Yup I did pee my pants...and?!?!

I was "officially" diagnosed with MS in October 2012. My symptoms first began in 2005, but the doctors could never get to the bottom of it so I just gave up.

My husband, two kids, and myself moved from Ohio to Florida and that's when the symptoms went from coming and going to never leaving and making it very clear I was only getting worse. Life pretty much sucked for us in Florida and I was ready to come home and work on figuring all of this out.

Missy B. - Ohio

Once we got home I found a new family doc, a neuro and the new testing began. 3 MRI's and a spinal tap later I was diagnosed.

I have severe weakness/numbness in my left leg and now walk with a permanent limp. My left arm will randomly shoot up and out (which might be cool if someone I didn't like was standing to the right and I could punch them with an excuse j/k...well kinda!) I have zero control of my bladder and now have to wear pads all the time (its awesome to wear diapers at the age of 33...note sarcasm!) I have something called drop ankle that gives me the great pleasure of falling on my rear end constantly, in the warmer months I feel like I'm being weighed down and find it physically exhausting to do much of anything, actually that's true for the cooler months too.

In the fall and winter I notice more pain, like the most wicked charlie horses I've ever experienced, in my feet and legs, forgetting things (I once forgot how to put on my scarf...really?!? Good times) I have gotten really good at listening to my body and realizing what works for me. Shaving my legs or hell even taking a shower has gotten really difficult, but I have a shower chair now so that has helped. I am learning that this is my life so I try to take the good with the bad and try to push forward.

I'm really sarcastic and try to make jokes about my new life, better to find a way to laugh than cry all the time. Don't get me wrong there have been plenty of tears, especially when I think about my kids and how this changes their lives as well. I've always been somewhat of a clingy Mom, but now when I think of them being out of my reach playing and something happening...I COULD NOT GET TO THEM and that is truly terrifying!

I do find comfort here, reading and now being able to share my own story. God bless each and every one of you, we are in this together!

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