I think your observations speak to so many points, but I'll try to narrow my answer to the ones that no one else has touched much on yet . . . .

MS mimics so many diseases, both in symptoms and testing. There are several conditions that have lesions and/or similar LP results, so what they are looking for is a combination of factors.

Even if they suspect MS, there is a protocol that must be met in order to give the dx. They look at our symptoms (c/w description), history, clinical neurological testing, combined with MRI, LP, EP, etc testing. Depending on the results of all that (sometimes glaring), we may get an unofficial "possible", "probable", or definite dx. Most often though, TIME (usually months, occasionally years) is what cinches the dx for many people though.

Regarding how "easily" you (and others) have gotten the dx vs. how difficult it is for others . . . that speaks to the point of how lesions aren't the end-all, be-all with this disease. They are important in the dx process, but that's about the extent of it. I know people who've had almost all the symptoms of MS for many years, and some are in much worse shape then me, but they have very few (or no) tell-tale lesions. There are others that have the dx and lots of lesions, but they make out fairly good in the long run.

I have also heard of many people who's MRI looks great after being on a certain drug, but they continue to decline physically. Relapses (or lack thereof) do not correlate directly with the long-term prognosis on disability either (although they can make life difficult at the time we experience them).

There are sometimes obvious factors that make the dx fairly easy, like dawson's fingers. As Snoopy said, these are "hallmark" for MS, and I don't think this result points to ANY other disease/condition. Many of us do not present with things in such a nice, neat little package . . . but that doesn't mean others without these exact findings won't progress with the disease in the same way, better, or worse.

It was a slam-dunk for you, and you are going to continue to go through the grieving (denial, bargaining) for the next long while. You will also go through it again and again, as things change along the journey. I don't know how many times I've done that process now, when things get rough and I fear for what my new future holds . . . then I settle back to where I was before, or I accept the changes that I now have to live with. Low and behond, 2 - 24 months, I regain some functionality again . . . then I am on a high till the next time I go through it. It's a roller coaster, for sure.

You can't really compare yourself to anyone, cause we all seem to have our own journey. What works for some, is killer for others. All that we can do is share our experiences and try different things to see what works for us as individuals.

Cherie