My name is Jessica, I'm 29 years old and live in central PA, just outside of State College......home of the PennState Nittanty Lions and of course JoePa! I was dx October of 2003, I remember quite well, the very next day my fiance got the call that he and his National Guard group would be leaving for Iraq in a month! Thankfully though it is now Novemeber 2006 and he is home safe with me in PA with our 80 pound dog and 8 pound cat! PhireX recommended me to sign up here.

Picture it, college apartment in central PA, 1999 (a.k.a Sophia Petrillo, Golden Girls)! My first symptoms began showing. I noticed I would shave my legs but couldn't quite feel the razor on my skin, it would come and go. In the spring in my lit. class I noticed my left eye just would not focus, and was very shifty. I went to the eye doctor, he said my vision was near perfect. These symptoms continued on sporadically, I sort of acclimated to them I guess.

I graduated College in 2000 and began working full time in a local car dealership that I was employed by part-time through college. I had health insurance.....yay!! Of course when I had it I really didn't notice any reason to go to a doctor. 2001- Boss got into some trouble. Hours were cut, then a complete layoff, no more Health Ins.

2001- Idiots in the apartment above me left cigarette burning, apt. caught fire, we lived in an old victorian house. My things suffered smoke and water damage...plus I was wedding planning, so many things I had purchased were ruined.....this was Nov.

2002-February, so not too long after all that my grandma passed away, we were extremely close, I also was planning for a fall wedding....starting all over again.....

I became very anxious and depressed, I became agoraphobic because every time I left the house I would lose bowel control. My balance became so bad I could barely walk, I couldn't stand in the shower...my eyes were horrible (now I know it was a combo of vertigo and ON of course) With everything going on and a wedding in a month friends and family were sure it was stress that got out of control.

Luckily I found a wonderful doctor who helped me get state assisted ins. because she suspected MS. My wedding was in a week, we had to cancel, I never would have been able to walk down the aisle.

When my MRI came back it was an obvious diagnosis: 60% of my brainstem was covered in a lesion. and about 5 quarter sized ones scattered and very lit up, and a ton of tiny faint ones.

Though MS is such a tough diagnosis, after all I had been through the dx came as a relief! I started steroids and Rebif right away. I use a quad-cane, (I'm bringing sexy back!) , have to ear adult diapers sometimes, and cannot feel the bottoms of my feet.

I am on SSDI, and I do some Notary Public and Full Agent work (licensing/registrations) out of my little home office.

My OH (other half) and I never did get married because I can't afford to lose my Medicare, and he needs to finish his schooling. He had to give up grad school twice, first time for Iraq, 2nd time I had an awful relapse, couldn't even feed myself, so he stayed home to work and care for me. He is so good to me! Now he is going into nursing, it is the best fit for us and he is excited about it!

Yes, I am doing bettter....Rebif seems to have stabilized the MS so far. When I was first diagnosed I was pumped with so many steroids I was afraid I'd look like a Wookie by now!

OH and I met in college......we had classic lit. together. Also we both worked part time at K-fart. I recognized him the first day of class so I went over and grabbed the seat next to him introduced myself and kept talking..(I'm a pretty good talker which you may have noticed)! We've been together ever since!

I enjoy writing, downloading music to make compilation cds and chat online with my college girlfriends!