It's MS awareness week. (but clearly that is just another reason for me to spread the craziness.)

I think I do my fair share to spread MS awareness everyday. I mean, anytime I need to? I blame whatever shit I can on the holes in my brain.

(What? They're there anyway. They might as well serve some purpose, right? Okay then.)

((You know you would too if you had them. Don't judge.))

At the end of last week, I held an assembly for our academy cadets. I actually decided that I would try "dropping the MS bomb" (which is my term for telling people I have MS, because it rarely goes over cleanly and has the potential to blow the whole conversation to hell) to about 200+ generally apathetic teenage boys all at once.

I have to say? It was actually one of the best experiences I've had with breaking the news to people. In fact, I may have to insist, that from now on? I will only disclose my illness to groups of at least a few hundred. With a powerpoint.

I did this, not for MS awareness week - although, had I known? That could have been a whole additional PP slide - but so that the cadets could, perhaps, learn a little something about empathy and compassion. MS is a rather silent disease. No one, just looking at me, would know I am ill. I wanted them to, perhaps, think about what others might be dealing with, unbeknownst to them, when they're interacting with others.

Will it work? Who knows. But I figured it couldn't hurt. And also, now if I fall in the halls? Or have an emotional meltdown? Or stumble over every other word? At least they won't think I'm a drunk.... they can blame it on my holes.

(see how this all comes full circle?)