My Trip With MS

So. Multiple Sclerosis is the demyelination of nerve fibers. In layman's terms my white blood cells attack the insulation on my neurons disrupting signals. Because it is in my brain, it affects nearly every other part of my body.

My diagnosis took a year, and has cost me about $6000 that I can't afford. It started with tingling in my fingers that eventually spread to my hands and then when agitated (heat, vibration) it would spread up my arms and sometimes down my legs. I talked to my primary care provider and he suggested a chiropractor, saying it was probably a pinched nerve. The chiropractor sent me to a carpal tunnel doctor, the carpal tunnel doctor sent me to a nerve guy, who sent me to have an MRI of my neck. He was the one who told me I have symptoms and MS and to see a neurologist. The neurologist wouldn't even see me without an MRI of my brain so I had to do that, and then it took six months to get an appointment. However I was informed that I had caught it early. The neurologist said that most people don't notice they have issues until a single eye goes dark.

MS is not curable, but can be delayed. Years ago MS would take you in about5 years. Now it's closer to 20. Which if I don't get hit by a bus in the mean time, I won't live past 62. It isn't the quite of a death sentence as cancer (which can kill you quicker) but still knowing unless huge breakthroughs in MS research happen, I won't make it to 90, or 80, or 70. I won't live long enough to retire. Dark, isn't it.

Yesterday I had my first bout with vertigo. I woke up at 5:30 (had to pee) and the room was jumping up and down in my vision. I was overwhelmingly nauseous, and had almost no balance. I honestly felt like I was drunk to the point of vomiting, but I hadn't been drinking, even told the doctor that I wish it was alcohol, it'd go away in a couple hours. I had dizziness and lightheadedness ALL DAY. I held onto furniture to keep from falling as I stumbled around (as if I was drunk) to move around the house. I couldn't move my head too fast or the room would start spinning. No way in hell I could drive, couldn't watch TV or look at my phone, just kind of spent the day staring into space or sitting still with my eyes closed. About 6 PM after taking some Dramamine the dizziness subsided. I could finally walk without holding onto things, the room ceased to spin when I moved.

And then today? Woke up normal as if yesterday hadn't happened at all.