Angela's MS Story: Part One
I woke up one blustery March morning in 1999, attempting to slide quietly out of bed without waking my second-shift husband up, so I could grab a quick shower before getting my six year old son up for school. But I couldn't move my left leg for a few minutes due to a burning and tingling sensation running through it. I laid there wondering what was going on, but not for long because the sound of freight-train snoring prompted me quickly up and away.
By the time I had gotten my oldest boy ready and out the door to meet the school bus, my three month old son decided to make his presence known by exercising his sweet little vocal chords. His daddy brought him down the stairs, while I prepared breakfast before I was off to meet my niece at the mall for our morning walk; I had already forgotten about my earlier leg episode. Fast forward...
My niece and I met at the mall's side door entrance and commenced walking, but on the second lap around my left foot went completely numb and tingly. Fortunately there was a bench close by where I could park my uncooperative body member.We sat there for a good ten minutes trying to diagnose the issue, while I rubbed some feeling back into my foot. That afternoon when I relayed the two incidents of the day about my leg and foot, my husband insisted that I call my doctor. Needless to say, within the week I had seeen my primary care physician who referred me to a Neurologist, who began the testing process, which lasted for approximately four years.
After two spinal taps, a gazillion blood tests, several xrays, cat scans, MRI's and a ton of fear, worry, and stress while the doctors were ruling every other possibilty out; I was finally and officially diagnosed with RRMS or Remitting/Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis in late July of 2003. Even though I was beyond ready for my symptoms to be given a definite name so I could get treatment, and I was expecting MS, the actual diagnosis caught me off guard and blew me away. After reading a few MS horror stories prior to that, I thought my life was over! That was twelve years ago and I'm still around.