Oh, The Places You'll Go

by Jackie Piper

“Congratulations!

Today is your day.

You're off to Great Places!

You're off and away!

You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes

You can steer yourself

any direction you choose.

You're on your own.  And you know what you know.

And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go.”

-“Oh, The Places You’ll Go,” by Dr. Seuss

So, it’s my second blog post and you have figured out that I spend a lot of time hanging out with kids. One of the many things I’ve learned is that all of life’s lessons really are found in children’s literature! Leave it to Dr. Seuss, in his famous and popular “graduation gift” book to remind us what we are capable of.

However, for those who are affected with MS, hopes and dreams for the future can be quickly, viciously and painfully dashed with the words, “you have MS”. I have never heard those words. My young son-in-law, Dylan, has. At age 27, with a 1-year-old son, he was diagnosed with relapsing remitting MS.

As a nurse, Dylan was certainly aware of the range of symptoms possible with MS. It could have been enough to stop him from heading off to any “Great Places.” But, Dylan has been unstoppable.

This is what Challenge Walk MS and other MS Society fundraising has done and will continue to do. The research and progress in treatment enables people to live life, pursue their dreams and move forward.

Since diagnosis 4 years ago, the “Great Places” Dylan has been off to include a nursing degree, a new house,

Jackie is involved in Challenge Walk MS to honor her
son-in-law, Dylan,shown here with his wife (Jackie's
daughter) and their two children. (Baby #3 is due
in December.)

a full-time job, a passion for fly fishing, another little boy, and Baby #3 due in December.

So, this is why I walk. I want Dylan and every person diagnosed with MS to be “off and away” to “Great Places,” with hope and confidence that we are doing everything we can to beat MS.