My story

Even as a child, my balance and coordination was not good. As a teenager, not only was I uncoordinated, but I started having problems with depression. After high school, I joined the Army, hoping, among other things, that the physical demands would help me.

After I left active duty, I joined the National Guard, was married and gave birth to two daughters. Then my husband, a Vietnam vet, committed suicide. The depression, fatigue and anxiety this caused sent me into a tailspin. The aches and pains were attributed to the depression from that event.

A couple of years later, I remarried, had a son and moved to our present home, still serving in the National Guard.

Then, in 1993, I began having trouble with numbness in my legs and acute pain in my hips and lower back. My doctor thought it might be rheumatoid arthritis, with runs in my family, so he sent me to a rheumatologist. Then, one day on my way home from work, I lost my eye sight. It didn't last long, but it scared me. I went straight to the clinic and told my doctor what had happened. He sent me to a neurologist. Long story short, 7 months and tons of steroids later, she diagnosed me with RRMS. Over the years, my symptoms were mild, nothing a dose pack couldn't handle.

About 5 years ago, the fatigue, numbness, spasticity, depression and other symptoms started getting much worse with the relapses being worse and lasting longer. Two years ago, I had to quit work and go on disability.

My doctor put me on Rebif shots four years ago and that has helped enormously. Unfortunately, however, its effectiveness is now wearing off. When I go for my check up next month, she will be changing my meds again, so now we start again.