One of the hardest things about multiple sclerosis is the hateful things other people say, intentionally or unintentionally.
The election’s over, but the mudslinging continues. God help you if you’re unemployed, dealing with health issues…or both. People will make assumptions, some of them quite unkind. I read a comment tonight where someone wished he could just leave his job and suck on the tit of government. Even worse, the comment was written by a relative of mine. It wasn’t specifically directed at me, and yet it was, since I’m getting unemployment now. I’m one of the people who needs for someone to intervene to make sure that my pre-existing condition doesn’t mean that I cannot be insured, or that I have to stop taking needed medication because I can’t afford it anymore. Multiple sclerosis costs an average of $70,000 a year, and there aren’t many unemployed people (or employed ones, for that matter) who can pull that kind of money out of their pocket.
I have a master’s degree and multiple professional certifications. I also have been laid off and have multiple sclerosis. I don’t want to be unemployed. I don’t want to have huge healthcare needs. But I have them. As someone who doesn’t want to ask for help, who wants to take care of herself, it’s additionally hard. But then to have to read and listen to blanket statements from people who don’t know, understand, or care about my circumstances. They just want to have someone to blame, to demonize. And for them, I’m as good a target as anyone.
