Hi, Keri

I am one of those who really hates when people say "I have MS but MS doesn't have me" BS. This disease does what it wants, when it wants and as for being in control of this disease....yeah, right MS can and does what it wants.

Right now you are scared, overwhelmed and feeling like crap - why wouldn't you, you were just diagnosed with MS. You will go through a whole slew of emotions and it's perfectly normal - your dealing with the grieving process.

I am betting that as the years go by and you learn more about MS you will come to realize you have had this disease longer than what you think. There are so many symptoms which are easliy brushed aside or not even given a second thought. Minor things, odd things gone in minutes or seconds.

I was diagnosed at the age of 25 (46 now) but through the years I have come to realize I had symptoms as a kid. It's odd to experience a symptom(s) in current time and your mind goes "hey, wait this is really familiar" then you start to remember a time before you were diagnosed.

I was married at the time I was diagnosed but we didn't have children. We now have two teenagers 16 & 18. My children have grown up with this disease and I have had an active part in their lives.

Part of having this disease is symptoms. Some have few to none when not having an exacerbation, some have symptoms that come and go, some have permanent symptoms and yes, some have the progressive MS but we all try to live our lives to the best of our abilities - as you will learn to do, in time.

So, for now - scream, cry, be angry or whatever emotion your having at the moment and know we are here to listen and maybe, just maybe....help