Beginner's Guide to MS: What is My Prognosis?

Thanks Mandy,

I remember when I was 'finally' diagnosed that there was a moment of - so what does this really mean for me..... right now? 

The neurologist's answer was that we can now start on a disease-modifying treatment which would slow down the disease and hopefully make it much less debilitating in the future.

It was a strategy of dealing with the now....well, now.  We had already started treating the symptoms and I was already in physical therapy to regain use of my left hand/fingers/arm.  The ONLY difference was the addition of a DMD.

It's useful to know that life will not be all "doom and gloom" with MS.  Fortunately, I had already heard that message even before diagnosis.  Unfortunately, however, not everyone does have the type of support which I had at that early time.

Newly diagnosed folks NEED to hear this message, I agree.

"Yes I fall, but the floor always catches me."

Sherry, you've got a way with words and a wonderful outlook on life.  Thank you for sharing that with me and others.  Funny, the times I've fallen, I've been caught by the stairs, the floor, the couch, the driveway, the curb, the sidewalk, the road, the wall, and the physical therapist. 

Only once did I break a bone and that was 10 years before diagnosis.  That's the time I learned that putting your hands out in front of you is NOT ALWAYS the best way to fall. 

I trust that all of your planning skills will make the Sunday Dinner go well.  Just thinking of the food you described was on the menu makes me hungry!!

Thanks Kelley!!

It's good to know when things are clear, cause sometimes stuff rattles around in my head and I just hope that the way it gets out is understandable.  LOL. 

The very first time I traveled through an MRI machine, we were looking for a brain tumor because my vision was "off" and that was in 1993.  I was at college and one of the things the opthamologist wanted to know was if my pupils were normally unequal or not.  We looked through old photos to try to figure that one out.  There were no answers on the MRI, other than it was NOT A BRAIN TUMOR.

Second trip through the MRI in 2000, same thing - vision problem (as in going blind in one eye) and looking for brain tumor, lesions, or just inflammation.  It was inflammation.  Still no brain tumor AND not MS (yet).

By the time I went through the MRI process the third time in 2005, I was pretty sure it would be MS and I knew enough to know that it could be "managed."  I think that folks who are diagnosed rather quickly, and have no prior exposure to MS, are the ones who are most likely to be frightened.

I hope that this is helpful to them and Thanks again.

Connie,

It's so good to 'see' you here!!  I hope that this is helpful to hear for your friend.  I've been talking so much about MS during the last year that I have to really think back to what it was like in those initial uncertain times.

Thanks so much for stopping by,

Lisa