Your MS Story

 

Preparing your MS story provides context for anyone you want to talk to about your MS.

 

It could be an appointment with your health professional – your MS story would enable your health professional to understand both your medical and personal needs.

Care planning allows you to tell a health professional how your MS affects you day to day outside of the appointment, rather than how it is affecting you at that moment. It will give you the opportunity to tell your story so far and also what you want the next part of your life with MS to look like.

 

First, choose where you want to write, what type of document suits you? It could be a word document, an email draft, a note on your phone, a piece of paper or whatever you choose.

 

If you are using a digital device, just copy and paste the questions below. If you are writing by hand, add in headings as appropriate – this is important so when you look back at your story it’s easy to understand.

 

You can update the document as things happen in your life, so by the time you have your appointment you are ready to give a complete picture. Remember to keep the document brief, it’s not a diary, it’s a quick snapshot to provide context.

 

To write your MS story, just answer the questions in the sections below.

 

Describing your life

What does a good day look like for you?

What are you interested in?

What would you like to do more of?

Who is in your support network?

What matters most to you in your daily life?

 

Describing your MS

What does your MS stop you doing?

How does your MS affect you?

How has your MS affected you in the last week/month/year?

How do you feel about living with MS?

How do you measure the impact of MS on your daily life?

 

Listing your medication

What medications, if any, are you currently taking?

 

Have a look at some examples from other MSers Stories here