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MS Pictures: Chris M.

Chris is 57 years old and was diagnosed with MS six months ago. We spoke with Chris and her husband, Jim.

Can you tell us a little about your early symptoms and diagnosis process?

My first symptom was debilitating vertigo, nausea, and vomiting. I couldnโ€™t get out of bed for days. Our first stop was our PCP, then my allergist, and then an ear-nose-and-throat specialist. My PCP โ€” a very perceptive small-town Physician Assistant โ€” ordered an MRI for me. The report showed demyelinating processes, so at that point, we began a search for a neurologist. Early on I was completely overwhelmed. I was unable to trust my body and mind as I had in the past. There were so many questions and uncertainties, and I struggled to tell people what this experience felt like.

Jim, what was it like when Chris began experiencing these early symptoms?

Iโ€™m a school nurse and former home-health nurse, so I was immediately trying to solve the mystery & cure my patient. We went through a list of the usual suspects: Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (with the inevitable failure of the Epley Maneuver), allergies, vestibular neuritis โ€” you name it, we wanted it to be something readily curable.

What does your support system look like?

I have the best support system–my spouse, for starters, & then phone calls with distant family have become much more frequent. Local friends have provided social support, shoulders to lean on, listening ears, and lots of rides to distant doctorsโ€™ appointments.ย Until recently, I couldnโ€™t drive, as a result of my lesions. Oh โ€” and my Best Dog Ever.

How has MS impacted your life?

Chris: Iโ€™ve had to stop working, which is huge after a 38-year professional career. I needed PT to help me overcome some of my balance issues, which has allowed me to drive short distances again. Day-to-day life has often felt overwhelming.

Jim:ย Itโ€™s funny โ€” Iโ€™m about to turn 60, so a month before the onset of Chrisโ€™s symptoms, I spent many hours assessing our fitness for retirement in a few years. Weโ€™ve had to rethink some of those initially sunny conclusions–but weโ€™re inclined toward living more simply rather than working longer so that we can still retire on the same timetable. Weโ€™ve thought about selling our beloved house ยญโ€” a sad matter to contemplate, but both of us have a built-in ability to make peace with disappointment.

What have been some of the most significant challenges the two of you have faced?

Chris: I spent much of my career as a bereavement counselor, and now I am faced with adjusting to the losses in my life and accepting the oh-so-slow process of grief.

Jim: Weโ€™ve been active hikers, cyclists, and explorers throughout our marriage, and we piled up plans for semi-retirement adventures. In recent months, weโ€™ve had to rethink future plans. Also: Itโ€™s been difficult watching Chris come to terms with her illness; I like to fix and heal, and Iโ€™ve had to step back and realize weโ€™re embarking on a long journey with an uncertain outcome.

Jim, what is something youโ€™ve learned while supporting Chris?

Slowing my pace has allowed me to focus on moments more than goals. Letโ€™s be honest: Iโ€™m still working on that.

What is your favorite MS coping mechanism or trick that involves both of you?

Iโ€™m pretty dedicated to the MS Gym โ€” online, with Trevor Wicken โ€” which I do almost every day. Elissa Berlinger, Social Worker from the Rocky Mountain MS Center, has been an invaluable support.

What did you not expect?

Chris: My inability to handle more than one input at a time. My cognitive deficits have been most challenging.

Jim: That we might, long-term, expect a high degree of recovery โ€” not a return to a pre-diagnosis status quo, but to a mostly normal life.

How has your perspective of MS changed over time?

Chris: My expectation that I would get better in a linear fashion has been challenged. Itโ€™s a roller coaster.

Jim: People have very divergent experiences of MS; there really isnโ€™t a checklist that MS patients carry in their hip pockets to assess their disease course. MS really is different from patient to patient.

What gives you hope?

Chris: The resilience I see in others who are managing this illness with grace and humor and grit. I have an abundance of support that helps me meet myย challenges.

Jim: We were fortunate to have received this diagnosis in 2021. Nowadays, there are multitudinous MS therapies and almost annual strides made in treatment modalities.ย In the near future, weโ€™re likely to see a day when an MS diagnosis is more nuisance than cataclysm.

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