Help find a cure before MS gets on my LAST nerve!

In October of 2007 I ended up in the emergency room with the right half of my body completely numb. I was told by my general doctor to go to the hospital since it had been numb for over 36 hours. Completely terrified, my aunt came and picked me up to bring me and my mom raced to meet us there. Three/four hours later I was told I had carpel tunnel, given pain medicine, and an arm brace to wear. I was told to go to an orthopedic as soon as I could to get checked up. At that appointment I was told it wasn't carpel tunnel and I had a pinched nerve somewhere, well more than one since it was the entire right side!


The numbness went away within the week, so it became a distant memory of the time I waited in the emergency room petrified! While I didn't experience numbness after that, the next couple of years were fairly rough. I had a major surgery that I had my doubts if I'd ever heal from, and gradually this upper back pain starting taking over my life. Of course everyone has some type of back pain at some point in their lives, I carry around lots of heavy books. At first it was just a nagging pain that would come and go so I didn't worry about it too much. Over time the pain continually got worse until I was at my witts end and could no longer handle or manage it with over the counter pain medicines.


I had already been to an orthopedic about my back pains, so my general doctor told me that a rheumatologist would be the next route to take. At the beginning of 2010 I finally made an appointment to see one, optimistic that this was an easily fixed problem. After extensive blood work and physical exam, I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. I was given three different medicines: a muscle relaxer, ibuprofen, and something to help me sleep. The muscle relaxers definitely helped, but it made me sleepy all the time so I was unable to take it as needed. We went back to see him and discuss other treatment options. The second round of medicines, similar to the first but different drugs in the same class. Those didn't help either since and my stomach was on so much medicine I was always sick. At this point six months had passed and I was no closer to any relief. The last medicine he tried me on was a pain patch, but since the pain was so deep that didn't help at all!


At the time, I felt that I would never get relief or find a doctor that would help me. Looking back, I know my guardian angels were looking out for me and were guiding me to see another doctor. I went to a pain management doctor, who reviewed the blood results and ordered an MRI. I have hypersensitive reflexes and other problems that are common among people who've had trauma or spinal injuries. I didn't really fit that description, but it had to be done. 


I knew as soon as the MRI was done that something wasn't right. The man who went in prior to me kept asking the nurse when/how he'd get the results of the test. But, once I was finished the nurse asked me several times, like 3-4, when I was going back to the doctor and then told me to make sure I called his office in about a week. I just had this gut feeling that something wasn't right. Luckily, it was right before fourth of July and my sister, some of her friends and I went to the beach. 


A week after the MRI my mom called the doctor for me. My sister and I were on our way home from Florida and I kept texting my mom asking if she'd heard anything. When we were about an 1/1 hr and a half from getting home I called her. She answered and finally admitted the doctor had called back and we'd talk about it when I got home. That was the LONGEST hour of my life, because I knew if it was normal she would have told me that. 


I spent the rest of the ride wondering what they found on the MRI. As soon as I saw my mom she told me that the MRI suggested that I had multiple sclerosis. At the time, I knew very little about MS, but I know people who've been effected by the disease. I pretty much lost it, it was not the diagnosis I was prepared for and I just kept seeing pictures of some people with MS and how debilitating it can be. 


I will say that the doctors moved super fast to confirm/start treatment. A neurologist was able to fit me in the next day when we scheduled a spinal tap to confirm the disease. Once those results came in I got calls from everywhere! The month went by so fast and I felt like I was drowning, but once I did some research and the doctor started the process of getting my shots (they are ordered from a special pharmacy) I slowly began to feel like I could get my life back to semi normal. Multiple sclerosis is a very frightening disease with so many unknowns, but I always have several nurses, pharmacist, and other people specialized in MS are just a phone call away. 


I feel as though once I was diagnosed I entered a whole new world, one that I never knew existed. So many people reached out to help me and convinced me that I am strong enough to fight.