MY HANDI-CAPABLE REPORTER - - - AUGUST 2002
CHANGING PESSIMISM TO OPTIMISM - - - VOLUME 7 ISSUE 8


We'd like to introduce you to Judith Griffin, a survivor in every sense of the
word. You see she has been blessed with a good life, kids, a loving husband,
and "oh by the way, multiple sclerosis".

This is Judy's story, as told by herself:


In 1979 I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and had been married for
just one year and one month. I used to hear humorous stories about newly
married women who would get major dental repair after they were married. My
MS was exacerbating and remitting at that time. A doctor whom I was seeing
said something to me that was life changing and his advise has become my
mantra. He said, " You don't get to choose whether you have MS or not, you
have it! You only get to choose how you deal with it." That statement has
stuck with it and me is how I try to conduct my life.

Therefore, in 1981 I had my son Adam and 1984 I also had my daughter Jenna.
Adam now is 21 and Jenna will be 18 in October. In addition to raising our
two kids, I am responsible for co-coordinating and overseeing the care of my
92-year-old mother. In 1993 David and I started our company, Complete
Access. We did that as a result of my MS and as a result of some of the
difficulty and limited sensitivity I had experienced as a disabled consumer.
We thought that we could be more caring, thoughtful and helpful because of
my illness and our experience with disability. We have been successful in
these goals.

The disabled community that we deal with has expressed gratitude in the way
that we thoughtfully do business. We too, are very grateful to that
community of people who support and love us.

My MS has progressed to the secondary progressive form. Needless to say, it
is challenging on many different levels. I work very hard at being as
physically and mentally healthy as I can be. I exercise daily and I try to
find gratification and joy in what I do in the world around me. It's a big
job, as many of you know. I remember my control is in how I deal with my MS.