About MS..?
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I am not 25. At the age of 49, I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. I swear, one minute, I felt great. I walked across a room and picked a fan up that had blown over. By the time I stood up, I was so sick I couldn't hardly stand up. I had severe double vision, my legs, left arm, and the entire left side of my body went numb. I lost the ability to swallow. I tried to explain it to the doctors, but they literally laughed in my face. I was in and out of the emergency room getting IV fluids because I couldn't swallow anything at all. I threw up bile almost non stop. Still, they didn't believe that I felt as bad as I did. My son came from Chicago and drove from NC to Chicago to a real hospital with real doctors. I had seven MRIs, spinal taps, EMGs, and IV fluid non stop there. The put a feeding tube in my stomach to feed me. In 30 days, I had lost 57 pounds. My neurologist in Chicago told my son that had I stayed in NC one more week, I would have been dead. I spent five months in the hospital. I was completely numb on my left side and both my legs. I could not stand due to the numbness, the weakness from not eating for a month, and the double vision made me so sick I could not keep my eyes open. I prayed to die then. I couldn't stand it anymore. As the months passed by, physical therapy came to teach me to walk again. At first, all they had me do was stand by the side of the bed. I couldn't go far because I was attached to the feeding, three or four different IVs, and I had a catheter in my bladder because I couldn't tell when I had to pee and urine just leaked out of me like I was a funnel. Three months later, I finally got my ability to swallow back. I got to eat jello and potatoes. It tasted so good. At four months, I was put into a nursing home for aggressive rehab. I had to learn to walk on my own again. Finally, they took out the feeding tube at about 4 1/2 months and I got to eat soft, light foods. I did rehab every day. Five months and one week after admission, I got to go home. I still had double vision, but I didn't care. I had to get out of there. Today, my legs are still numb. They feel thick. I can feel pressure if you touch them, but I can't feel the actual touch. My legs ache sometimes like someone has been trying to pull them off. I take percocet for the chronic leg and low back pain. I can walk. I drive the car now. I only get double vision if the ms symptoms flair up. The flair ups don't last more than two or three days. It is impossible for me to do any exercise except walking on a tread mill because of the residual numbness and severe back pain which worsens with almost anything I do. I am alive, though. I got to see my first grandson and my second grandbaby is on the way. I take Avonex to keep the MS from getting any worse. Mine is secondary progressive. I am 100% disabled and live on a navy pension and SSDI, but I am alive and I thank Rush Presbyterian Hospital and their excellent staff in Chicago for that. I hope you don't have near these symptoms. Don't stop trying to do things. Don't worry all the time that you have MS. At least you are not paralyzed and on a ventilator. Keep moving, and never give up. I am 53 years old now. Good luck to you.
You aren't *born* with MS! It happens over time.
I know someone, my wife :)
Look at the following source.
Its not about being born with it. Its about the age of diagnosis. My mother found out she had it when I was in Junior High - approx 10 yrs ago. She has trouble walking, and talking. She cannot drive and is often in serious pain. It causes your nerves to spasm and often you cannot control your movements. Writing and typing are very difficult, sometimes eating. There are medications out there to treat some symptoms - but no cures.
Type "Multiple Sclerosis Foundation" in "Research your answer." There is an abundance of information under #1. Good luck to the person with the problem!
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