My journey began just a few months after I turned 24. I started feeling numbness in both my hands. Within a few days, I became totally numb in not just both hands, but along the side of my body. I also experienced severe levels of fatigue and “spasticity.” I went to a Neurologist who told me, after getting some tests (including an MRI), I had Multiple Sclerosis. The doctor then proceeded to tell me that I should expect I would have to use a cane in a few years. This would be followed by me eventually needing a wheelchair, which would then progress to me becoming bedridden. Ultimately, I would die in about 20 years from the disease.

Being only 24 years old, I was devastated! I tried to break up with my boyfriend because he shouldn’t have to be “saddled” with a cripple. I fell into a state of deep depression. The doctor prescribed Steroids, which they did back then, and told me it should shock my system into a temporary remission - until the next attack. The steroids gave me excruciating pain in my hands, along with other acute discomfort.

From then on, my life became a series of different types of attacks on my body. At one point, I lost the strength in one leg and had to drag my leg behind me (like Quasimoto).  I had a period where my vision became damaged, and it seemed like I was looking through a “cheesecloth” (after which, I no longer had 20/20 vision and had to wear glasses). All of this was peppered with the numbness from all the different flare-ups, balance problems, tripping due to varying muscle weakness, spasticity and the overwhelming physical exhaustion.

During all this, I had to carry on and work and live. It turned out that my boyfriend was stubborn enough to not only stay with me, he ended up marrying me! And I became stubborn enough to start trying to exercise to the point that my body might just stay healthy in spite of my Multiple Sclerosis. This was actually pretty effective for lessening my flare-ups and strengthening my muscles, but the disease was still there. It became prominent again when I got pregnant and had my two boys. The doctors cautioned me about pregnancy not being good for my Multiple Sclerosis, but I desperately wanted children. When a woman is pregnant, her body protects itself and the Multiple Sclerosis went into remission. After the pregnancy, it came back with a vengeance! Once again, I went back to exercising to strengthen my muscles and heart. It worked adequately for a number of years, but age also delivers its own form of damage.