Welcoming an Unwelcome Guest

By Marisa Van Staden

Drawing from the true story of a young woman grappling with the tumultuous changes brought upon her body and mind by a life-altering medical diagnosis - Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis - this narrative unfolds as an unwelcome odyssey within her own flesh.  It chronicles a yourney where each day is a battleground against the spectre of relapse, a constant negotiation with rebellious body cells streemingly determined to defy her will.

 

Amidst encounters with medical professionals with clandestine agreements seem to cast her as a mere research subject, she confronts the unspoken label of being deemed a "vegetable", a disheartening realization that threatens to diminish her sense of self-worth.  Yet, even as she grapples with this internal strife, she endeavours to reclaim her dignity and redefine her worth, both to herself and to those who cherish her.

 

Throughout her ordeal, she develops a profound empathy for others navigating similar medical challenges, recognizing the shared struggles and hopes that unite them.  In her quest to regain agency over her own narrative, she immerges not just as a survivor, but as a beacon of inspiration for those facing their own daunting journeys, proving that resilience and determination can overcome even the most formidable obstacles in life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Marisa Van Staden
• Release date: Mar 9, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224155026

Marisa Van Staden

The author is an ambitious and creative individual, driven by a strong sense of family orientation.  Known for their polite and friendly demeanour, they approach life with a positive outlook and a genuine desire to connect with others.

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

MEETING THE UNWELCOME GUEST

Round and around I go, skating on the ice, being sweet sixteen!! Just following another ritual of mine the day before a big exam, which most of my classmates feared.  Refusing to admit that the terms fear and stress exist.  Having all the knowledge and wisdom of a sixteen-year-old, thinking that it really is extremely perplexing and difficult for me, to grasp the concept of the evil word: fear! Unbelievable that everyone does not realise life’s a breeze and comes so easy, you should just let it be!  For every problem, there is a solution.  So, stop looking at the problem, find the solution and follow it.  Eventually you’ll find your rainbow; the pot of gold is up to you.  With this motto, how can anything in life be impossible to face?  If you keep on aiming for the moon you are guaranteed that you’ll be successful – should you miss, you’ll be between the stars anyway. 

Now I know wealth and health are just as important as success.  That there are some health and wealth issues money cannot buy.  Finally understanding my mother’s wise words.  As a teenager when my family went through financial difficulties, it was as easy as win a printer, scanner in a competition at school and exchange the scanner for your outstanding school fees (yes, I actually did that!).  Then find weekend work and wash cars to assist with family expenses – everything has a solution and everything in life is temporary, even life itself (there is that teenage wisdom again!). 

Moving to my own flat in order to attend university in a different town, I had it all figured out.  All alone in a big city, with only my mom’s close friend in the same city and the rest of my family a city or two away, parents on contract work in another African country, I was free and could do whatever I wanted.  So, I of course did first things first, got familiar with all the local clubs and pubs.  I also started hypnotherapy sessions in an effort to get rid of my speech impediment.  At last, my stuttering was only slightly alleviated and not completely gone, but this has never kept me from enjoying life to the full.

While visiting my brother in our hometown, I went to a bar with a High School friend and there it happened:  that moment so aptly described in movies and in old wives’ tales of you’ll just know.  I stared into eyes capturing my life story past, present and future in a second.  Thinking oh, come on, not now! I’m busy owning the dance floor!

This momentous occasion did call for another solution.  I could move back home, drop out of university, find work and continue my studies online at home!  This is exactly what I did! All was still going well from my point of view, and I could still reach my goals even while I fell hard in love.  Next thing taking me by surprise – having two daughters in two years’ time and then getting married.  I know it should have been the other way around, but these were the cards dealt me by life, so I’ll take one on the chin and move forward adapting as I go along. 

After the sad passing away of my mother-in-law and six weeks of marriage, I soon realised that this is not the fairy-tale I foolishly envisioned for myself. After seven years together in a good, stable relationship, it just took six weeks of married life to bring me to the conclusion that I couldn’t see it through.  Please do not misunderstand me, we both had our faults and made mistakes, but as usual I went straight for the easy solution.  Life had always come easy for me, so why not now?  I moved out and to another town, found temporary respite with my mother’s cousin and his family, then found a job, a place for me, my girls and my dog, Pepper, close to my place of employment and started enjoying a young adult lifestyle.  Everything were going smoothly and according to my grand plan, to the extent that my ex-husband and I could walk out of divorce court joking like old friends, although we would still have the occasional telephone fights.  I could not know that I will also always love him.

Starting my career in the big city at a resin wholesaler, I loved the busy vibe of the city and even being stuck in traffic jams couldn’t faze me.  Two months pass and I now found the commute to and from work tedious and draining.  So off I went, found a job closer to home and regarded this as the obvious solution, as I now had more time for my part-time studies and obtaining an extra income in the form of investments in the stock market.  But my mainstay and go-to helpline always were my parents supporting me both emotionally and financially, as the investing business did not really provide the expected returns in the expected time frame – maybe it was just another one of those unrealistic dreams and hopes?  Instead, I worked from eight to five, took care of the girls until bedtime at around 08.00 or 09.00 pm, worked on my investment portfolio till about midnight, only to get up at around 03:00 in the mornings to keep up with my studies before getting ready for work and the girls off to day-care.  This routine repeated itself for more than a year.  But I was determined to be successful on my own.  With extra vitamin support, I was sure that I’ll make it through another day – just take a caffeine boost and lots of coffee during the day and I’m sure I’ll make it, just another two or three years and I’m set, almost there!

Determination burning inside me, totally focussed on where my path is leading.  Even though I had to go through rough patches before, I’m on my way and strong enough to succeed.  Life can throw anything and everything at me, I have proven that I can fall and will conquer.

Enjoying a restaurant meal after divorce court finalisation with my parents, who were at home from abroad for two weeks before returning to their jobs, the feeling of being close to finalising a frame to a puzzle and concluding the well-planned path I couldn’t turn away from, was ever present.  Totally neglecting the fact or reality of what I’m doing to others – my girls only seeing their father on occasional set terms, even though they were unlikely to understand any of the proceedings at their young age.  All that mattered to me were to reach my goals, to be successful, to earn the highest possible salary.  Seeing others, especially my ex, around me crumble and fall by the wayside, didn’t have any influence at all.  To my way of thinking, it was a fact of life that if possibilities were not served to you on a silver platter, you can always pick up the pace and still make your dreams and goals come true.

Back to my well-ordered life, the company I was working for installed a pepper-gas alarm system when strikes occurred at the surrounding industries as a safety