Cathy~

Our stories are almost identical, however I was age 25 and its been 27 years since my diagnosis. I was actively involved in aerobics when the leotard stripes became distorted- optic neuritis. I, too, was told to go home and rest. I said, "With a one year old"?? I also found out I was pregnant with our daughter the same week they told me I "most likely, probably had MS".

My coping mechanisms have changed for me as much as my disease. I had my well entitled, under attended pity party for the first few months, then moved onto garnering as much information as I could. My Dr was near retirement and of little help. I enlisted the help of anybody willing to listen and finally hit on a referral to an MS specialist group not too far away. That was a changing point. From then on, my quest for information was met with excitment and loads of pamphlets/booklets. 

I am still with the same group of cutting edge Dr's since 1987, and was always 1st up for new therapies as they became available. I believe it is of utmost importance to find a good Dr in the field of MS, one who allows you to work with them, while working tirelessly on your behalf. My coping became immensely easier knowing I had such qualified people at the helm. I could finally relax a little and let the miracle of science/spirituality/time work in my favor.

I look back at the way things were before we all became "Dr Google's" and I wonder if maybe having to work a little harder to learn about my disease didn't help make me a more proactive patient :)