Bickell keeps positive attitude as he learns to live with MS

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Bryan Bickell was on the Blackhawks roster for all three Stanley Cup runs, and was a key part of the 2013 championship. (Sun-Times File)

RALEIGH, N.C. — Staying positive has never been a problem for Bryan Bickell. The big, affable winger always has been quick with a smile and a joke. No matter how bad his struggles got during his time with the Blackhawks, Bickell never ducked, never hid. He was always at his locker, always ready to face the questions, always raw and emotionally honest with his answers.

He’s leaning on that positive attitude more than ever now, as he learns to live with multiple sclerosis.

“I’m sure you guys know, I’m pretty positive, a pretty happy guy,” Bickell said Friday night at PNC Arena, looking fit and resplendent in a burgundy suit. “Nothing’s going to slow me down. Getting diagnosed with MS was a speed-bump in my happiness, but I’ve moved on and [I’m] moving forward. Keep a smile on my face and stay positive. It’ll help me through this.”

It’s been about seven weeks since Bickell announced that he was diagnosed with MS, a disease that involves a person’s immune system attacking the central nervous system. It can manifest itself with weakness, numbness, confusion, and blurred vision, among other possible symptoms. It was terrifying news to receive. But Bickell said that the diagnosis was almost a relief, because it explained why he hadn’t felt right for months, possibly dating back to the 2015 Stanley Cup Final, when he was dealing with what was described as “vertigo symptoms.”

Knowing was scary. But not knowing was even scarier.

“Before I was, like, frustrated in my game and things,” said Bickell, who was traded from the Hawks to the Hurricanes along with Teuvo Teravainen over the summer. “But you’re relieved, knowing how I was feeling. Something wasn’t right. … The circumstances kind of suck, but to have it known — knowing you can move on is the biggest thing.”

Bickell had his first intravenous drug treatment a couple of weeks ago — a process he’ll undergo every month — and said he feels better, and “more normal than I did a couple months ago.” He’ll turn 31 in March, but he’s determined to play again.

“It’s going to take steps,” he said. “It’s not a sprint, it’s going to be a marathon, and it’s going to take some time to get things right, ideally, to get me back on the ice. That’s what I’m hoping for. … It could be a month, it could be a couple months to get back on the ice.”

With the Hawks playing in Nashville on Thursday night, Bickell didn’t get much of a chance to see his old teammates. But he was planning to poke his head into the dressing room after the game. He said the emotional support from the Hawks since his diagnosis has been “touching.”

“Just happy to see the guy,” Patrick Kane said. “I don’t think you’ll bring up too much about what’s been going on or the news with him lately. We’ll just enjoy seeing him. He was a great friend for a lot of us for a long time. When you see someone like that, it’s nice to catch up with him and talk to him and kind of reminisce about the old times a little bit.”

Bickell always was a favorite of Joel Quenneville, even when his on-ice struggles forced the coach to make difficult decisions, including sending him to Rockford for most of his final season in the organization.

“He’s a special guy,” Quenneville said. “Around when we won all three Cups, and had an impact on our team in a lot of ways. Probably one of the most likable teammates you could have, and as a coach, he brought some unique dynamic to our team [that] you appreciate. You wish him nothing but the best.”

Email: mlazerus@suntimes.com

Twitter: @marklazerus

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