Laura's Heartfelt Letter:

(This was a totally unexpected response following my MS donation to a young woman I had only met once and barely had a chance to speak with at a family event. When I received a request for a donation from one of the family members I instead simply felt compelled to sponsor Laura instead... & somewhere, on a deeper level... she felt compelled to act as well, sending me this letter before she even realized it was me she had met that day.)

Dear Carolyn:

My mother was diagnosed with MS when I was in grade 10.

I remember the day like it was yesterday. I came home from school and there was a book called “Living With Multiple Sclerosis: A Handbook for Families”, on the coffee table. I didn’t even know what Multiple Sclerosis was!

I remember running to the basement and getting onto the computer and looking it up on Google. Imagine just how daunting the words I read… completely numb at this point I remember just going up stairs and sitting on the couch until my mom came home. She then asked what was wrong but realized the book was sitting beside me; at that point I’m pretty sure both of our hearts shattered.

My mother is my best friend, my therapist, my rock, my backbone, my shoulder when I need to cry and the one person who will always tell me the honest truth.

Looking back from when I was 15, to now only in my 25th year I have learned so much from her and also feel like I can learn so much more.I can truthfully say my mother, is a mother past definition. She is the reason why I am who I am today.

The day I found out that my mom had MS I felt like I lost her, but I think that her having MS has made me stronger. I look at her every single day battling what appears to be effortless. She has her troubles, but she just smiles through it all.

When she has her low days, she still wants to know what I am up to, or how I am. I am thankful for my mother, because I know one day this just might try to take the power in this fight. I am thankful for every single word she says to me, and every single laugh she belts out because today she can do that, and I want each smile to be embedded into my vision, and I want that laugh to echo in my head.

I am thankful because she is a fantastic mother. I am also thankful at times for this disease. I believe that everything happens for its reason. It is very possible that through her struggles, she has taught me to always give thanks for the good in my life, the people I meet; those who inspire and those who I may help along the way too. continue at right...