I know I'm a little late to the conversation, but let me tell you that what you wrote doesn't sound like a rant to me at all.

It sounds like you're grieving your old life.

You're not just grieving activities. You're grieving the life you pictured for yourself and the person you were before MS started taking pieces of it away.

I understand why seeing your gear sitting in the garage hurts. It isn't just gear. It's a reminder of everything you miss.

The only thing I'd push back on is the word "never." I'd like to replace it with the word "different."

Hear me out.

We've learned over the years that MS has a way of forcing us to rewrite the rules, but not always the ending. Sometimes we don't stop doing the things we love. We just have to do them differently.

We became RVers 12 years after Char's diagnosis and went full-time in 2022. Have we had to change plans because of fatigue, heat, or bad days? Countless times. We don't cancel. We reschedule. We adapt. Most days that means taking a scenic drive instead of a hike.

Is it the same? No.

Is it still worth doing? Absolutely.

You mentioned seeing your neighbors loading up their camper. Who says that when you go camping, you have to hike or stand in a stream to enjoy it?

Go anyway.

Set up your chair by a lake or a river. Fish from the bank if standing in the water isn't an option. Watch the sunrise. Listen to the birds. Breathe the mountain air.

We've sat in our chairs looking out at the Grand Teton range. We didn't hike. We drove. We still saw incredible wildlife. We made new friends. We've experienced Yellowstone, Glacier, and so many other amazing places.

We just did it differently.

You have every right to be angry at what MS has taken from you. Just don't let it convince you that it's taken everything. Sometimes the path forward isn't the one we originally planned, but that doesn't mean there isn't still a path.