acceptance + feelings

[Guest guest]

hi gretchen, acceptance does take a long time. thought i had

accepted this but i know deep inside i haven't. never wanted to know

much about cmt,am finding out the more i learn the better i can

deal with this. am determined to be able to do some things that

right now i'm uable to do . am curious about your 12 step plan.

dee

> , first of all feelings are NOT facts and complete and total

> acceptance of our CMT takes a long time and alot of personal

growth, as

> with me. For some reason, people who are not disabled seem to think

that

> those of us that are have brain problems too! We just have physical

> challenges. Can you get a different voc rehab. counselor? Can you

pull

> stuff off the Net that says 'doesn't affect the brain' bla bla,

etc? I

> have been writing a book on CMT this year, and oh boy, did those

> 'feelings' of my CMT 'early years' and 'struggles' come back! In my

> adult life I found the biggest help to conquering the feelings and

not

> letting them run my life was through my work in a 12 step program. -

> Gretchen

[Guest guest]

Dee, growing up as a kid with CMT, I spent all my free time trying to

manage physical symptoms and live as normal a life as possible. While I

did talk 'feelings' somewhat then, once I drowned them in alcohol and

self-medicated through pills, the feelings got stuffed. Alcoholics

Anonymous, a 12 step program not only has kept me sober and clean for

the past 21 years, but also through those steps that 'I work' each day,

I can put the 12 step principles to practice: i.e, powerlessness,

humility, faith, self-examination, willingness, admittance, acceptance,

honesty, forgiveness, meditation, helping others. These principles have

allowed me to better manage my CMT. Hope this helps. And 12 step

programs are have open meetings for anyone who wishes to observe and

learn. - Gretchen