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Vibrant and motivated, Joni isn't going to let relapsing MS get in the way of her goals. Follow her story as she balances her life with her relapsing MS.
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This journal reflects the personal experience of one person and others can be different. It is best to contact your physician to discus what's best for you. Joni is an MS LifeLines Ambassador and has chosen to share her story with others living with MS. MS LifeLines and MS LifeLines Ambassadors are sponsored by EMD Serono and Pfizer.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
I Couldn't Blurt "I Have MS" (A Disclosure Story)
Many of the people I work with on a daily basis know that I have relapsing Multiple Sclerosis. However, there are a few colleagues that I work with more through email and phone calls than face to face that I've never had the opportunity to share my diagnosis with. One of these people is my mentor Chris. We meet maybe once a month, but most of our interaction is done via the phone.
I knew I had to tell Chris that I have MS because we had a meeting with my former boss, who I had worked for when I was diagnosed with a relapsing form of MS. I was fearful that he would ask how I was doing or inquire about my health. I didn't want Chris to have a "deer in headlights" look if this were to happen. So I planned what I wanted the conversation to look like. I had learned from past experiences that you never want to blurt out "I have MS". I even practiced with friends to see what the least shocking approach was.
On the way to the meeting I said to Chris, "I have something to tell you. I didn't tell you sooner because I didn't think that my work performance dictated that you know." Chris' response was just "OK what is it?" I proceeded with "I have MS and I wanted to be the one to tell you instead of you hearing it from someone else." To my relief he just asked if I was okay and wanted me to know that he was there in case I ever needed anything. Through this experience, I learned that I should not be afraid to disclose my diagnosis. Should you choose to disclose your MS diagnosis to friends, family or co-workers, you should just make sure that it is at an appropriate time and that your message is tailored to your audience. It worked out well for me, but everyone has to make their own individual determination whether it's the right thing to do for them.
I knew I had to tell Chris that I have MS because we had a meeting with my former boss, who I had worked for when I was diagnosed with a relapsing form of MS. I was fearful that he would ask how I was doing or inquire about my health. I didn't want Chris to have a "deer in headlights" look if this were to happen. So I planned what I wanted the conversation to look like. I had learned from past experiences that you never want to blurt out "I have MS". I even practiced with friends to see what the least shocking approach was.
On the way to the meeting I said to Chris, "I have something to tell you. I didn't tell you sooner because I didn't think that my work performance dictated that you know." Chris' response was just "OK what is it?" I proceeded with "I have MS and I wanted to be the one to tell you instead of you hearing it from someone else." To my relief he just asked if I was okay and wanted me to know that he was there in case I ever needed anything. Through this experience, I learned that I should not be afraid to disclose my diagnosis. Should you choose to disclose your MS diagnosis to friends, family or co-workers, you should just make sure that it is at an appropriate time and that your message is tailored to your audience. It worked out well for me, but everyone has to make their own individual determination whether it's the right thing to do for them.
Posted by: Joni, Tuesday, June 30, 2009
