Hi everyone, I just posted in one of the other forums and introduced myself but now Im thinking I went to the wrong thing. Im really new at all of this and I mean everything ms, forums, computers, so I hope you will be patient with me.just a little background my name is april I live in ohio and I am a single mother of 3 teenage boys, I am 36yr. old and dx in Nov.2006 with ms.
to tell you a little about my dx. 6 months ago I went to my gp for a check up since I had'nt had one in a couple of years. while I was there I told him that I felt like I didnt have as much energy as I use to and sometimes my hands and feet were numb and tinggly.I honestly thought he was going to tell me I needed to eat better and take better care of my self. instead he wanted to do bloodwork and a mri w/wo contrast, 5 days later he called me at work and said he wanted me to see a neuro. because they found something on my mri. 3 weeks from the day of my check up I was sitting in the neuro. office and he told me I have multiple sclerosis, I feel like I have been in a world wind since. I understand that apparently I am very lucky I was dx. so quickly but I am still in shock and trying to understand everything.I am looking foward to talking with others. sorry for the long post.
have a great day!
april.

Hello April and welcome to NeuroTalk.

Wow, you haven't even had time to breath let along process your diagnosis.

Be prepared for a rollercoaster ride of emotions, we tend to go through a grieving process as things start to sink in.

Again, Welcome!

Hello April, and welcome!

Sorry about your diagnosis, but I'm glad you found a nice support forum for sharing your feelings.

I was in shock when I found out too, but eventually it gets a bit easier.

Well, as they said, welcome to the roller caster ride. USE THE INTERNET!!!!! Be your own advocate. And take time to breathe, take time for yourself and enjoy your children.

I'm sure some one else will come in and better explain this but I will try. Maybe you already know what I'm talking about and you won't be confused. Haing an illness like MS you need to go through all the stages of greif. I know I won't get them right, I just know it. There is grief, denial, anger, accepantce. Maybe more but I don't remeber. And you may go through each one of them more than one time.

I have greived the loss of my job at a time where I was at the prime, yet I'm glad I'm out! Yes, that's contradicitng myself. But I am happier now that I am out. I am grieving the loss of the type of relationaship I could have had with my grandchildren. But if I wasn't working, I couldn't be with them as much as I am now. My MS is 'benign' enough that I am able to lead a fairly normal life but I have had to constantly change what I fell is normal. I get angry at myself that I can't do the things I wanted to do in my retirement appraoching years. But there have been so many other opportunities open up. And there is acceptance. Accept but keep those eyes looking behind your head so you can see what's coming and prepare for it. I hope I haven't confused you. I am happy where I am now. If I had thought 10 years ago that I would be, no I wouldn't have thought that. Oh and listen to your body.

Hi April and welcome to the group! Hopefully your roller coaster will slow down for awhile. We're all familiar with those up and down emotions, so feel free to vent away. Everyone's "ride" is different, but yet in a way similar.

I was officially diagnosed in 1990 but think it began back in 1976 after the birth of my third child when I developed optic neuritis. It's only been the past couple years that it has decided to advance pretty rapidly -- not exactly how I'd hoped to spend my "golden years". Bah -- humbug!!!!

As others have mentioned, take time to breathe, do lots of research since sometimes we're aware of new things before our doctors, let your emotions out and like doydie said, listen to your body. Being a Type A personality is tough with this miserable disease, but we have to learn to slow down sometimes!!

Good luck to you in your journey......Judy

Thank all of you for responding to my post, It really does make me feel welcome.I look forward to talking more.
Have a great day!
april.

Welcome, April, nice to meet you and glad to have you here.