Multiple Sclerosis and Disability Awareness - Case Study Example

Multiple Sclerosis Name Institution Date Multiple Sclerosis Section A: Case study Multiple sclerosis (5 years post diagnosis). I am a 41 year old man living with my sister and her two primary school aged children in Goondiwindi in South West Queensland. The severity of my disability is at a level where it is causing significant challenges in my quality of life. Disability brings about a lot of changes in one’s life in terms of psychological, physiological, social, and economic status. All these changes require effective support so that the affected individual together with his or her family members and friends can be able to adjust accordingly. Section B: Disability Awareness Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is considered a CNS autoimmune disease. Basically, the immune system (white blood cells and the T-cells) start attacking the neurons’ myelin coating within the CNS (Craggs-Hinton, 2006). The severity of MS disability as well as the duration of MS in an individual; are both correlated to the loss of brain tissue. MS affects the spinal cord and the brain (CNS), which regulate every action within the body (Naff, 2009). In case fibers of the nerve which are involved in communication of messages are injured, symptoms might occur within any region of a person’s body. In various cases, symptoms and signs normally appear during 20 and 40 years of life. For a couple of patients, the symptoms and signs are so mild to an extent that they cannot be noticed but only appear later in the disease course. MS brings about bladder problems. Patients experience difficulty when emptying the bladder completely, obliged to visit the toilet a lot more frequently. This is a problem that I experience. I also experience bowel problems. Research indicates that half of MS patients get constipation, which may occasionally be serious, a condition known as fecal impaction. In case fecal impaction is left unresolved, the problem might result in bowel incontinence (Craggs-Hinton, 2006). It is stated that almost 50 percent of individuals with MS experience cognitive issues to some degree, rising to 80 percent among severe situations (Larner, 2005). This is the case in my situation since I experience a number of cognitive problems like attention, abstraction, and memory. A research conducted from UCLA found that individuals with MS have 50 percent chance of getting depression (Craggs-Hinton, 2006). Emotional changes is another issues brought about by MS. It is argued that MS might have an intense emotional impact on the person the first time diagnosis is done. This change may prolong in one’s life hence affecting the process of healing. It is recommended that treatment of stress management can decrease the development of fresh brain laceration in individuals with MS significantly. Fatigue is another major issue that MS has brought about in my body. This is among the most frequent MS symptom. MS brings about vertigo and dizziness, weakness or numbness, tingling or pain, tremor, vision problems, muscle spasms and spasticity. Sexual dysfunction is another major issue brought about by MS (Naff, 2009). I experience lack of sexual interest due to MS. Gait is another problem due to MS. MS can alter the way individuals walk, since the muscles are not strong, causing balance problems (Craggs-Hinton, 2006). Since MS is a disease that affects the spinal cord, mobility is greatly expected (DeSanto-Madeya, 2006). All these problems have greatly the way I carry out my daily activities causing a number of adjustments to be implemented. A great deal that this condition has impacted me is losing my family (wife and one child) through break up marriage. This condition has brought about considerable changes in my life like straining family finances, increasing the level of stress to my close family. Even though I now live with my sister and her two children, I still feel they are strained emotionally and financially due to my situation. Friends are also strained in one way or the other even though some of them have remained very supportive to me. Multiple Sclerosis Society of Queensland is one of the organizations founded to support individuals living with MS through provision of resources and services; discussing matters that the MS community faces; and assisting in funding research into MS (Leech & Multiple Sclerosis Society of Queensland, 2005). This organization is very helpful and can be reached physically through 286 Gladstone Road, Dutton Park QLD 4102, Australia; or via e-mail volunteer@msqld.org.au. In my area, Care Goondiwindi Assn Inc would be of great help to me. This is a disability and respite service association that offers Goondiwindi and neighboring communities with great range of society services aimed to enhance people’s value of life in the region (Leech & Multiple Sclerosis Society of Queensland, 2005). Since this is a community based organization, it meets the choices and needs of individual patients as well as the community. Section C: Daily living Time/Activity Ease of doing an activity (0-4) 0=no difficulty, 4=complete difficulty Barriers or facilitators