- Condition: Multiple Sclerosis
- Age: 51
I was diagnosed with Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (MS) when I turned 27. My legs had lost their feeling from the waist down. It was a shock, but fortunately I was able to regain most of the feeling back in my legs after two years. I went on to get married and I am a mother of an 11 year old. I worked and built a career as a Trade Show Marketing professional. I also earned my MBA and a Masters of Science in Marketing, all of this while living with MS and teaching Chemistry as an Adjunct professor. Two years ago, my MS advanced and became secondary progressive, I started losing my ability to maintain my memory for words. I have started taking medication and I am still trying to rebuild the brain structure I have lost due to the innumerable lesions in my brain. Every day, I read a book and that is slowly rebuilding a lot of my vocabulary, but it is not perfect. I continue to teach Sunday School, as I have for the last 20 years.
Today, I am 51 and have hope because the scientific discoveries in the past 23 years are amazing and I am still flying through the world with more energy than most people. Some days I have to slow down, but I try to keep moving with joy and passion. No one is guaranteed to have everything, but if you live a life with purpose you can give back to this life and have fun. Some days I play volleyball with my daughter and I participate in art projects. I cook, I clean, and I continue to go forward with one foot in front of the other.