#ms

the full cause of ms isn't known. there is a genetic component (my grandfather had it), which, when combined with a viral infection, can sometimes lead to the development of the disorder. this is what happened to me, i got shingles (at 22 which is crazy rare btw) and it triggered the disorder

there are multiple types of ms: relapse remitting, primary progressive, secondary progressive, and acute. rrms is by far the most common, which sees "attacks" which is the onset of symptoms and corresponds to developing lesions in the brain, and remission where most if not all of ones symptoms go away. ppms, which is what my dr suspects i have and is much rarer, does not have periods of remission, symptoms just progressively get worse. spms sees a period of attacks and remission followed by a steady progression, and acute isnt super common but sometimes people develop one or two lesions out of nowhere but they heal themselves or don't develop further, often also a result of viral infections

while there is an established set of symptoms very common with ms, basically any neurological symptom under the sun can be attributed to it, from migraines to seizures to full blown paralysis

while chronic pain can be present for a lot of folks with ms, not everyone has it. they can still have extremely debilitating symptoms like vision issues, muscle weakness/spasticity, limited mobility, fine motor control issues, insomnia etc etc. the main reason i use my wheelchair isn't chronic pain (which i do also have to be fair), it's muscle weakness. my legs get so weak i can't move them if i stand/walk too much. ms can be extremely disabling without any pain at all

Eeeeeee, it’s here!!!!

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It was a quiet afternoon, the kind where the sunlight streamed gently through the windows, casting a warm glow over everything in the room. Matt sat on the couch, his legs pulled up beneath him, lazily scrolling through his phone, but his eyes were growing heavier by the second. His energy had been replaced by a familiar, soft sluggishness.

“Hey, babe,” Matt called out, his voice already sounding drowsy. “You wanna hang out? Or... maybe just... nap?”

You turned around from the kitchen, a smile forming as you saw him curled up, his head tilted back against the armrest, eyes half-lidded, like a sleepy kitten.

“You’re already tired, aren’t you?” you teased, walking over and sitting next to him.

Matt let out a soft whine, his lips pouting slightly. “Mm-hmm. Just a little... but I want you to nap with me. Please?”

You chuckled softly, his usual confident self now replaced with the soft, baby-faced Matt you adored. He never liked admitting it, but when he was sleepy, Matt became like a little kid, craving comfort and attention from his favorite person in the world— you.

“Come on, just for a little,” he whined again, tugging gently at your hand, pulling you into his arms. His body molded to yours as he buried his face against your neck, his breathing already slowing.

You could feel the warmth of his skin and the soft hum of his voice as he nuzzled closer. “I’m not gonna sleep without you,” he mumbled, his words barely coherent, the exhaustion slowly overcoming him.

As you laid down together, you could tell he wasn’t just tired—he was melting into the moment, his body feeling heavier and more relaxed the closer you were. His arms wrapped around you like he never wanted to let go.

“Stay close, please,” Matt whispered, his voice small, almost childlike. He always became more clingy when he was sleepy, and you couldn’t help but smile at how sweet he looked.

“You’re such a baby when you're tired,” you teased softly, stroking his hair.

He let out a soft, sleepy giggle, the sound making your heart swell. “You love it,” he mumbled before falling into a peaceful, content sleep in your arms, his grip still firm around you.

And you did. You loved it all— the way he was so strong and independent, but when it came to napping with you, he let himself be your baby. And you were more than happy to spoil him with all the comfort and affection he needed.