MS

I say I was surprisingly optimistic because that week I began to lose the sight out of my right eye, I was coming close to serving a year in Afghanistan.  Since sand storms in that country occur more often than not, I genuinely believed I had sand in my eye that first night, than blamed the pain on the fact that I had rubbed the “sand” in my eye while trying to remove it.  I visited the clinic because of the pain in my eye and was only told to return if it got worse…well, it got worse.  In three days a black line appeared in my vision, in a week I couldn’t see the bottom half and in two weeks as I walked onto the C130 military plane I had lost all of my vision on my right eye (to which I still joked was fine because I shot with my left eye).

I was diagnosed on February 14, 2006 with Multiple Sclerosis.  I was started out with copaxone (a self- administered injection) which I became allergic to in a year.  I was then switched to rebif which I didn't have any problems with BUT which  wasn't slowing my MS any so I switched to tysabri.  I did well with tysabri for 2 years and was normal enough to get my AA in psychology with a focus in PTSD but then got married and decided to move.  Seeing how tysabri causes PML (turns your brain to mush is how I explain it) most doctors don't like to go straight to that medication.  So I was forced to go a year without any treatment at all to after all the nagging being put on Avonex.  Avonex didn't work either  (since I didn’t like the side effects to the drug) so yet again I was forced to nag until I finally got tysabri back! 

It has been seven years since I got diagnosed and my life has been a roller coaster.  I have lost mobility, have had slurred speech, have had a facial droop, double vision, serious constipation followed by need diapers at 29.  I gave the neurologist ONE tear when he replied “yes” to my question of “is this what you’re diagnosing me with.”  One tear followed by the question … ”WHAT HAPPENS NOW?”

Now I am medically retired from the military and trying to be an MS advocate because I am only 29 and still have a lot to offer!  I am a smart stubborn Latina who never gives up and if life has taught me anything is that if there’s a will, there’s a way!  Please join my page MS After the Military on Facebook and let’s take this fight all the way up to Capitol Hill!