PatientsLikeMe ™

My story probably sounds very familiar to alot of the other stories on this website.  My story begins on the evening of January 10, 2007, after a "normal" day of work, coming home and tending to my son, I suddenly lost feeling from my thighs down.  The loss of sensation only lasted a few seconds and off I went to a local hospital in an ambulance.  Little did I know that this was going to be the start of what feels like the longest journey of my life!!!    After several hospitalizations & tests throughout the months of January & February, I was told that it was "probably" MS but they could not treat me because all tests were coming back inconclusive.  My symptoms started becoming increasingly worse over the next few months.  I was extremely unstable on my feet, lost the ability to walk down a set of stairs, not being able to bend over without getting dizzy & loss of sensation in my feet.  My treating neurologist was exhausted with my phone calls, and he finally told that he was not going to "chase my symptoms like a dog's tail".  From January until June I never felt myself, I decided to contact a Neurosurgeon, because as I forgot to mention  I at one point was told it was probably Spinal Cord Compression.  In June of 2007 I met with a surgeon and after reviewing my MRIs determined there was spinal cord compression in my neck.  Thankfully, I finally found a doctor who had the answer to all of my symptoms, so I thought!!!  Within a couple of days I started having problems with incontinence, within a couple of days I was in the operating room having a cervical lamnioplasty at five levels, from C-3 to C-7.  What a blessing I had finally found a doctor who believed my symptoms and was willing to treat me.
Surgery went well, unfortunately, two weeks after I started having all of the same symptoms again.  After several trips back & forth to the surgeon, he advised me to seek an MS specialist.  Many people would want to fault the surgeon, but for me it was somebody who believed me and was willing to try to help me.  In October of 2007, I met with an MS specialist who diagnosed me with Multiple Sclerosis, October 31,2007 to be exact!  Although my emotions were mixed, I was happy only for the mere fact that finally I had an answer.  I started my first course of treatment with a nine day solumedrol dose of 5,250 mg.  During my  treatment I didn't feel so good, although after I felt great, more energy than I've had in a year!  I was finally able to feel my feet again, haven't had a normal sensation for a year, my peripheral vision came back, my balance has improved and my coordination has slightly improved.  now it's been a couple of weeks since I've finished my treatment and I'm starting to feel worse again.  I had a visit with my neurologist last  week and I'm going to be starting Betaseron every other day within this month.  Like I've said alot throughout this year, "life takes you on many journeys, some more pleasant than others, but I'm ready to begin my new journey"!!!  For the sake of myself, my husband, my family and especially for my son, I'm  going in head first!  I just want the old me back and to be able to move on.  This is very new to me and I'm looking forward to hearing from anyone out there living with the same life I'm living or even somebody that may just need some support.  Remember, "Don't sit back and wait for the storm to pass, get up and dance through the rain"!!!