Recycled Diaries

Where to begin…

This story has many beginnings. The first, the most proper one, takes place in 2004. Paweł Skalski is doing his military service at the time. The first attack of the illness comes unexpectedly: slurred speech, unsteady gait. The staff soldiers suspect he has been drinking and search for hidden alcohol. Fortunately, a captain from the medical company notices him and orders him to go to the infirmary immediately. From the infirmary, Paweł is transported to the hospital, where comprehensive tests are carried out.

Diagnosis: MS. It sounds foreign, bland, completely abstract. The symptoms subside, everything returns to normal. But only seemingly.

Two weeks before the end of his service, Paweł is discharged. Against his will. The order has been signed – there is nothing more to be done. A world divided by a gate. On one side, his colleagues and the established order of things. On the other – a reality that seems the same, yet is somewhat new. Male tears. And a leap into a life that, for a while, looks completely normal again. Exactly – for the next nine years.

In 2013, the second relapse of the illness occurred. That was when the doctors spoke in clear language. Multiple sclerosis - sclerosis multiplex. A chronic, inflammatory, demyelinating disease of the central nervous system, in which multifocal damage (demyelination and axon degeneration) of nerve tissue occurs.

In general terms, MS is a disease involving nerve cells, glial cells, and immune cells of the brain, in which the myelin sheath around nerve cell projections is damaged, causing an inability to properly transmit impulses along nerve pathways in the brain and spinal cord.
The term "multiple" reflects the scattering of the pathological process to different parts of the nervous system, as well as the interval of lesions over time. Multiple sclerosis can cause many symptoms and syndromes; most often these are motor, sensory, and cerebellar (balance) disorders, vision impairment, autonomic disturbances, pain syndromes, and psychiatric symptoms: cognitive and mood disorders. Chronic fatigue is also a common symptom. Multiple sclerosis is one of the most common causes of disability in young people, although many patients may experience a mild course.

Only then, in 2013, in a Poznań hospital, did the full truth hit Paweł. It was only from that year that true therapy began: injections, rehabilitation.

A new beginning

At the end of 2018, Paweł is in poor condition. At the turn of November and December, he goes for rehabilitation at the Cieplice Health Resort in Jelenia Góra. Thus, in a way we didn't know yet – our shared adventure begins…

The Casada Medical office is undoubtedly one of the favorite points on the program for all patients. As part of their stay, every patient at the Health Resort receives a pass for a specific number of massage treatments. When Paweł went for his treatments, he was immediately seated on the so-called "white steed," the Skyliner A300 massage chair – the most rehabilitative massage chair at that time. An improvement in body function followed very quickly. For the holidays, Paweł returned home in excellent form. His mother watches in disbelief as he walks up the stairs with ease. To the second floor.

In the case of chronic diseases, however, continuity of therapy is important. A one-time rehabilitation episode will not bring long-term, lasting effects. At the beginning of the year, Paweł therefore ordered a Canoo V leg and foot massager. His gait instability is receding more and more - Paweł can safely cross a busy street. He finally has control over his feet, which no longer get tangled.

In May, Paweł's brother-in-law gives him the most beautiful gift – a massage chair. The choice falls on the Hilton III model, and it is the most accurate choice, as it was designed for an intense, deep stretching massage. A sort of "yoga for the lazy." Paweł's muscles need regular stimulation to improve their functioning. The chair is rushed to Paweł and…

Paweł walks normally. He can run a little. His illness is not striking; his movement does not deviate from the norm. He is very thin – but not in a way that draws attention. You have to know he has MS to notice any manifestations of the disease. The change was noticed not only by Paweł and his loved ones but also by the doctors looking after him.

Paweł uses the massage chair very often. Not every day – a renovation is underway in his family home, and after work, Paweł tries to help his parents as much as he can, so he doesn't always have time for relaxation. He is simply busy. It’s not just the renovation that occupies Paweł – but more on that in a moment…

How much does it cost?

What does multiple sclerosis mean in practice? That really varies. Every patient suffers differently; the disease often has a very individual course. However, it always means resignation – the body, to a greater or lesser extent, refuses to obey in various situations.
Paweł has given up the pleasure of a "smoke" with his coffee – cigarettes trigger his symptoms. He also had to give up playing the guitar for now – the pinky finger of his left hand is not strong enough to press the string. For now – because Paweł is determined to play a few more riffs, and I have a strong hunch that he will reach his goal soon…

Multiple sclerosis also means a reorganization of the system of perceiving oneself and one's life. As long as you look at the disease as a force of destruction, you give it permission to destroy everything. But if you look at it as an invisible colleague – yes, a colleague, not a mortal enemy – then you can see all the good things that happened in a way because of it. And Paweł sees them.

What matters most

Proper perception of a situation is an important skill. The proper presentation of a situation is often a true talent. Paweł possesses just such a talent.

His adventure with modeling started in primary school. In 1997, he took part in a modeling competition. Children brought beautifully glued, ready-made models – he made the model entirely by himself. Moreover, a completely unconventional one - the Zundapp KS 750 Sahara. All elements were created from various "scraps" that were at hand. The project wins the competition, and Paweł is a little embarrassed that the other works were so pretty and polished, while his was so… different.

Difference, however, is a beautiful trait. Paweł builds "different" dioramas of various objects, using primarily… trash. Almost all the materials he uses are recycled – these are useless things that would have ended up in the trash if Paweł hadn't given them a second life. Pistachio shells, old newspapers, chopsticks, a piece of wire, packaging from a milling cutter. Only the binders, paints, and batteries are new – only what is absolutely necessary.

The diorama of the room from Steven Wilson's "Drive Home" music video... "delightful" is not the right word, though of course, the project evokes admiration. But perhaps it is more moving – just like the music video itself. At the request of a friend, Paweł built the second part of the room, the one that is not well seen in the video. It fits perfectly and is habitable: the lamps light up, there is a bed with a comfortable spring mattress, the bathrobe was tailored to the room's occupant, and by the turntable – a collection of records.

“The House with No Address” is a diorama of a forester's lodge. You only need to lean over it to be transported into a completely different world. It delights with the ingenuity of its execution, detail, and… mystery. Meaning is locked into every element. Nothing is accidental.
Hidden symbols give each work a completely different dimension. They make you start analyzing every element in detail, looking for its meaning.
Why is the little bird sitting in the nest? What is under the flap in the lodge's floor? Who is the empty bench under the trees waiting for?
No one who doesn't know the author well can fully decode his work – but they can certainly learn something about themselves.

In Paweł's story, we were obviously captivated by the fact that our massage equipment – Canoo V, massage chairs, helped him regain his fitness, that they made his muscles work better, that his quality of life improved.

This is a big deal, a source of pride and joy, especially since we had the opportunity to encounter his uniqueness, sensitivity, determination, and passion.

And that is exactly what captivated us the most and what we wanted to share with you.

The description of the disease comes from wikipedia.pl
Photos of the author's work were used with his permission.