National MS Society

ORC Walk MS 2013 - Share Your Story

Date	User Response
03/22/2013	User Provided No Response
04/04/2013	I was diagnosed at 21 so I don't really know an adult life without this disease. I am very fatigued and constantly battle this part of MS.
03/16/2013	Before MS I was very athletic. I camped,hiked,cliff diving. Avid water skier. I was into playing sports. Gymnastics. Even in my 30s. I was unstoppable. Never sitting around. Always on the go. Raising two boys alone. We would do everything together. My boys were my world them and my job . I loved my Job. I worked at a company that made rail cars. I applied decals to sides of rail cars. It was a very physical job. I had many jobs there to making decals to making aluminum stencils and painting stencils. Climbing up and down ladders. Walking in to the fields and changing reapply stencils. Anyway it was very physical and I loved it. (I met my husband at my job.) When I first noticed something was wrong was 1996. It was summer. My head kept tingling. Worse and worse everyday. And it itched. I thought I had sunburn my head. Then the tinge Ing moved down my left side. Top of the head to the tip of my toe. I talked about it but just figured it would go away. Then it moved to my right side. I decided o go to the doctor. I went to my general practitioners . He had no idea what it was. Come back in four weeks. I returned feeling the same only worse. My legs felt weak and shaky. He had no idea what it was. He doing research trying to find out. Come back in four weeks! I went back a week later. He decided to send me to a neurologist. What took so long is all I could ask. But I'd probably come back in four weeks for the answer. I went to neurologist . She thought it was a brain tumor. Ms they said does not affect the head. You see back then they knew very little about m.s. and no medicines were available. We did an MRI but she wasn't sure enough. She did rule out brain tumor. Scary wait. So I did a spinal punch. It tells exactly yes or no for MS. And I needed to be as decimate as possible. It came back positive. My boyfriend. Later my husband cried. I just didst believe it. I had continuing problems for the next two years. I was lost. I didn't know who I was,or where I belonged. After those two years ms went into remission for several years Then I lost my vision for six months optic neuritis my daughter was in first grade. She was born one year before DX . It was a scary time. My mom drove 45 miles one way to take me for treatment. Solymederol I'm sure some of you know it as well as me. So I ended up quitting my job. Being denied SS twice before I received help. And the next steps in my life began. I was lost again. Who am I now? I couldn't do anything from my past. My life was over. Depression sat in. No more job...I never wanted to be a housewife. It's not fair. Now I'm being forced to do what I never wanted to do. Sit on my butt all day waiting. Waiting for what? I don't know. I guess I was waiting to die. No. I was waiting for MS to go away. That didn't happen. And after a couple of weeks possibly a month of my own self loathing and pity parties I decided to fight. And I have been fighting ever since. I will never give up. I will never stop trying. I will not sit on my butt at home. I'm going to live as normal of a life I can. I realized I was blessed. I got to stay home with my daughter. That's the best thing that could of happened. We are close and happy family. And I wouldn't want it any other way. I don't have a clock to follow. It's early retirement. Kinda. I am now 51. I'm in a wheelchair. I just got an upgrade. A brand new power chair. It's awesome. I cannot walk much more. And my hands are going numb a lot lately. I have neuropathy in both my legs,from my knees to my toes. But all in all. I'm happy in life. I have good days and bad days. Just common for MS. I live by rules and morals . I treat others the way I want to be treated. I love to help others in need. I am happy to be me. And helping others is me. Some say I'm to nice. I say it makes me feel good and I deserve to feel good. Whatever happens in your life, being positive is the very best medicine. No negativity allowed ... Cheryl Passarelli
04/11/2013	User Provided No Response