you have encountered Your solution/s or overcome the barriers Approximated financial cost to you 7.30am: Getting out of bed 3 No railing to use Electronic bed would help US $ 650.00 7.45am: Going to the toilet 3 Inability to stand alone Assistance needed n/a 8.00am: Bathing 3 No grab bars Installing grab bars outside and inside the bathtub US $ 30.00 8.30am: Dressing 3 Assistance Dressing while sited in chairs that have arm rests to help maintain balance. US $ 20.00 9.00am: Breakfast 2 Assistance Rest elbows on a table to give more movement at the wrist as well as the hand n/a 9.30am: Boarding a bus 3 Lack of ramps Getting a taxi US $ 30.00 every month 10.00am: Work 2 Fatigue Reduction of tasks n/a 1.00pm: Having lunch 2 Slow Continuous exercise to enhance muscle function n/a 3.00pm: Going home 3 Poor accessibility for wheelchair at the bus station Getting a taxi US $ 30.00 every month 4.00pm: Evening snack with the children 2 Assistance from the children Continuous exercise n/a 5.00pm: Easy exercise 2 Low motivation High esteem would help n/a 8.00pm: Dinner 2 Assistance Continued assistance n/a 9.00pm: Sleeping time 1 Assistance to get to bed Electronic bed US $ 650.00 Section D: Challenges Social restriction due to disability According to the framework of ICF, participation and activity describes an individual’s functional condition, including mobility, communication, self-care, learning, interpersonal interactions, and applying knowledge (WHO, 2001). MS just like any other disability is a condition that brings about a number of social restrictions. For instance, my mobility has been greatly affected and hence I need to have assistance while in the house. However, I can manage doing so using a wheel chair. Maintaining my family (wife and child) was a big challenge because they could not cope with my situation, hence my family broke. However, my sister and her two children who live with me have gone through counseling so as to understand my situation and be prepared for what it comes with. I used to go out with friends on frequent basis. Now, I only go for social functions once in a while with them. Some of my friends though could not put up with with my situation claiming I was too over dependent. On the other hand, a few who are still supporting me encourage me to always attend my rehabilitation sessions hence improve my quality of life. Since day to day activities can bring about fatigue more rapidly in MS individuals, it is imperative to modify my activity levels. Moreover, since MS makes moving around tricky, making particular changes to my home setting might help preserve energy and enhance independence. Since unpredictable and chronic disease like MS has a considerable effect on the family, communication is cited as an important tool. In order to live appropriately with my sister and her two children, I have to communicate candidly regarding my emotions as well as issues that relate to MS. Some MS’s symptoms are not noticeable to others; hence members of the family rely on me to inform them when a problem happens. Community or environmental challenges ICF framework entails environmental factors which are considered elements that an individual has no control over, like work, laws, family, cultural beliefs, and government agencies (WHO, 2001). There are some environmental or community challenges that people living with disability face. For instance, discrimination is one major issue that people living with disability face. Because of discrimination, stereotypes and biases, disabled people do not visit public places more often and are not free to acquire the rights that a normal individual gets. However, proper integration of aiding devices such as wheel chair ramps greatly improves community participation for people living with disability because it enhances mobility. Some communities are not effectively funded to cater for disabled people through provision of aid mobility factor such as wheel chair ramps causing difficulty in movement. This to some extent denies access to important facilities such as hospitals, schools, place of work, and recreation centers. As a result of the community challenges brought about by disability, I decided to enhance my self-care. This is a fundamental element of daily life. Self-care entails taking responsibility for my own wellbeing and health, with support from individuals involved in my care. Additionally, self-care involves the things done every day to keep fit, uphold good mental and physical health, avoid accidents and illness, and successfully deal with minor diseases (Motl & Snook, 2008). This move has helped me deal with any challenge in a positive way focusing on my healing process. Positive thinking helps people living with disability to achieve whatever goal they set regardless of the obstacles (Persson & Ryden, 2006). Self-concept, body image and self esteem Self-concept means self-perceptions that relate to feelings, knowledge, and attitudes concerning an individual’s abilities or appearance (Karren, 2006). With this regards, following the diagnosis of my condition, I would react to my disability in a denial attitude. I would feel sorry for myself because of my