I was always a pretty healthy person until my entire left side went numb and I lost any balance I had. I was dx in April of 2000 (a week after my 41st birthday). I had pretty much narrowed it down to MS or a brain stem stroke (I just LOVE the internet for research), so I wasn't all that surprised. Had to quit work in 2001. After the first year of not knowing what to do with myself. I started volunteering at my church, started a MS support group and give 5 hours a week to answering calls at msfriends.org So I am in fairly good health and pretty busy.