Health & Wellness

Finding Your Cognitive Edges

By Jeffrey N. Gingold

There was room for the woman and her child to pass me on the sunbaked sidewalk, but she suddenly grabbed the little girl’s hand and pulled her against the building. I was wearing sunglasses and walking with my cane, and as I passed them I heard the whispered word, “blind.” My car was parked curbside and I wondered if they were still watching me as I got into it and drove away.
No, MS does not mean “More Simple.” It’s a complicated disability. For example, while I have adjusted to walking with a cane, shifting all other tasks to the available hand is another challenge. Simple functions now require some obvious assistance, but finding a “cane” to support cognitive deficits is as elusive as the thinking challenges themselves. Gaps in my mental processing and recollection of faces, locations, and tasks have been troublesome and may be invisible to others. The physical and cognitive disabilities have altered my life, but I refuse to let MS have the last word.
While presenting worldwide on the topic of MS cognition, I have met others who feel the same way. They are resilient and welcome an informed conversation – validating their stealth MS cognitive symptoms, along with learning and sharing successful coping strategies. It may be difficult to move beyond the stigma of having a “mental” concern, but when you do, useful answers become clear. They may not be the same answers for everyone, but there are common themes to build upon. Keeping these markers in mind has helped guide me through the MS mental twister.
As I continue to share techniques for coping with cognitive impediments, I’m mindful of MS limitations that often ground me physically and mentally. Even if I try to ignore it, MS reminds me of its presence. Instead of dwelling in denial, I prefer to focus on finding a supportive forward pace. It may be bizarre, but one of my inspirations comes from the third Indiana Jones movie.
In an effort to save his father, Indy must urgently cross a bottomless rock chasm without a bridge (spoiler alert). As he discovers, there is an imperceptible passage across the gap. Indy tosses a handful of pebbles to outline the edges of the narrow link, watching the rest of the stones fall off into the abyss. With a marked route, the crossing was still difficult, but guided. With that visual in mind, these are just a few recommended MS cognitive ‘edges’ that help me move toward a goal.
  1. Declutter your living area and mental tasks, leaving clear space to function and organize your thoughts. If it is not needed in the near future, then store, donate, or toss it.
  2. Use separate lists to track daily and long-term projects. Crossing off accomplished items is empowering.
  3. Identify your “Safety Person.” This is a trusted go-to individual who already understands your cognitive challenges and can step in to let your mind clear and keep you safe.                       
  4. Rest and regroup as needed, like recharging your cell phone.
  5. Regularly exercise your mind and body. There is no app to have anyone else do it for you.

These are just a few of the pebbles that I use to mark my mental edges. Although my concentration and organizational skills have been compromised, I am determined to not let other MSers flounder in the shadows of cognitive challenges. That was my original motivation for writing books on the MS cognitive subject, and why I continue to donate 100 percent of the royalties to MS research and education.
The MS community understands that MS may narrow abilities and priorities, but that should not be an end point for us. Writing and exercising reminds me that if my MS path is obscured, then I can still take steps to move forward and share what I have learned. So can you. I continue to be inspired by folks with MS, sharing their effective cognitive tactics and making a difference in the lives of others. I strongly recommend viewing the Staying Smart website by the MS Trust U.K. It is filled with additional cognitive tips, tricks, and videos from MSers over there.
Despite MS, remember to celebrate your accomplishments and cut yourself some slack on the rest. Be in charge of your MS by marking the edges of your cognitive challenges, and then confidently move forward.
Jeffrey N. Gingold is the internationally acclaimed author of the award-winning book, Facing the Cognitive Challenges of Multiple Sclerosis, as well as Mental Sharpening Stones: Manage the Cognitive Challenges of Multiple Sclerosis.