'But you don't look sick'

"What you doing just lying there?
I'm sure it would help if you begged in more prayer"
"Have you not yet tried this special snake oil?"
I've said there's no cure, my blood starts to boil

"But you look just fine" I guess I must refrain
From boring you with woes of my pain
Well I'm bored of hearing "you don't look sick"
You don't look stupid I think
Yet you must be thick
"You're far too young to be in such pain"
Oh really? Then to broken body explain.

"Get well soon" I know you're trying to be kind
But that ain't gonna happen
If Google 'chronic' you'll find;
'Persistent, long-standing, long term'
"I'm trying" I smile instead of making you squirm

"I'm sure you can't really need that chair"
"How can it be that hard just to blow dry damp hair?"
When walking in pain don't dare use a stick
"Just exercise more you can't be that sick"
"Just try this new potion"
"It's all in your head"
"My cousin used lotion"
"Instead of lazing in bed"

"You must be depressed, you're anxious a lot"
Yeah coz being told all is well
One might lose the plot
"I don't care what you say it must just be the worry"
Oh yes coz my body would heal
If I just told it I'm sorry

Why is it because you've not heard of my plight
That you think it's essential I put up a fight?
It's real and it's chronic and arrived via genes
Not because I haven't yet fulfilled all my dreams

Believe me I wish I could come out tonight
And if winning disease was through putting up fight
I'd have won it by now I’d be so much better
But it's in black and white on many a consultant’s letter

'But you don't look sick' -
Victoria Payne February 2016

Yes after 52+ years I have had on and off almost all of these symptoms they come and go. I have some that will stay with me until death do us part.
MSF 316 MS symptoms
I hope this helps
MS symptoms are variable and unpredictable. No two people have exactly the same symptoms, and each person’s symptoms can change or fluctuate over time. One person might experience only one or two of the possible symptoms while another person experiences many more.
Explore the list below to find more information about the symptoms you or someone you care about may experience. Most of these symptoms can be managed very effectively with medication, rehabilitation and other management strategies. Effective symptom management by an interdisciplinary team of healthcare professionals is one of the key components of comprehensive MS care.
More common symptoms
• Fatigue
• Walking (Gait) Difficulties
• Numbness or Tingling
• Spasticity
• Weakness
• Vision Problems
• Dizziness and Vertigo
• Bladder Problems
• Sexual Problems
• Bowel Problems
• Pain
• Cognitive Changes
• Emotional Changes
• Depression
Less common symptoms
• Speech Problems
• Swallowing Problems
• Tremor
• Seizures
• Breathing Problems
• Itching
• Headache
• Hearing Loss

One thing I did early on was have my family read the book 29 Gifts and discuss it together. The author has MS and it's an easy read about her diagnosis and how she learned to live well with MS. It also illuminates the incredible support her husband provided - so that was a nice exemplar for my family. The book helped them learn more about MS (from someone other than me so they actually believed it) and learn about what I was up against - and what my future could look like. I wish I could say it changed them forever, but it definitely helped for a good 6 months or so - and when I was newly diagnosed, I needed that additional support at the time. Now I've formed my own "MS Family" and rely on them for support since they truly understand. Hope you find the support you're craving very soon! XX

The following link from the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America has a very detailed list of MS Symptoms and if you click/tap on each symptom a farther description is presented.

https://mymsaa.org/ms-information/symptoms/ms-s...

MS for Dummies is an excellent resource too!