Archive for category Women with MS
Beginning MS
Posted by crusaderjennblog in Faith, Faith in the Midst of Illness, Living with MS, Living with Multiple Sclerosis, MS, MS Fight Club, Multiple Sclerosis, Nervous System, Neurological Conditions, Relapsing Remitting, Women with MS on October 24, 2013
The symptoms that led up to my diagnosis in October ’94 were short-lived as they lasted only a several weeks and subsided before winter in December. That first glimpse of MS was minor in comparison with the diversified MS related issues I experienced later and will address in future posts.
In ’94, stress was not something that I controlled successfully, but the following several months were uneventful and then ’96 was a fantastic year because late August, I met my husband. During early dating, he shared some news about a childhood friend who was diagnosed with MS and as I had not yet shared my own diagnosis, I determined God presented the opportunity and I utilized it. I related my situation and his reaction could not have been more ambiguous, which I mentally assumed indicated I would not hear from him again, which was fine as I liked him, but there were no deep feelings involved and I was content with my job at the bank.
God had other plans because we continued dating and then within only weeks of my “MS news,” he became more serious. I still was not convinced that he was settled with my news and I declined his proposal six weeks into our courtship. (My Mom’s cousins who are sisters both have MS and I did not know the older sister well, but the family was aware of her husband’s reputation prior to her MS complications related passing), so in my mind, I was protecting myself from future hurt. I explained this to soon-to-be-husband and also that because of MS, I was afraid to have children so I would not be in his way to have a family. He was a tad upset when he explained that he fell in love with me because of my strength, my faith and my sense of humor. He also explained that he didn’t want to marry MS, but he wanted to, “Marry a beautiful woman, who happened to have MS.” [Everyone sigh, “Awww!”] And proposal attempt number two was accepted.
He planned the wedding and reception. No, he did not suggest anything like beer-pong or peanuts on the reception tables, but before he planned anything he asked if I would rather have a house or a big wedding. Duh! A house! So we chose to do a small wedding with only family in attendance and bought a house six months later. I was relieved of wedding planning stress, but buying our first house brought on MS flare-up number two during July 1997. I saw my neurologist shortly after moving and he prescribed my first interferon drug for injection.
Stress-induced symptoms had returned with numbness replaying the role of Symptom Leader, prior to and during our move with moving day being the worst. Moving in 80 degree heat was challenging enough, but what I discovered further into summer is that heat is fine, but it was the humidity component on moving day that had changed everything. I can function well in 80 degree heat and single digit humidity. Less than 40% humidity presented hiccups in my strength and coordination, but exceed 75% and I am rendered useless so praise God for air-conditioning!
Not everyone with MS has the same experience so there is a massive learning curve for all of us MS patients. In trying various treatments, I discovered MS is entirely individual because what worked for others was not successful for me. I mentioned earlier that just like varying symptoms, there are several treatment options, which will also be addressed in future posts.
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Diagnosis
Posted by crusaderjennblog in Faith in the Midst of Illness, Living with MS, Living with Multiple Sclerosis, MS, MS Fight Club, Multiple Sclerosis, Nervous System, Neurological Conditions, Relapsing Remitting, Women with MS on October 18, 2013
D shared she was in a battle to obtain an MS diagnosis because her non-conclusive test-results were delaying potential disease treatment. I shared that from the start of being symptomatic through all my own appointments, I thankfully obtained my MS diagnosis in less than a month at 20. My age is relevant because almost twenty years-ago, some “specialists” had an age hang-up. “Because twenty-something’s are not diagnosed with MS.”
I am privileged to know D and I pray that as a nearly two decade seasoned veteran of the disease that I will be an effective source for guidance and support.
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MS is Interesting
Posted by crusaderjennblog in Faith in the Midst of Illness, Living with MS, Living with Multiple Sclerosis, MS, MS Fight Club, Multiple Sclerosis, Nervous System, Neurological Conditions, Relapsing Remitting, Women with MS on October 13, 2013
I was a blogger about three years ago, but I felt like I was just another boring blogger who mused about boring and irrelevant nonsense and thus, eliminated the boring blog. At the prompting of my husband, I am going to resume sharing my story, but this time, more openly as far as all the ups, the downs, the emotions, the struggles and results of living with the day to day battles of the neurological disease, Multiple Sclerosis. I want to inspire people.
In October 1994, two years out of high school and only weeks following the traumatic death of a friend, the numbness and tingling in my right side extremities began. Unbeknownst to me at the time, my Mom – who honestly should have an honorary medical degree, is exceptionally wise. She consistently and accurately diagnosed my sister Jackie and I with conditions from the flu to hypochondria while we grew-up and our Mom was understandably alarmed about my symptoms and contacted my doctor about her concerns. She was not meddling, but because she was aware of the similar warning signs that resulted in her two cousins MS diagnoses years prior, she desired to ensure that my doctor referred me to the most appropriate specialist.
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