Hello Everyone - New Member, but not new... - My MSAA Community

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Hello Everyone - New Member, but not new to MS

cstucker profile image
7 Replies

Hi ! I'm a new member on this site and I just wanted to say hello and say I hope this finds everyone as well as can be expected. I was dx with RRMS back in 2004, although I later discovered that there was a MRI done back in 2000 that revealed that I had lesions and a possibility of MS (it wasn't disclosed to me - I snooped on the computer at my dr's office while she left the room for a minute lol). Nice way to find out, huh ? After the follow up MRI and lumbar puncture, my dx was "officially" noted. Fast forward to today - sitting here on a MSAA community site, and reaching out to say hello; hoping to make some new friends (since the majority of my old friends seemed to fade off over the years). Oh, I forgot - my name's Cindy from the Northeastern part of PA. Well, y'all have a wonderful day - and I'll save the griping about MS for another post. Peace !!

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cstucker
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7 Replies
agate profile image
agate

Hi cstucker I'm new here too but have had MS for over 36 years (we last and last!). I live in the Pacific Northwest but am originally from the Midwest. Congratulations on finding out the truth from your medical records. I believe you have a right to look at them and maybe even have copies of them now--I think you should have been told at the time, particularly since in recent years there has been evidence that starting an MS drug early, soon after the onset, is more effective than starting the treatment later. I hope that you have a doctor you like and have confidence in. Some people get diagnosed and can forget about doctors for a good long while except for any treatment they might choose to be on. Take care, Cindy, and welcome!

Fancy1959 profile image
Fancy1959

Hello Cstucker and agate, it's Fancy1959 and I wanted to welcome .come you both to HealthUnlocked. What makes it so great is you can connect directly with other MS Warriors. As my bio stated I was diagnosed with MS about 3 years ago but according to my MRI's it looked like I had it 10 to 15 years before I was diagnosed. I was extremely physically fit for a 50 plus woman and I just blew threw any and all symptoms MS sent my way. I switched jobs and was put under a ridiculous amount of stress. Well,at that point, MS knocked me flat on my back. After going on mega doses of steroids I managed to get up. An MRI revealed a pretty large mass on my spinal cord at the C3 zone in my neck. Appointments were made to diagnose what was happening to me. I happened to get into a surgeon first. He was an elderly gentleman. He walks out, and to make this short and sweet, tells me that he thought MS was a possibility. And based on where my lesion was located, at C3, I had better pray for MS! Talk about a rude awakening! Of course I started bawling my eyes out! Looking back I realized that this doctor, like others I have encountered over the past decade or two,had the bed side manners of a short fat barnyard animal we get bacon from! What a way to find out I had MS.

But like I said In other posts we are truly lucky that we are fighting this MS Monster, because we can take charge of our body's fight against it and make a difference in our day to day living. I had 1 sister-in-law who died 2 years after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and another sister-in-law which died less than 3 years after being diagnosed with breast cancer. No matter how or when you are diagnosed I hope you are fortunate enough to find a support group as good as HealthUnlocked is. Together we are stronger so stand up, brothers and sisters with MS, support one another and remember to never give up. If MS knocks you down fight, claw, and never give into it. Get back up! I got back on a horse today, or should I say a large pony, the first time in 1 1/2 years. I had to have help swinging my right leg over his rump (butt). And when i got off i warned the three people helping me that getting off was going to be a "train wreck" because i knew i had been on the horse's back for over 25 to 30 minutes and had over done it. And i was right. I wound up in a heap on the barn floor. The little guy never took a step away. It was like he was used to people falling in the dirt by his side everyday. Guess what. I brought the horse home with me. I named him Chance because he is my second chance at riding. I sat on the floor in the barn until i could get up by myself. The guy I bought the horse from said I amazed him. He said I was the toughest, most determined person he had ever met! I rode today and I will ride tomorrow and the day after that, God willing, each day I can ride a little longer and get off a bit more gracefully. The point is find out something you can focus on that pushes you to work on fighting this dreaded monster we call MS! Don't roll over and let MS walk all over you. Don't go down without a fight. Keep getting back up until they find a cure for MS. We can do this and together we are stronger! Fight on MS Warriors, fight on!

in reply to Fancy1959

Wow! You are an inspiration! Love the pony story . . . and especially your sense of humor!

Fancy1959 profile image
Fancy1959 in reply to

Hey it's fancy 1959. Just to update everyone on my "Pony Story" I rode all by myself for over 30 minutes this morning. What a joy to experience that freedom again. And truth be told what a pain in certain areas of my body it was too. But it's worth it. So please never give up your passions. You may have to alter them, or get help to achieve them, but don't let MS take them away from you. MS Warriors fight on! Each small victory you achieve will make you stronger. Fight on!

Kj9681 profile image
Kj9681 in reply to Fancy1959

Awesome! I'm with you! MS can have me, it will not define me! I'm good enough to have a successful life, and so are all of my fellow MSers!! I'm determined too, MY BODY!! With God, I win! Period!

Jesmcd2 profile image
Jesmcd2CommunityAmbassador

Hi Cindy welcome to a group no one wants to be part of, but we make the best of it. It's funny how you said friends fade away. I had friends just up and stop talking to me. It's like they couldn't handle it. The friends and family l do have are a true lifesaver some days. BTW l live in south eastern ny about 10 miles from the PA border lol

Kj9681 profile image
Kj9681

Those docs... I pray your doing well, Cindy.

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