This just happened to me on 3/1/08. I was reading a book to my six year son about Lou Gehrig. Lou died of ALS which is commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease around the age of 37. As I read the pages I was overcome by emotions about Lou having ALS, about my own multiple sclerosis and Lou dying at such a young age. Although I didn't cry tears were welling up in my eyes and my throat was getting choked up. I didn't want my son to see me like this so I quickly finished the book and we went on to Cat In The Hat.

I don't know what it was but my emotions were suddenly out of whack. To think that a great ballplayer who was also a nice man succumbed to ALS just didn't seem fair. But I realize there are alot of unfair things in this world and life goes on. But as I've said before my emotions nowadays seem more out of whack and things bother me more. Abuse of women and children top that list. I also don't like to hear about friends who get severe illness like cancer, diabetes, strokes, etc.

Part of the information that you see below came from the website I found this to be a excellent resource for information on multiple sclerosis. Emotional problems and difficulties with multiple sclerosis are extremely common. This is unsurprising considering the impact having multiple sclerosis can have in your life. Emotional problems may develop due to the disease itself and can also develop simply as a result of becoming overwhelmed by the implications of having multiple sclerosis and the outlook for the future.

Regardless of what age you are when multiple sclerosis is diagnosed (average age of diagnosis is around 37 years of age), the emotional blows inflicted are quite considerable. People usually find they become frightened (even if they don't admit it) by the prospect of multiple sclerosis. In part, this is due to a lack of knowledge on the subject and the stereotypical picture many people already have.

Another huge emotional blow is the impact that the developing disease may have on life plans and direction. The ability to work may be affected throwing future plans into disarray. This often becomes an ever increasing reality as the disease progresses over time although it may take many years before a person's ability to work is affected to the point of having to give up employment.

Other sources of emotional distress may result from the changes it is necessary to make to family life such as switching roles within the family unit. An example would be from wage earner to house person. Uncontrollable emotional outbursts are usually the result of the disease process.

Suddenly laughing for no apparent reason (even to yourself) or suddenly bursting into tears are usually the result of disease activity. They tend to occur with lesion formation in the areas of the brain which are involved with emotion. This type of emotional difficulty is known as emotional lability (severe mood swings) or the pseudobulbar affect (uncontrollable laughing/crying).

I always considered MS to be purely physical but as time moves on I realize that MS plays a part in the cognitive of a person's brain. I have memory problems, some emotional issues and disinhibiton. Disinhibition means a lack of control over I say to people. I've made some major faux pauxs in the last couple of years. I guess my recent difficulty in reading to my son is to be expected. I spoke with a friend who has terminal cancer last week. He said he has crying jags and depression when he thinks of his life and where he's now probably going. To sum all this up MS and other diseases can most definately have a profound impact on your emotions.