Please donate to
support our fight.
Direct to our Bike
MS campaign: https://mssociety.donordrive.com/participant/Rogue
Other ways to donate
(100% of the money goes to our Bike MS campaign. I pay all administrative
costs): https://NeverStopNeverQuit.com/Donate
Renowned neurologist Rock
Heyman practices out of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s Multiple
Sclerosis Care Center. In the Appalachian region, he has been the gold standard
for over 30 years. I met with him in early 2001, in search of a confirmation or
second opinion of my MS diagnosis. The US Army and the VA Healthcare System
were my only points of reference. Expressing satisfaction with my diagnosis and
treatment, he confirmed everything in my record from the prior 18 months. I
left his office with one word of wisdom. He cautioned me to stay with the VA,
as its continuity of care and tracking of my progression will be valuable when
my MS gets worse. Without giving it much thought, except to “stay put,” I took
his advice, enjoying the continuity of healthcare across four states.
Then my MS got worse…
The full scope of Dr. Heyman’s consult struck me a few days ago.
Compared to last year,
my symptoms have progressed, much as they have if I look back 2/5/10 years. The
primary issues are weakness and debilitation throughout my left side. I fight
its progression with medication, rehabilitation, diet, and exercise, having documented
significant improvements in some areas. But, multiple sclerosis is an incessant
ice pick. It will never stop. It will never quit. Two or three setbacks stack
up against every improvement.
My dedication to fighting
against the debilitating effects of multiple sclerosis only strengthens every
time my body weakens. For them is my focus, even if
that mission is circular.
This realization does
not change my plan; it only strengthens my resolve. My September 15 report, The
Aftermath of Bike MS, detailed why I overdo it:
“The longer answer is because it’s one of the things I can still do. I
can’t run. I can’t jump. I can’t ride a bicycle. I can’t even ride my recumbent
trike out on the street. I used to be left-handed, but it really doesn’t work
anymore. I can’t snap my fingers. I can clap. I can’t lift my arm over my head.
I can’t button my shirt. I can’t hold a piece of food and cut it with a knife.
I can’t lift a glass of water to my lips. I don’t have enough control and
coordination to consider myself right-handed, but I switched a handful of those
skills to the other side. If it requires two hands, I probably can’t do it.
What I can do, I embrace with as much grit as possible. I plop my body down in
the safety of my garage and pedal at a hard, constant pace until the measuring
stick says I can stop. I sit at my computer and share my story into a
microphone that transcribes the words for me. The next infection I battle could
make everything worse. The next fall, accident, or other injury might raise my
debilitation to a whole new level. If I don’t face that challenge, secondary
progressive multiple sclerosis will continue to chip away at my form and
function. When I can no longer do those
things, I will figure out
another way to do those
things. That’s the first
reason I ride. For me.”
Like I said, for them
is
my focus, even though the mission is circular. I’m them.
My body is beat up and
will worsen. I’m okay with that since it turned me into a damn walking (for the
moment), talking, writing, riding billboard who can highlight the need for us
to find ways to defeat MS before more of them suffer. Instead of asking
for donations to support our cause, I’m going to ask for your donations while giving
people a reason to say, “Look at what this guy is doing before he can do it
anymore.”
My next Bike MS 100-mile
Garage Dayz ride will be Tuesday, October 7. I’m going to do too much again for
three reasons. First, there’s a good chance I won’t be able to do that same “too
much” next year. The second reason is for all my friends who have already
reached the point where they can’t ride. Finally, I’m going to take every
opportunity I can to put my misshapen, disabled form out there with the message
“Please donate to my fundraising before another generation is forced to make our
fight their fight!”
This is why I ride.
Thank you for the
motivation and support.
With love,
Kevin
Because it is a fight.
The fight is not over and it won’t be over until a cure is found.
It will never stop…nor will we
It will never quit…nor will we
This is why we fight for them!
Never Stop… Never Quit…®
Follow,
Shop, or Donate Today: https://NeverStopNeverQuit.com
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