My feet are numb, why?

In October 1999, I woke up one morning and my feet were numb. Gee, I wonder why? I said. So, I went to the doctor and she asked me a bunch of questions, took a lot of tests and finally sent me to my neurologist. He asked me a lot of questions, took a lot of tests and sent me for an MRI.

Well, he said, I think you have MS, but I can't confirm it until you have another exacerbation. Huh, what was that? Well it took a whole year before I had another exacerbation. I was sitting down, bent my head forward and a shooting pain went down my back, through my hips and shot out my knees! Ouch, that hurt! My neurologist said, yup, that's your second attack.

But in the meantime, in that year it took for me to have another attack, I was not walking very well, I was using a cane, I couldn't mentally function at my job at the bank. I was this close to a wheelchair!! So, he put me directly on Avonex in October of 2000. Within 6 months I needed the cane no longer to walk, but the rest of the cognitive problems, etc. were still there. I have been on Avonex for 13 years now and according to my neurologist, I have had no progression of MS. I just am so very glad for my husband's medical insurance otherwise Avonex would not be financially available to me.

Now, I have other illnesses along with my MS. I have developed Diabetes. I am on medication for that. Before I was diagnosed with MS, I was told I had PCOS. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. This is a female disease that has prevented me from ever being pregnant, so I have no children. It's given me too much male testosterone, so I have too much hair. I guess with all I have, it's better off that I had no children to pass anything on to.

So, I have my loving husband of 23 years and my faithful Scotty dog, Miki. That's what life's all about.