The Gift

The Gift PDF

by: Kendall Geneser

This is the story of one man's battle with Multiple Sclerosis. "The Gift" is a compelling personal memoir of both human frailty and the struggle to accept a rather harsh reality. Acceptance comes slowly as the author surrenders his perceived need for confidentiality and slowly turns his efforts from obscuring the truth to embracing it. In its early stages M.S. often promotes secrecy and denial. While a certain amount of denial may be advantageous, a precarious balance must be achieved. Many, including the author, struggle to strike that balance. Any perceived lack of compassion is often is the result of ignorance. People can't understand an issue if they don't know it exists. The Gift is the author's meager attempt to help foster understanding. While coming to grips with reality the author is somewhat surprised to discover that remarkable humans surround him. They exist everywhere. They surround us all. The result is that from a lofty, though rickety, perch he is allowed to witness the gargantuan human spirit in action. It soars. The author found it so enlightening, so exhilarating that he had to tell someone and it became the title of this work. In his quest to come out of the closet concerning his medical condition, the author is able to receive the latest medical treatment and openly discusses it. He recounts his autologous stem cell transplant and does his best - in layman's terms - to explain the procedure, its risks and its likely outcome. The result is the sad, happy, funny and sometimes frustrating account of coming to terms with challenge. Note: The author is not a doctor but a layperson and knows there are few pat answers with M.S. Please consult your physician before making any medical decision based upon this work.