Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis aka MS in May 2009, Patrice Majors the co-owner and founder of FOCUS on the 615, shares her personal story about living with this disease as she tells you where she’s been, how she got here, and where she’s headed. As a result of numerous problems with MS and a recent health scare with her heart, she embarks on a journey to return to the best shape she can get into. She will share with you what she learns about good health along the way as she trains and prepares to enter the MS Jack and Back bike event here in Nashville in the fall where she has set her goal to complete the 120 mile bike ride from Nashville to Lynchburg, TN (Jack Daniels Distillery) and back in a 2-day ride. Come share the experience with her as she trains for this event and tells you her story of how she got here in the first place seeking to raise awareness for MS along the way.
A Light At The End Of The Dark Tunnel And A Fork In The Road
Well, all things come to an end and luckily that dark period did, too. Now, please know that I’m not the kind who wallows in self-pity. This actually was something quite common for anyone diagnosed with an incurable, chronic illness. There is mourning for the loss of the body once had. The one thing you thought you could always count on, your body, now working against you and much weaker than before. There also is the loss of self-confidence that comes with it. So much self-doubt. No longer feeling capable of so many things. Feeling weak, like could stumble & fall both literally AND figuratively speaking. It was a hard period, but I firmly believe that we must all at some point in our lives be forced to face our fears. We learn WHO exactly we are in those instances.
I did not know that I could handle this. I feared that I wasn’t strong enough, but I dug deep. I learned that it was ALL up to me. Now, was I going to live the rest of my life cowering in that corner hiding or was I going to fight back against this disease and learn to love life again despite my health challenges? It was ALL up to me. Every bit of it. I chose to fight and live. MS could take my body, but it could not take my spirit away.
It was out of these circumstances that FOCUS on the 615 was born. Built upon both passion and purpose. Passion for my love of music where I learned to even get in-touch with my own artistic side through photography and videography. Music truly saved and continues to save me. My solace through my times of need and my darkest hours. How could I NOT give back and promote what has saved my life? Then, there is purpose. That maybe by sharing my story, I can help other people struck by this disease or facing other challenges in life? That’s what I want to do, you know? I want to make a difference somehow. To be remembered for doing good things. Maybe my story inspires just one person so they know that no matter what life throws at you, you can fight back.
I thought back then that my life was over and would never be the same. Well, I was right on the my life “would never be the same” part. It hasn’t been, that is the truth. I came to a fork in the road, and I chose to prove to myself and others that I was still very much capable. I did need a boost. I needed desperately for someone to believe in me when I no longer believed in myself. I am fortunate that I had/have that in my life. When tested, I found out who my true friends are. I have some amazing friends. People who never gave up on me when I went through my dark period and never stopped believing in me. I just had to learn once again to believe in myself. Took me a bit, but I finally did. You have to learn to crawl before you can walk, run, and fly.
Looking back now, it’s almost 6 years to the very day that I was diagnosed with MS. I was told that I would probably be in a wheelchair at the rate my disease was progressing within 5 years. I am nowhere NEAR a wheelchair. If you would’ve told me then that I would be doing what I am doing today, I would’ve told you that you were crazy. I have had some pretty amazing experiences and this journey is FAR from over. I don’t know what exactly my future holds, but do ANY of us? There are no guarantees in life, we all only have today. So, I urge you that no matter what life throws at you, you learn to walk again and smile through it. Life is a precious gift. Enjoy today, because there might not be tomorrow, today is all we are guaranteed. Don’t fret the past, either. You can’t change it. You can learn from your mistakes, the mistakes we ALL make and you can move forward having learned from them. It’s ALL your choice you know? None of us can control what happens to us and there will always be hard times, but we always have the choice how we live our lives and the attitude we take. We can learn to smile through the pain and tears. We can learn to fight through the hard times that will surely come. Most importantly, we can ALL learn and chose to LIVE. Not just exist and survive, but truly LIVE our lives.
What is it that YOU are passionate about? It’s never too late to follow your heart and your dreams or to simply incorporate into your life what brings you happiness. We all have something in our lives that makes us want to get out of bed in the morning and gives us happiness. I encourage you to think about what it is that makes you happy and you are most passionate about. Find it and somehow bring that into your life, then you’ll be living. Don’t makes excuses. Don’t put limits on yourself. Just do it.
Well, this journey is far from over for me, I’m going to try to share my experiences with you here, but first I had to tell you where I’ve been for you to understand where I’m going and how I got here.
No comments yet.