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Lasantha's Multiple Sclerosis Story
Greetings To All!
My name is Lasantha Rodrigo and I'm a 29 year old male living in Sri Lanka.
I was diagnosed with primary progressive MS in December, 2001, when I was studying in the United States. I was doing quite badly at the time and very soon started using a cane. My symptoms were: mobility issues; bladder issues (horrendous frequency!); fatigue; difficulty with speech (uttering certain sounds); balance; breathing problems; etc. I was studying Theatre and English Literature and had grand dreams of Broadway. My world was shattered. That was 2001.
It's 2006 now, and I BRING GOOD NEWS!!! I tried many things. I was on an interferon (Avonex) for a while. Tried acupuncture, physical therapy, the Best Bet Diet (BBD), etc. I came back to Sri Lanka about three years ago and am getting ready to head back to the U.S. to do my Master's in English Literature (leaving next month). I did go through hell. BUT five years after my diagnosis, I'm delighted to tell you all that I'm ALMOST normal now. I stopped using the cane about two months ago and my other symptoms are at a minimum.
It's not just a remission, as I was diagnosed with the primary progressive type of MS! So I want to tell you what helped me.
Well, it was a mixture of many things. But most of all, I completely focused on God, and more than any doctor I saw, HE told me what to do. Please don't think I'm some fanatic. I'm far from it! God works in amazing ways. Let me share with you the things that helped me:1. ATTITUDE is key! I have always been a happy person, but I guess it's easier to slide into the "Oh, Me" mode when you have to deal with a life-altering disease. But I didn't. I focused on what I COULD do as opposed to my new limitations.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY
2. FOOD. This is huge, too. I was always very careful about what I ate and how much I ate. I think keeping one's weight under control is very crucial for an MS patient. I think the Best Bet Diet is great. However, I found it quite difficult to stick to, so I became a vegetarian and that helped a lot. I noted how my body reacted to different kinds of food. That enabled me to come up with my own diet: no meats, minimum dairy, minimum sugar, lots of water, a lot of fruit and veggies, and no food high in saturated fat. Very similar to the BBD but a little less harsh. :-)
3. SWIM. This has helped me tremendously. When I first started out, I couldn't even do the breadth of the pool! Now I swim 50 lengths every day! And I feel great.
4. DO THINGS YOU LIKE TO DO. I love singing. I do that a lot still whether it's in the shower or at a karaoke place. It's also important to be with people who make you feel good. :-)
5. GO TO THE GYM. It was hard at first and I felt awful when I could hardly do anything at first. But I didn't give up. I kept going and I improved--a lot.
6. BE ACTIVE as much as you can. Don't give up on yourself. You can do it! :-)
Talk to God often. Pray and claim his promises. A few months ago, I started writing a letter to Jesus every night and you'd be amazed at how drastically my life has improved since. It really works!
I'm just a normal person and I have no ulterior motive for writing this account. I just would love for you all to stay on top of MS. If you wish to write to me directly, please feel free to do so. I can be
reached at
lasantha.rodrigo@gmail.com
God bless you all!
Sincerely in Christ,
Lasantha Rodrigo
Send E-Mail to: lasantha.rodrigo@gmail.com
Copyright © 2006 Lasantha Rodrigo. All Rights Reserved