“After years of praying for purpose, purpose surely came and it came in hot! In September of 2019, my whole life changed when I heard the words ‘You have multiple sclerosis’. I know this may sound bizarre to many, but this was the most powerful catalyst for what would soon transpire in my life. A new door was being flung open for me to use my new walk in life to empower, inspire, and encourage others living with the disease to embrace the disasters and celebrate your mess! My name is Brittany Quiroz (key-rose) better known to the community of MS and disability as A Hot MS. I am a full time MS Advocate, Motivational Speaker, Recording Artist, and philanthropist/entrepreneur in the space of multiple sclerosis and disability. So how exactly did I turn a horrific health diagnosis into a life changing experience? Well, let me tell you a bit more about my story!
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Some of us still struggle being heard. I have to admit that I have always felt heard simply because I am one persistent and vocal Woman. Maybe it’s a Scorpio thing, but if I ever feel my message isn’t getting across, I am sure to keep going until it is clearly understood. I know I wasn’t always this way. In grade school I was horribly bullied and my voice was suppressed. As I got older, I was just tired of holding everything in and I let out my inner artist and advocate. I speak up if needed and advocate for those that have felt silenced. Advocating for a disease that is 90% invisible is hard. It requires consistent and clear communication to those you are explaining situations to. Without transparency, how will anyone around you fully understand what you are experiencing? Transparency takes courage, courage takes confidence, confidence requires belief in yourself. Sometimes I do feel invisible to the general public. Now I mean in the sense that when I’m walking slowly in Target and people behind me are grumbling. The average joe will look at me thinking I am healthy and able bodied. This is why I am so vocal and advocate. I have no problem apologizing to the person behind me grumbling saying, ‘Sorry it’s a heavy multiple sclerosis day. Feel free to go around me.’ This really breaks the barrier of communication and 9 times out of 10, they apologize. Then something even grander can happen when they relate to MS and start sharing their story. We have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. This is where we grow the most.
Coping with an invisible illness is tricky. It requires a heap load of self awareness, which can be hard. I’ve taught myself to really pay attention to the cues my body gives me. I try my best to listen to my body’s needs and shift accordingly when needed. This was a hard thing to transition with because I love things to be planned out. I’ve now since mastered the art of shifting and canceling plans, if needed. I used to feel so much guilt canceling and now I am more than happy to say, ‘Sorry, no thanks.’
How do we find purpose through pain? Already sounds like a set up doesn’t it? I created my brand, A Hot MS, to widen perception and celebrate disasters. The victories in life get far too much attention. I understand the need to celebrate the good things in life, of course! Who wouldn’t want to celebrate a victory? But I’ve seen the obstacles in life be derived from a space of shame and humiliation, which makes no sense to me. I know that the only moments in my life where I have experienced an abundance of growth and transformation, was during times of pain, challenges or obstacles. Pain propels us to master intrepidity. I also know that my pain is not mine alone, it’s Gods. And there is nothing too great for God to handle. The storm that was sent to break me, is the same storm that God is using to make me.
Self awareness is something I think many living with MS can still master. I like to be very self analytical because then I can better manage my MS. I tend to run my health like a business. I am the CEO of my mess (MS). 4 and a half years later, I am now a full time MS Advocate, Motivational Speaker and Recording Artist. Performing with MS has to be the hardest part of my job. I used to be able to have 8-10 hour recording sessions. Now I make sure to limit myself to 2 hour sessions depending on the vocal demands of the song. Singing with MS isn’t easy but I’ve been trained classically since I was 6 years old so it just takes some adjustment. Vocal performance requires utilizing your entire body to produce sound. MS makes this tricky. Sometimes it’s like I’m driving someone else’s car. I know how to drive but instead of it being automatic, all of a sudden I’m driving stick.
The MS community drives me to continue my mission, encourage others to celebrate their messes, and widen perception. I have never in my life felt like I fit in. I was the artsy singer in a sports oriented hometown in Boston. It wasn’t until I was welcomed in the multiple sclerosis community did I finally feel that I belonged. I now have friends worldwide. Some of which I have never physically touched or hugged, yet we speak weekly and have such a soul connection. I am so lucky and blessed to be a part of this family. Community is everything to me.
Every single person God called in the Bible was pushed through some level of pain, disaster, or chaos. All of these tests were to fulfill their assignment. This is mine. To take my mess and allow it to help others through theirs. MS isn’t an easy walk in life. It’s relentless. It’s ugly. It’s exhausting. But I truly wouldn’t change it for anything. MS has made me stronger. It has given me a family in our community. It has changed my life forever. My faith drives me. I would be nowhere without trusting God. I had prayed for a deeper purpose for years leading up to my diagnosis back in 2019. Then bam! God gave me purpose. I knew my diagnosis was a gift because of how calm I felt during the whole process. I could only describe this sense of calm as faith.
Life with an invisible illness is not a death sentence. It is an opportunity. A chance to really uncover everything you are capable of. A chance to reveal inner strength you never thought you had. It’s hard, sometimes painful and relentless but with it comes a valued perspective. I look at life with so much more value now than I did prior to diagnosis. My life has truly been enriched by MS and I know that sounds crazy. But MS isn’t the worst thing that’s happened to me in life. I have been a victim of domestic violence and physical assault. That was hard. MS is difficult, yes, but not in comparison to other situations I have endured. God is going to hand you challenges to see what you do with them. You bet I’m going to milk this life while I’m still here and hopefully leave a legacy behind to empower the next generations of MS warriors.”
Brittany
