I was diagnosed with MS in 2001 and it has been a long ride since. You want people to not treat you differently, but when you start to become unable to do normal activities, it can get a little frustrating. My life is not perfect and is almost never easy. Life is full of challenges and this is my biggest. But as long as I know that I'm not alone in this fight, it gives me the strength to keep on living the life that I have.

I am a 31 year old man with RRMS.  Things have recently been a little more challenging than usual.  I've applied for Social Security and have been denied.  I spoke to an attorney and he said that if I went into a court room to appeal the decision, that they would look at me and laugh.  When people look at me, they don't see the pain that I feel inside.  They see the outside of me, which I happen to disguise very well with a smile.

I'm getting by, but like most people, just getting by can be very stressful and depressing at times.  I guess where I live don't make things any easier.  I'm pretty much in the middle of nowhere with nobody to talk to, to share what I'm going through, or who understands what we have to live with everyday.