I am a 59 year old female and I have MS withTM. I
became ill in August of 94 after we returned from France. My husband
was over there on a work assignment for 2 1/2 years. When we returned
our daughter had a brain tumor removed. This was her second one and it
was benign. After that, my husband was transfered from Ohio to
Kansas. We were to move in August. 2 weeks before we were to
move, one day I felt like something was picking at me on the left side
around the rib area. It reminded me of the feeling when you leave a
tag inside your clothing. I brushed it off and continued to get ready
for the move. 3 days before the movers showed, my left side where the
priking was turned numb. By the next day I was numb down to my foot
and buy the 3rd day my right side was also getting numb. My doctor in
Ohio had me go to the hospital and have an MRI on my lower spine, showed
nothing. I was in a lot of pain so he prescribed Percecet for me to
travel. He told me to go to the local hospital when I arrived in Kanas
as it was a weekend when we arrived. They took one look at me and
said, you have MS. Well my husband and I almost fell over, never
suspected that. Than we started looking back over my medical
history. About 10 years ago I had a spinal tap done for MS, nothng
showed so I went on. I had most of my life feeling fatigued,
especially in France as we did a lot of traveling through other Counteries
while we were there. Anyway they sent me to a nuerologist who
addmitted right away and gave me prendesone IV. He said I had Lupus
with TM. He put me in touch with a Rheumetologist. At this time
I was on many medicines, so much that I couldn't think straight. We
decided to get a second opion so we went to the Mayo Clinic. There
they said it was not Lupus but I did have TM and possibly MS. So here
we were back to square one again. I than saw a neurologist in Phila.,
Pa. He said yes I did have MS with TM. My neurologist back home
did not beleive so I choose to get a new doctor.
Two years after my onset, I was doing quite well, not
taking a lot of medicines. That July I got hit again this time I ended
up like a paraplegic. All I had use of was my arms. I spend 2
weeks in the hospital than 2 weeks in a rehab. Those 4 weeks I made
myself excersise no matter how tired I was. I was bound to get myself
back to where I was before it hit me again. I did it, I came home to a
wheel chair but before they were finished putting ramps in for me I was
walking with my walker and than a cane.