04/19/2013	I got it Junior year of college, at this time I only dealt with numbness when overheated. End of senior semester won triathalon . I immediately entered veterinary school. I started to fall when running summer of my second year,soon after I lost my ability to run. I was told to live life in moderation,a challenge for 3rd and 4th years in vet school. I had 5 bad Mays with relapses due to finals and temperture increase. The day after graduation I left Philadrlpia to drive to Oregon,where i had no job or license, but brother and a sister. Three years later I started my veterinary clinic and still am practicing at it 22 yrs later. I have never stopped exercising no matter what I loose. I am chronically healthy, no sickness in 25 yrs. I also fell off horses as a child and was diagnosed with severe degerative disc disease at 42, when I couldn't walk without pain. My Ms and back are partners in crime, but I have fused into a non-painful mess. I say I have electrical and rebar issues,no dryrot! Just last June I had a baclofen pump put in,for spasticity, and they didn't tell me no swimming for 6 weeks!!! I had never not exercised more than 2 days last 50 yrs. I ended up going to rehab, but again no pool. I finally got SSD a month ago,so Ii fit veterinary medicine around my swim schedule but still work 4 days aweek, play in my pottery studio,bring my dogs to nursing homes,and read to young children.
03/28/2013	User Provided No Response
03/19/2013	I truly believe it has made me a stronger person. There are a number of things I do now that I wouldn't have done if I hadn't been diagnosed. And I have a greater appreciation for the little things.
04/05/2013	Before I had MS I worked at a very technical, high stress job. As a family we used to go on long hikes, bike rides and travel frequently. I could do more work inside and outside of our home. I used to be able to take care of gardening, which I loved to do. I did so much more with my grandchildren.
01/13/2014	Seems like the same question here...but MS hsa impacted my life by knocking me down a few notches and evaluating what I consider most important. I have the best family and friends; I couldn't keep going with the strength that I have if it weren't for them.
03/13/2013	User Provided No Response
03/07/2013	I spent the last 3 months of pregnancy and first 3 months of motherhood undergoing multiple tests to receive my diagnosis. There's never a great time for an MS diagnosis, but this seemed especially bad. I have, however, felt a sense of excitement, if you can believe it, for how this can inform my career as a massage therapist. I am determined to be a success story and to help others do the same.
03/11/2013	User Provided No Response
03/20/2013	User Provided No Response
03/14/2013	User Provided No Response
04/01/2013	User Provided No Response
04/03/2013	I dont have it but I do not know if I do or not.
01/14/2014	MS forced me out of a career that I loved, MS forced me to retire my running shoes, MS has cost me friends. My life before MS was great. I had a successful career, I was an avid runner, and I had a number of close friends to do things with. It is hard to do even small tasks now due to occasional paralysis, fatigue, pain, and numbness and tingling in all four limbs. I miss my old life. I am blessed in many ways. I have a supportive husband, some good friends, and a good family. I count my blessings, but...
04/13/2013	User Provided No Response
04/19/2013	This is my sons story, although we are all climbing this mountain together...My prayer is a world free of MS.
04/05/2013	Before diagnosis I thought I was uncorordinated and a slow runner. I thought the athletic gene passed me by. Then at age 17 the Doctors told me I probably had MS. I finally was diagnosed by MRI at age 23. At first it was no big deal. Then 20 years later I became secondary progressive. Now it is a "Big Deal"
03/26/2013	Before MS, I was a very active person. I used to go on hikes with my dogs, do sheep herding with my dogs, and run a local pet sitting business. I can no longer go on those hikes with my dogs, or even do sheep herding...which is something both my dog and I really enjoy. It makes me sad that I can no longer do these things, and I can no longer offer that to my very active dogs. It has been scary going through the relapses and each time wondering if stuff would ever recover from the attack. I am hoping that I will get better with the use of Tysabri and be able to safely switch to one of the newer drugs and maintain my health and mobility.
04/06/2013	Before I was diagnosis I was out going and would be up to do anything. Now that I have MS Im not that out going but I still like to try new things.
03/26/2013	User Provided No Response

ORC Walk MS 2013 - Share Your Story

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