Friday, 12 August 2011
11:00
The Grossman family has shown bravery
in the face of great adversity. From left are Ezra, Sydny and Jane
Grossman.
The Grossman family of
In the 1990s after more than a decade of feeling
ill, Ezra Grossman was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). He’d had his
suspicions having experiencing a combination of vision loss and impaired
mobility. His wife, Jane Grossman, recalls being perplexed by the diagnosis with
the autoimmune disease, which affects the central nervous system, not fully
reconciling her husband’s seeming good health with his
periodic peculiar symptoms.
“It would take about two weeks with appropriate
medication for the visual effects to retreat but the attack would leave its
calling card with increased weakness in his mobility or additional vision loss,”
Mrs. Grossman said. “MS affects each individual differently. It is one of the
mysteries of the illness. I realized that our lives would change from then
on.”
His diagnosis provided answers and some
solutions. Medication helped keep the worst of the illness at bay, and Mr.
Grossman continued to work as a consultant in
Now, with his increasing physical limitations,
Mr. Grossman continues to conduct meetings from home, with his wife there to
lend a hand. The Grossman family has accepted the realities of living with MS,
and the fact that their life wasn’t necessarily normal, with the illness’s
constant interruptions in their routine. Daily activities require far more
organization than before, with thoughts about handicap accessibility and
coordination with regular doctor’s appointments and medication
timing.
“What is normal for us is abnormal for others.
Spontaneity is not a part of our lives. Planning and research is the norm.
Although these things can be an annoyance, it is our life. We keep moving
ahead,” said Mrs. Grossman.
The Grossmans understand that life has changed
and that there are a few more responsibilities involved, to say the least. They
choose to see the good in all the struggle, and how MS has led to positive
realizations in their lives, such as focusing on not taking life so seriously,
maintaining a healthy sense of humor, and concentrating on the present and of
course, expecting the unexpected.
It was precisely this attitude that helped them
through another major crisis in 2006, a fire that destroyed their home, leaving
them with much grief about lost treasured possessions and leading them head first into years of litigation stress. But they got
through it and began to rebuild their lives once again, keeping a firm eye
towards the future.
Yet another unforeseen event came with their
youngest daughter Sydny’s diagnosis with celiac disease in 2007. Her condition,
intolerance to wheat and gluten, had confounded the Grossmans for more than a
decade, as they wondered why she was constantly ill, sometimes so seriously that
she had to be taken out of school for long stretches of time. Doctors failed to
provide any answers until the diagnosis just four years ago, after extensive
rounds of tests and countless numbers of visits to different
doctors.
Previously subsisting on a grain and
carbohydrate-heavy diet, Sydny was forced to dramatically revamp the way she
ate. In addition to no longer being able to digest gluten, she later discovered
that she was allergic to dairy, almonds, peanuts and garlic. Mrs. Grossman, the
chef of the family, immediately took action, clearing the house of all things
containing gluten and putting her entire family on a gluten-free diet. Favorites
like pizza and pasta were supplanted with entirely fresh and organic meals, and
the family perfected the art of recipe adaptation and food label
reading.
Sydny readily admits that her diagnosis changed
her life in significant ways, and that eating out at restaurants poses somewhat
of a challenge. Ordering from a menu isn’t a simple affair, but requires a
series of questions about everything from ingredients to food preparation, not
to mention explanations about her dietary limitations. However, Sydny prefers to
focus on the more positive aspects of her new way of eating. Her diet largely
consists of vegetables, fruits, and predominantly homemade meals, and as a
result, she is healthier than ever.
“Having celiac has definitely changed my life,
but most definitely for the better. Before I had a horrible diet, mostly because
I had such trouble with stomachaches, and getting sick from it all,” Sydny
said.
By making the necessary changes, she was able to
regain her health and her life. Now 18 years old, she graduated from
This past June, she was honored by the
Today, the fund supports over 6,000 families
with members living with MS, in addition to awarding annual college scholarships
for incoming freshmen that either have or have family with MS.
Sydny is modest about her award, emphasizing the
strangeness of her experiences living with her father’s illness, now such a
normal part of her life.
“Receiving the award was really something I
couldn’t describe in words,” she said. “It felt like a combination of pride,
excitement and uneasiness. I don’t really consider myself to be any sort of
academic prodigy, nor to be anyone that should be given such high praise. I’ve
had my struggles and, yes, they are a bit different from the average high-schooler’s, but the point is that we all
struggle.”
She counts meeting Mr. Petit as another
highlight of the experience. The sole survivor of the brutal attack on his
family, Mr. Petit continues to be actively involved in MS research and
fund-raising efforts, continuing his family’s fierce dedication to the cause
through his work both for the Petit Family Foundation and the National MS
Society.
“I felt like this man has gone through so much,
and to think that he believes that I’ve persevered through any sort of hardship
is kind of hard for me to wrap my mind around,” Sydny said. “The fact that he
has also helped continue his daughters’ work throughout this travesty he has
endured is something I will always be grateful for.”