All Communities > Mom's Living With MS > When you were first diagnosed...what thought first came...

When you were first diagnosed...what thought first came to mind?

Kimberly - posted on 01/31/2009 ( 1 mom has responded )

As a caregiver for over 25 years, The diagnosis was quite a shock to me. I knew about MS from working in the community and in Long Term Care and I admit I got scared. I cried at the Dr.,s off ice and all the way home, then I got angry and thought about what was in store for me and my family in the future. I am a very independent peerson and I will not give up my independence that easily. I got my diagnosis in April of 2008, and shortly thereafter, not even 2 weeks, I did my first walk for MS. I have recently had my licensce revoked and am unable to work. I use a can to help maintain balance and have a lot of tingling and numbness in my arms and legs. I suffer from extreme fatigue which really hits me about mid-afternoon. I am very stubborn and need to learn that asking or help is not a sign of weakness. The old adage, "Better to give than to receive." is very difficult when you are on the receiving end. I find you really need to have a positive attitude if you are going to make through the day, pace yourself and take it one day at a time, as every day is different when it comes to symptoms. Attitude is the true disability. Motivation determines how well you do it.

Join Circle of Moms

1 Comment

View replies by

Samantha - posted on 02/13/2009

HI! I was diagnosed when i was 11, my grandmother at this time was in a home with seconday progressive- that was all i knew of MS so i was a wreck for a long time. I did eventualy get passed it, Praise GOD as my grandmother died of pnumonia the next year. I have relapce remit and we quite symptomatic untill i hit puberty as at that time the did not medicate untill after. Once i was on meds i was great! i started my first job the day i hit 16 and worked full time after i graduated at 17. By the time i was 19 i was working 1 full time job and two part time jobs. I always felt like i had to go one step farther than anyone else to be thought of as about the same. The i got pregnent- i had a difficult pregnancy (unrelated to the MS) and I had a horible relapce afterwords. I went back to work asap leaving my 3 jobs for one job at a gas station, that lasted almost a year and ended because i could no longer feel the change in my hand. I aplied for ssi and got rejected it was a very hard time. The we got pregant with our son. I had a GREAT pregnancy this time, almost total remission. i could walk more than a block with out any fatigue or muscle failure. I was in hog heaven! when our son was born I went right back on my meds and have had a slower progresion. I never regained feeling in my fingers, and i have nerve pain now. I slowly got the fatigue back but I am wiser and older now (25) and I am more likely to prioritize and ask for help. My husband is AWESOME, that is why i am doing so well. I have learned how to type w/o feeling- it is WAY hard but i go slow and i can get the job done. This message is about my limit- my nerve pain in my hand comes back with typing, sisiors, forks, pens- i cant feel a cut but i have "imaginary" burning in my fingers... Its funny if you think about it. Also I have won my dissability case which has taken quite a load of pressure off my shoulders- my husband has never complained about my not being able to work, but i am too hard on myself.

so dont read this and say wow she was great b4 she had kids i wont take that risk. Everyone is different, evey pregnancy has risks no matter your health. I wouldnt trade my kids for anything. Without my Jaden i would be lost, and Paul Daniel saved my life by rebooting my MS. NEVER forget that this is possible no matter your ability level, and our (mothers w/ ms) kids are more loving, more apithetic, more helpful.