b'WWiillllYYoouuBBeeTThheerreettooHHeellppMMeeIIffIIFFaallll??By Marcia Harris The law of falling: After falling, rst you percent of individuals with MS experience atwonder if someone saw you and not about the least one fall during a six-month period.pain. After all, it takes skill to trip over a at Sometimes they are caused by fatigue, gaitsurface. My family makes jokes about me falling disturbance, imbalance, side effects fromso much. During the past 10 years I have broken medication, or cognitive issues. Sometimesmy left foot three times and my right foot once. they are caused by uneven ground outside,Sometimes I dont even fall all the way; I catch tippy furniture, high-heeled shoes, weathermyself but still land wrong and crack! That conditions, throw rugs inside, or even electricaldoesnt even include the bloody knees, black cords. All of those reasons for falling apply toand blue face, and torn ligaments. Tipping people who do not have MS as well.over in a chair on a cruise vacation resulted Recently my son (age 44) started askingin a severely broken left hand and to top it all questions, such as: why are you falling soo, I fell on that same trip and sprained my much?, did you have a seizure?, did youankle. What the heck! It used to be funny that black out? Sometimes I know I tripped overI always fall on vacation and come back in a an electric cord or stood on a chair on the softwalking boot or splint. It is not so funny now.ground outside to put up lights and it tipped.There is a joke that goes something like this: Not good decisions, but at least I have anA person with multiple sclerosis walks into a answer. On election day while walking thebar, and a table, and a chair, and a wall. Another dogs, I ended up on the sidewalk with bloodyone I saw is a note that reads If you fall, Ill be knees and a broken nger. I dont know howthere. It is signed Floor.or why I fell. My neurologist doesnt have anAs the Support Groups Program coordinator answer for my falls either and just advises meat MS Focus, I belong to several MS Facebook to be careful and keep track of it.support groups where people share their good What I want to say is sometimes we fall.days and bad days. Many of the bad days Whether you have MS or not, it happens. Iinclude falls, pictures of their bruised and bloody read all the posts from the MS support groupbody, and frustration that it keeps happening. members and want to shout out You are notThey express sadness that sometimes their alone! What I also want to say to our familyfamily and friends make fun of them or just and friends is just be there to pick us up.dont understand how it aects them. I dont Whether you are physically there and actuallyjoin in the conversations because even though help us to get up, or are someone we call to talkI am frustrated that I am falling a lot too, I do to later, we need your supportnot yournot have MS.criticism, teasing, or ridicule. After all, if youAccording to an article by the Cleveland Clinic happen to fall someday, we will be there forNeurological Institute, studies show 50 to 70 you.29 msfocusmagazine.org'