MLA Denise Peterson-Rafuse says MS diagnosis has provided insight
Michael Gorman | CBC News | Posted: July 11, 2016 9:30 AM | Last Updated: July 11, 2016
NDP MLA learns firsthand about what patients need - and about the benefits of medical marijuana
Let it never be said Denise Peterson-Rafuse is without humour.
Sitting in a café in Chester, N.S., the New Democrat MLA for Chester-St. Margaret's is talking about being diagnosed earlier this year with multiple sclerosis and the ensuing leave of absence that caused her to miss the spring session at the legislature.
"I heard that the House session was pretty calm, so I guessed it was probably because I wasn't in there yelling like I probably shouldn't be yelling."
Trying to dial it back
Diagnosed in March, Peterson-Rafuse, one of the more vociferous members in the House, has been trying to dial it back as she learns to manage her illness and adjust her work approach to reflect her new reality.
She's come a long way since a 17-day hospital stay, but there are still days where she can't spring out of bed and hit the ground running the way she'd like, and she's still on a lot of medication trying to get things in order.
The initial word of the diagnosis left her spinning.
"Rarely do I not have something to say, and I have to say that was one of those times," she said.
"I had a lot of questions but I was feeling so miserable at that point that all I wanted was to feel better."
But being a patient has also given Peterson-Rafuse a new perspective on various parts of the health-care system so often debated by politicians.
Dealing with the pain
For one, she's learned that sometimes what people on the frontlines need and want are simple and shouldn't be difficult to fix; sometimes it's as simple as privacy curtains that are clean and actually provide privacy, said Peterson-Rafuse.
She's also gaining an appreciation for the challenging task of chronic-pain management and the various options available, including medical marijuana.
"That was an experience in itself. I never, ever dreamt that I would even try something like that," she said.
But it's helped. The marijuana relieved her pain, eased some of her symptoms and helped her sleep. Still, when the pain-management doctor first recommended she try marijuana-based oils (she's also tried vapours) Peterson-Rafuse had some misgivings.
"The first thing that I asked ... is, 'Am I going to be whacked out?'" she said with a laugh.
"I mean, I didn't know anything about it and I didn't want to be more wacky than I am normally."
Planning to reoffer
She believes this new perspective, and the perspective she's gained navigating the illness, makes her a better MLA.
It's one reason the former community services minister, who intends to be back in the House for the autumn session, plans to re-offer when the next election is called.
"It gives me insight — more so than I had before — into seeing what people with disabilities have to deal with emotionally, with the way society is set up, with the way other people think of people with disabilities — the whole gamut."
'I'm no different than anybody else'
Peterson-Rafuse is back out in the community more and more, attending events as she gets her symptoms in check. While she's had to slow down — something she admits she doesn't do as much as she should — Peterson-Rafuse said the changes haven't impacted her ability to do her job.
"I'm no different than anybody else: there will continually be days where I'll probably say, 'Why am I going forward?' and then there will be other days that I'll say to myself that this is the best decision for me and for the people that I serve," she said.
"I feel like saying, 'I don't have time for this MS stuff.' But this is what I've been dealt with in my life and I'm not the only one that is dealing with tremendous stress and tremendous problems and there's others that deal with more."