When Natasha was 19, she suffered a collarbone injury. Some time later, she started feeling unwell. The disease progressed slowly: first, there was fatigue; at 23, she began experiencing weakness in one leg. Psychological challenges followed, and after her pregnancy and childbirth, it became clear that Natasha had multiple sclerosis.
Now, she uses a wheelchair. She has the rarest and most severe form of the disease.
She had to go through all the stages: from resistance to acceptance and finally reaching the stage of hope, where she is now. It was incredibly difficult and painful, but it was possible.
Naturally, the disease drastically changes not only a person’s life but also the lives of their loved ones. However, the impact goes beyond the loss of mobility and dependence on a wheelchair. Multiple sclerosis is a neurodegenerative disease. The central nervous system and brain are constantly inflamed, consuming the body’s energy and resources. This is compounded by pathological muscle tension, which prevents full recovery even during sleep. Life with multiple sclerosis is accompanied by chronic fatigue.
Despite these challenges, Natasha refuses to give up. She takes care of her physical and mental health and strives to live as fully as possible. She has a family, friends, a job, and recently discovered a new hobby.
Natasha says her disease makes her body relatively unsuitable for walking, but in every other way, it is suited for life, intellectual work, and joy.
Her daughter sometimes asks, “Mom, will you never walk again?” Natasha herself occasionally wonders the same thing. But she believes that if she waits for some magical cure, she might forget to live. So she chooses to live and enjoy life now, without waiting for anything.
For me, as the author, this is a story about a person’s acceptance of their condition. It’s about how, even in extremely difficult circumstances, one can refuse to give up, continue living, and fill life with joy.
