I was dx'ed with MS in early 1988. I've always had pain associated with it - first one was lower back neck pain for the first 15 years. Neuropathy kicked in in 2007 - horrendous foot and lower leg pain. This s**cks.

I'm still not noticeably impaired, so nobody knows I have MS except those close to me who I've told. Still work full time, etc.

I don't take anything for pain or MS. I do take blood pressure meds and B12 and stuff. I had open heart surgery in 2004 for an ascending aortic dissection and my right illiac, left illiac and abdominal aortic arteries were bypassed in my abdomen in 2008, so I have more than MS to worry about.

Since we spent a healthy chunk of today planning our annual hiking vacation for the year (southern Utah this year), I don't think I'm planning on any of these issues slowing me down any time soon. I've got shuttle missions to work around in April, May, and July, so our vacation gets relegated to June.

Tom