How are things going this weekend, Cherie? I hope she's feeling better and you've been able to relax a little.

You're both still in my prayers. :hug:

I just read what all your daughter and you went through! You are both in my thoughts... Hugs.

I wanted to add I just received the National MS Society's quarterly magazine and the main article has to do with kids being diagnosed with MS now. I think you can go to the NMSS's main site and read their article.

Take care.

to the original poster, sorry if i dont have time to read through all of the postings.but i just read the title and it reminded me of my personal life.well my fiancee Jennifer was diagnosed with MS at the age of 13.the most difficult part if you ask me was the diagnosis because it is such a long and pain full process including spinal taps and many other horrible things.well as i said she was diagnosed at 13 she is now 19 about to turn twenty.although she has MS this does not stop her from enjoying her life.the only thing that really sets her back is heat,and the sun.in her words she describes it as being drained when she gets too much sunlight or she is exposed to heat.the other times she feels bad is the day following her Avonex injection.she takes this once a week and has been doing so since diagnosis.im sure she can asnswer more directly steered questions than i can so ask away and i will show her.

Hi all,

Thanks for all the messages, Leggz, Kelly, dlluvspigs, gardengrl, wiz, dm, maryann, sally, judy X 2, Jules, ali, 0357, Ojpinky.

I'm sorry I haven’t been back to say how much I sincerely appreciate everyone’s support, suggestions, thoughts and prayers. I guess I got kinda' over-loaded on the upset and stress of everything that I just couldn’t bear to talk about it any more for a while.

Today is the first day without drugs for her back and/or head!! I am happy about that. :)

She is still numb in the same places, and has the hyper-sensitive skin. The vertigo and nausea is gone, so she is back to eating, sleeping, and going to movies with her friends. She finally got out today to spend the money she got for her birthday, at the beginning of Feb, so we know she is truly on the mend. :D She has grown accustomed to many of the sensations (funny how people can do that, eh?), but they do get more noticeable in cold or hot.

I still haven’t decided what I am going to do about our hospital experience, but I will likely get around to writing a letter when I have more energy. My ON has let up, but my legs are still quite numb & heavy, and I am sleeping a lot.

Jules, as far as the MRI, it was done without contrast. I know that any enhancing lesions would not show, and I really can’t imagine she would show much more than that (i.e. T2 lesions) at this early age/stage anyway. The main reason I went along with it though was because I wanted to make sure it wasn’t anything else, like a tumor, which does not require contrast to see. But clearly they can’t rule out MS based on the results so far ...

I agree Ali, about supporting and believing my daughter. It’s kinda’ hard, because they are wanting me to make sure she isn’t stressing about the possibility of it being MS . . . which means I have to suggest it could be a “teenage coping mechanism”. I know that’s not the case, but I told her “no matter what it is, stressing isn’t a good idea”. She knows I believe her though.

Thanks for the info on the pediatric MS article, 0357. I'll look that up.

Sorry to hear about your fiancé’s experience, Ojpinky. It was grueling to see her go through that, and I know she would be strong and brave like your g/f if it turns out to be MS. My kids think I have a cake-walk life, so they are not too worried about the prospects of an existence of “sitting around the house on the computer all day”. All the best to the both of you!

Her next appointment to go over the results is mid-April, so I will be sure to get copies of all the results. I doubt I will seek a second opinion at this point, but I will if things escalate again.

Thanks again, Cherie

Hey Cherie,
Just wanted to check in with you and see how DD is doing. Hope all is well, Jules

:hug:I hope everything is okay..........:hug:

Things are just plodding along here, with some improvements, thanks. :)

She is numb in all of the same places, and still has the hyper-sensitive skin. The numbness is not quite as pronounced as it was, so that's good. :) The skin issue is still all on though. :(

Her fatigue has mostly let up, and her spirits are good. The vertigo is GONE, so I am very pleased about that. :D

Her back is still sore to touch from the LP, but she only gets a headache (and/or back ache) towards the end of some days. She is still on Spring Break, so she hasn't had to do gym or sit in her desk either though, so we'll see how she goes next week.

Her appointment to go over all the results is mid-April, but I am not expecting to get confirmation on anything, except that they don't know why it happened. :cool: It should be interesting when the neuro tries to tell me that she is confident that "it isn't MS", since they did not even use contrast with the MRI. Of course it is good that she obviously has no T2 lesions . . . but how many of us do when we first get MS anyway?

As I think I said earlier though, I only agreed to the MRI (and LP) to rule out tumors and alternate medical concerns . . . and we did that. We might still have to deal with organizing a blood patch during that meeting though.

Mental health has put her on the end of their 6 - 8 month waiting list for counseling, because they see no immediate disconcerting "issues". I could get counseling for her through my extended health if I thought it was necessary, but I don't think it is. I'll play 'the game' though, so I am seeming cooperative. :D

So, things are ok for the time being, thanks. :hug:

Cherie

Its a shame they didn't use contrast, sheesh they had her laying there anyway, but as you said its way more important to know you aren't dealing with a brain tumor etc. I don't think I'd have another spinal tap if I had the horrific reaction she is still suffering from. :(

Do keep us posted. I'm sending many good vibes your/her way.

Thanks for the update, Cheri. Glad to hear she's getting out and about and doing teenage activities. I'll keep her in my prayers and please keep us posted.

Thinking of you, too!

They were originally going to keep her in the hospital for a week, to do all the testing, and they probably would have done the contrast if they had. I procrastinated taking her in though, and they filled the bed in the meantime. :(

Since she ended up being an out-patient for the back-to-back MRI and LP, and she was SO sick already, I didn't want to put her through the MRI contrast too.

I really just wanted to know if it was something "else" ... and I am not ready to seriously consider MS. :( Yep, me an' denial go back a L-O-N-G ways . . .

Thanks ladies,

Cherie