When my neuro first told me that he suspected I had MS (my very first visit), I was completely shell-shocked. I came home and searched through all of my old textbooks that I had left over from school years before. We didn't have the internet (we didn't even have a computer).

I didn't know anyone with it, I didn't know anything about it. What I found in my book was along the lines of 'Multiple Sclerosis is a progressive neurodegenerative disease, whereby most sufferers have progressively worse and worse attacks until they lose all control of bodily functions such as walking, eating, use of bowel and bladder. Ultimately, most sufferers will be forced to move into nursing homes, and life expectency is dramatically reduced as a result.' The book was a biology textbook, probably first published in the 1970's.

Of course, I cried and cried and cried. It was only a few days later when I went to the library, I was able to see a clearer and more optimistic prognosis for most people. Of course, all of those terrible things can happen, but if ever you were going to diagnosed with MS, now, with all of the drugs and research that is going on there is so much more hope.

Here I am, 11 years post diagnosis - walking, and doing almost all of the things that I used to (the important stuff anyway). I have a been a very long time since my last major exacerbation, I have been lucky and life is pretty good (right now anyways - let tomorrow take care of itself).

Regards

Lyn

PS I threw the book in the bin where it belonged!