s journey with multiple sclerosis.

Ms MacDiarmid has very kindly given permission for us to share her poem with you.

“When my mam woke one day not feeling right,
So started the process of worry night after night.
And so too came a series of tests,
Ending with the dreaded diagnosis “I’m sorry it’s MS”.

I remember the weeks mam had overnight stays,
In hospital to find answers,
Those were long days.

We were not yet told why mam wasn’t well,
She put on a smile & laughed when she fell.

I remember the days I would see her in tears,
Heaven knows how she handled all of those fears.
She’d brush them aside not wanting us to see,
Not wanting us to worry about the things that might be.

As years went on we still didn’t know,
Until we noticed mam was getting that little bit slow.

She wanted to protect us by just getting on,
Protecting our childhood from things going wrong.

Looking back now I wish that I’d knew,
Maybe there’d have been things i’d be able to do.

I remember the day she sat us both down,
“I have something to tell you” she said with a frown.

MS is a disease of which many don’t know,
But it affects more than you think, maybe your friends or your foes.

Imagine if you can my mam said to me,
A life taken away where you’re no longer free.
Things folk take for granted will be no more,
Waking up each day with something else feeling sore.
To wake each day with so many worries,
Ones that actually matter and not just about money.

Time has gone on now and mam cannot walk,
Even sitting is a struggle; even having a talk.
Her eyesight has reduced so she’s partially blind,
In constant pain, each day is a grind.

I don’t think I’d have her strength if this happened to me,
Mam’s always there with a smile, a joke, and a hug or three.
She no longer feels bitter or angry or sad,
Those emotions have left her & now she feels glad.
She told me she feels a little bit of luck,
That her illness wasn’t too progressed until we were grown up.

I’m so proud of my mam for not giving up,
Times have been dark but she still acknowledges her luck.

Maybe we should all think when we’re having a grumble,
That really there are others whose lives should make us humble.

Don’t take freedom for granted, enjoy all aspects of life,
You never know what’s coming be it happiness or strife.

I had a fab childhood because mam hid her worries so well,
Now I know each day she was going through hell.
I thank my mam for always thinking of us,
When really it was you that deserved all the fuss. ”

One of the interesting things we have noticed is the number of people in the multiple sclerosis community who share the thoughts and feelings in verse. If you have written a poem about multiple sclerosis please feel free to share it in the comments section below or email to us at patienttalkblog@gmail.org and will will showcase in another post.

Many thanks in advance!