Wow, Snoopy, Don't think I've ever heard your whole story before. Thank you for sharing.
Mine is much like yours, only my symptoms didn't start until my early 20s (although my Mother remembers me having a few numbness and balance problems in my early teens) and didn't go to the Dr's nor get a DX until my mid 30s, went into a remission, with a few light symptoms and was re DX in my early 50s...long trip.
I think thay most of us probably had MS symptoms way before it got bad enough for us to go in for a DX. I think there must be a childhood vaccine geared for the future of MS...just like for polio and scarlet fever..etc.