condition. However, knowing that self-concept enhances one’s ability to accomplish a certain mission, I would handle this situation in a more receptive manner hence increase my whole wellbeing. Oneself conception that is healthy is fundamental to coping successfully with the daily stresses of contemporary living. The beginning of whichever neurological condition, with either definite visible shortfalls or possible future disability, intimidates that concept’s integrity. Changes in self-esteem take place due to both personal or internal expectations as well as societal or external expectations (Karren, 2006). My self-esteem was to some extent altered as manifested by decreased social interactions, and poor eye contact in the process of interactions. Bodies that are imperfect are a significant feature of individuals with disabilities. Self-esteem is greatly affected by body image. When one has a low esteem, definitely he or she will have a negative perception about body image. Knowing that self-esteem are correlated, I would work to enhance my self-esteem so that the situation that my body is in due to disability is does not affect my overall feeling. Concepts of pity, self-efficacy, paternalism, independence according to rehabilitation and health care professionals in disability Beliefs of self-efficacy are argued to influence people’s action course, the effort expended, the endurance when facing hardships, their thought patterns’ nature, as well as their affective responses (Moti & Snook, 2008). Since self-efficacy means beliefs in an individual’s abilities to plan and carry out the action course needed to produce particular attainments, it is specifically significant in rehabilitation context because it offers an outline for enhancing beliefs of self-efficacy (Craven & Hirnle, 2009). There exists a strong relation between self-efficacy and better status of health in variety of conditions applicable to rehabilitation. Among MS individuals, Moti & Snook (2008) contended that better self-efficacy faith in control and function were connected with being physical active to a great extent, and were certainly coupled with greater psychological and physiological elements of life quality. This is why health professionals in either setting should help people with MS enhance their self-efficacy. In terms of pity, self-pity involves a pessimistic manner of thinking which appears to provide no realistic purpose. Self-pity depletes one’s power. In the long run, the healing process is prolonged. It is imperative that providers of health care help those going through rehabilitation to appreciate their strengths thereby enhancing their overall health outcome (Ashcroft et al, 2007). Paternalism involves one attitude being dominant over the other. Even though this practice is highly applied by health professionals, it is recommended that patients be given room to contribute towards their health care provision. This is supported by autonomy principle whereby one should not be forced in making decision about an action (Ashcroft et al, 2007). On this note, respect entails not just desisting from obstructing others’ preferences, but occasionally involves offering them the significant opportunities and conditions for exercising independence. Individuals who are given a chance to exercise autonomy are able to depict a high level of independence hence a positive health outcome. Bibliography Ashcroft, R. E, et al, 2007, Principles of health care ethics, Chichester, West Sussex, England: John Wiley & Sons. Craggs-Hinton, C, 2006, Living with multiple sclerosis, London: Sheldon. Craven, RF., & Hirnle, CJ, 2009, Fundamentals of nursing: Human health and function, Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. DeSanto-Madeya, S 2006, "The meaning of living with spinal cord injury 5 to 10 years after the injury", Western Journal of Nursing Research, vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 265-289. Karren, KJ, 2006, Mind/body health: The effects of attitudes, emotions, and relationships, San Francisco: Pearson/Benjamin Cummings. Larner, S, 2005, "Common psychological challenges for patients with newly acquired disability", Nursing Standard: Official Newspaper of the Royal College of Nursing, vol. 19, no. 28, pp. 33-39. Leech, C., & Multiple Sclerosis Society of Queensland, 2005, Understanding and managing cognitive, emotional and behavioural changes in Multiple Sclerosis: For people with MS, their families, carers, friends, and health and disability service providers, Dutton Park, Qld.: Multiple Sclerosis Society of Queensland. Motli,RW, & Snook EM, 2008. Physical activity, self-efficacy and quality of life in multiple sclerosis, Annals of Behavioral Medicine 35(1):111-5. Naff, CF, 2009, Multiple sclerosis, Detroit: Greenhaven Press. Persson, L & Ryden, A 2006, "Themes of effective coping in physical disability: an interview study of 26 persons who have learnt to live with their disability", Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, vol. 20, no. 3, pp. 355-363. World Health Organization, 2001, ICF - International classification of functioning, disability and health, Geneva: World Health Organization (WHO). Read More