My MS Story

 My symptoms started in March of 2012.   I had just begun training for my first 100-mile bike ride with Little Red.   I was pretty fit, but my heart rate would race, my muscles would cramp up, and I couldn't catch my breath.  But guess who ignored those signs? Yep, I did. So, I went for it and pushed through the next three months of training.   It was the first weekend of June, and I was determined to ride 100 miles.  By mile 72, I knew I was in trouble; I waited 30 minutes for my heart rate to come down and be cleared by an EMT.   In my heart, I knew I would never go this distance again.   I got back on my bike, and I drafted behind my friend's bike to make it the rest of the way.  She honestly pulled me to the finish line.  (Thank you, Janna:)

The weeks to follow were a rainbow of symptoms.  Extreme fatigue, loss of balance, hot flashes, muscle weakness, and then one morning, I couldn't get out of bed without falling over. I had seen my primary care Dr, a heart specialist,  my gynecologist, and finally, an ENT.  I went from thinking it was anxiety to wondering if it was early menopause.  And finally, I knew it had to be a sinus infection.  So, I called my ENT.   It took almost two months for a doctor to determine what was wrong.  I remember sitting in my ENT's office waiting for my MRI results and to hear those words I had heard so many times before: "Well, I can't see anything out of the ordinary."  But that's not what Dr Ventura said.    When he told me my MRI report showed abnormal brain scan results and I would need to see a Neurologist, it was everything I could do not to go running out of his office.   So I sat there alone, while he went through the details of my MRI report.  All I could think was, "There is something wrong with my brain...."  But at least I wasn't crazy. How was I going to tell my husband and my kids?   Within a couple of weeks, I was hooked up to IV steroids and still had no clue what MS was.  The little info I could grasp was I had lesions on my brain, there was no cure,  and I had no idea what my future would now look like.

Fast forward four years.  I have had several relapses, but thankfully, all have come and gone, and I'm now in remission once again.  I'm so grateful I'm still teaching, keeping up with my kids, and running full speed.  I take naps now.  There will always be bad days, but I get out of bed every day and do what I love.  If anything, I've learned to appreciate my life a lot more.

** Update** 3/2022

It's been ten years since diagnosis. MS has progressed, leaving some nerve damage on my left side.  We moved someplace warmer in hopes of lessening the pain I felt in the cold and lower altitude. I am on new meds once again, but I may not be able to continue due to side effects. I still maintain an active lifestyle. I am a personal trainer and love being outdoors.  I continue to advocate for educating others on the benefits of fitness and MS. 

**Update** 12/23 

New meds were a terrible idea. I have since then come off all medications for MS.  I feel amazing, better than I have in 5 years. Yes, still, some nerve damage on my left side and cognitive can worsen with stress and fatigue, but I'm more myself these days: sunshine, supplements, and exercise. That's all I need.