Touch

Digital Drawing

           Touch is one of the many things that we take for granted. To imagine what it would be like without our sense of touch is nearly impossible. That is, however, exactly what someone with MS deals with everyday. The nerves in their body do not correctly communicate with their brain, causing their sense of touch to be compromised. The nerves in our hands are meant to tell our brain what we are touching. This is, like many other bodily functions, is something we do not need to consciously do. It's easy to take it for granted.

______________________________________________________

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

             Humans are not the only ones who react to touch. Animals are very sensitive to touch. This is my cat, Skunky. He is a very affectionate cat but he only likes to be pet in certain spots. For example, he does not like his feet touched (1), at all but he would let you scratch his butt all day long (2). The stomach is a big no-no for most cats as well (3). I used to work at a Humane Society and I spent a lot of time learning about and interacting with the cats at the shelter. Licking does not always mean the animal is happy. (4) In fact, many times licking is considered a warning. It's like a cats way of saying "please stop". If the disliked action does not stop, the cat may start to bite. Think of that as if the cat is saying, "ok that's it. I said stop!". It's not just about the spot either. The way an animal is touch also matters. For example, Skunky wasn't to sure about a hand resting on his head (5), but he loves when his head is stroked (6).