How have you accepted CMT?

[Guest guest]

hello all,

i read the posts in here everyday and read the guilt posts and had to reply, i

was born with cmt and have struggled with the lazy, uncordinated tags all my

life, i was finally diagnosed just a few years ago even though from the internet

i all ready knew what was wrong. i too tried to hide my problems by just being

bullheaded and pushing myself, i was a certified mechanic at a ford dealership

for over 15 years before i was forced into retiring, wade the guy i worked

beside all those years and a friend has told me he knew i had problems he could

see them and respected me for not giving up, and i thought i was sooooo good at

acting!!!

oh well so much for hollywood, accepting this damn disease has been very hard

for me, the pain, falling, tripping just sucks alot, i do think i have not

accepted all this, i just keep doing what i need to do, now i am in my mid40s

with 2 young sons so i do all i can with them just in case i cant in the future.

I really wanna know how did you accept this and how did you know? i have some

days where i just dont care, days when i wonder why me, why not someone else?

depression seems to be with me alot, i must say those who have accepted this i

admire! hopefully someday i will have accepted this, will take any advice from

the group members, thanx for reading this.

jim

[Guest guest]

Jim,

I am not so sure anyone truly accepts it, but i guess it is sometimes more about

admiring yourself as much as others do. People really do admire those of us with

our challenges. Sometimes i do get pissed off but then i realize " it is what it

is "

My lifestyle has dramatically changed in the last year so i think it has allowed

me to do some reflecting and trying to find the positive. For me, the positive

is this disease forced me to re-evaluate my life and i made some drastic

changes, such as moving to a different climate, but that took me away from my

friends and family support system. Now i am living in tropical paradise and can

walk outside and use my pool. Now, don't roll your eyes!

A couple of years ago i would never have been able to make this change and my

attitude today would probably be quite different. I was lucky enough to marry a

couple of years ago and he forced these changes on me. Otherwise, i would still

be in my condo probably working my a__ off and paying for it with my exhaustion

and pain.

BUT, my friends and family would always be behind me telling me in oh so many

ways how unique and strong i am.

It took me 20 years to start on acceptance. I basically ignored it and made lots

of excuses for the tripping..... It wasn't until i had to start using a

wheelchair that CMT hit me like a mack truck and i did go into depression. Then

i tried again to see the positive; i can run circles around people when i am in

my scooter and when i go fast i get a nice breeze!

Enjoy your sons, see life through their eyes and make whatever adaptations you

have to make to make your life easier. Imagine the lessons your young sons are

learning from you everyday, watching you face challenges and still rising to the

occasion. YOu will be surprised at how much they pick up. My son is 21 now and

has greater sensitivity to others feelings and needs than any other 21 year old

i know. Don't beat yourself up.

jackie

[Guest guest]

1) by involvement in a 12 step program where disease acceptance is taught.

2) by applying weekly readings and homilies from Mass into my life

3) by listening to motivational speakers and applying principles from Wayne

Dyer, Larry Dossey and others

4) remembering what I learned from my family as a child - I am unique,

one-of-kind, and precious.

True acceptance of CMT really happened when I was about 27. Until then it was

just shadowed over by a very strong will and need to prove myself extra-capable

- at everything. Type A++ lol

Acceptance for me does not mean 'approval' or 'liking' CMT. Instead acceptance

is about knowing deep down inside the truth - I have CMT. Period. And go on from

there.

Gretchen

[Guest guest]

Some other resources I have used:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acceptance

http://www.selfcreation.com/acceptance/

http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/06/self-discipline-acceptance/

[Guest guest]

1 word for you Jim, ANITDEPRESSENTS!

Even then I have good days and bad days, mostly good days.

I don't think I have ever accepted CMT because I keep waiting for a

treatment. Not for myself but for my CMT kids. 3 to 5 years I keep telling

myself.

[Guest guest]

After 30 years, feeling very very very " tired of not accepting " my CMT, I have

no energy to deny it anymore. Thus, I accept it.

Caroline

[Guest guest]

a big thanx to those who posted comments, some were funny but seems most havent

really accepted it just moved on with the daily struggles and do what ya gotta

do!

[Guest guest]

Jim,

I am a parent too of a young son and I think that all you can do is spend all

the time you can with them, enjoying being with them and giving them good

memories as well as good values and maybe even teaching them practical, real

world things. Those things stick with me from my dad mostly. As a mom, besides

the outdoor stuff, I do so much reading and learning with my son and I like to

think that he'll remember that I did with him.

Dawn