Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Non-Fiction

It started feeling like an electric shock. Every time she lowered her chin she’d fell the *bang* and tingle in her feet and hands like she had been shocked. “Odd,” she thought. “Maybe I strained something in my neck or back having the baby.”

But it got worse.

Soon her feet and hands were tingling with regularity. And the doctors were no help. Her first primary care physician did not want to give her a referral to a specialist, and then when he did, he did not even pick the right specialty. No useful diagnosis was received and the tingling was getting worse. Sometimes her leg dragged when she tried to walk, and often she was so tired she did not want to get out of bed.

But she had to get out of bed. The new baby had to be fed.

Two PCPs later, she found someone who did a proper neurological exam, recognized that she needed to see a neurologist, and was willing to make the referral. The neurologist pretty much knew what he was dealing with, but the testing was inconclusive, so he did not want to say. The diagnosis can be too alarming. Sometimes, things like this go away and never come back. He prescribed IV steroids followed by an oral steroid taper.

So, she took her infusions, tolerating incompetence from the home infusion company that had to be told every time that she had a latex allergy, that never seemed to send anyone who could find her tiny veins, and never seemed to have the premie infant needles that alone seemed to fit her. Then she took the oral steroids and dealt with the mood and personality changes, and the burning of her stomach.

And she took care of the baby.

The symptoms went away. Maybe they would never return.

But they did. One year later. And this time they were worse. Numbness progressed from her feet, up her legs and to her midriff. Her left leg became week and even her arms became numb and unpredictable. One day the bank called because one of her attempts to sign her name was no longer recognizable as her signature. And don’t even think about playing the flute anymore. The fingers will not obey her commands.

And then there is the baby--now a toddler. Her husband left for work every day at 6:15 to make his long commute. She asked to be awakened every day to test her limbs. She was afraid of waking up paralyzed and unable to lift the baby from her crib.

This time the testing left nothing to the imagination. This girl who hated needles gave blood, had a spinal tap, and had an MRI. They confirmed what the neurologist had not wanted to say before.

Multiple Sclerosis--a potentially crippling disease with no cure.

She thought first of the baby. Will she have it too? No. Probably not. Will mom be able to be a mom for as long as she needs? Probably, but the disease is very unpredictable. Is there anything to be done? Only somewhat. There are some drugs that appear to statistically slow the disease that did not exist 10 years ago, but they don’t always work and they can lose their effectiveness.

There are three main drugs--pick one.

So, she did. And the girl who hated needles learned to inject herself every night, and has done so for nearly 10 years now.

And she can still walk.

And although she hasn’t had a full blown exacerbation in a long time, she mostly manages day to day with only fatigue and transient tingling or weakness when the weather gets hot.

And her neurologist just gave her a disability rating of “0”

And she is my wife.


Pack Leader and Baby Superpounce


We are the lucky ones. We live in a time where there are some effective treatments available to slow the progression of disability and we can afford them. Even better, there are more effective drugs in development because of money raised for research and patient services.

I tell you this true story because this week is National Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week, and I am going to raise some of that money.

My only athletic fundraiser is to raise money for Multiple Sclerosis research, which is making huge strides against the disease. This year I am riding the MS150 from Houston to Austin for the fourth time. But along with blowing past the overnight stop like I did last year, we're taking the fundraising up a level. I am raising my funds through the Janus Charity Challenge and all the way through Ironman Coeur d’Alene in June.

There are a number of ways that you can join the ride--by literally riding with me, by donating to the cause, and other ways as well. The most obvious way is to hit my fundraising link here or at the top of my sidebar. I want to raise $10,000 this year. If I do this, I will have raised $28,500 for Texans with Multiple Sclerosis, and while I have put in the initial seed money myself, I need the help of the bloggy peeps. However big or small your seed might be, plant it here and help me reach my goal.

Read about Multiple Sclerosis and all the progress being made, and help if you can. I’ll be continuing to share information about this disease and the MS150 through the event, and again through Ironman. Come along for the ride.

26 comments:

TRI TO BE FUNNY said...

poignant, as usual. You will certainly have my support!

Benson said...

Let me catch my breath here. Powerful post. I'm with you.

DeelyBH said...

Great post! Good luck in your fundraising efforts!

Anonymous said...

thank you for the post; looking forward to riding with you.

Fe-lady said...

I didn't know...glad that she is currently feeling ok.
Thanks for sharing-the MS Ride makes sense now.
And you are MR. Wonderful #1 to her...

I swim with a woman who has MS
and a good friend of mine passed away a couple of years ago....

You did me a favor- it will surely and happily be returned! :-)

SWTrigal said...

Thank you for this post! I am sooooo glad that your wife is good after all these years. My sister died 6 years ago after a short but deadly bout with the disease. I worry every time I have a twinge of anything neurological. It is truly a mysterious illness..

RunnerGirl said...

I have a friend currently in the diagnosis phase, we're all pretty sure its MS but no one has come right out and said it. Good luck with your fundraising.

21stCenturyMom said...

Hooray for modern medicine and for doing athletics for cause. I'm in!

Afternoon Tea With Oranges said...

Greyhound - your wife is beautiful...and so is Superpounce! You've got my support for sure.

Kim said...

grey, thank you for sharing. im so glad your wife is doing well. that picture of her and superpounce is beautiful!

Jane said...

I love hearing this story everytime because it shows your love and dedication to your wife; also that she is doing so well!

Supalinds said...

Thank you for sharing. What an incredible wife you have. Such strength.

My great grandmother had MS. She was a wonderful lady, although I never got to personally know her.

I will support you. Great cause.

My heart and prayers are with your family.

Alili said...

Thank you for sharing-you have my support.

Trisaratops said...

Beautiful post!

Tri-Dummy said...

And she's great.

What a great pair.

triguyjt said...

incredible post...

very impressed with your fund raising efforts...and your wife's will to deal with this...

Sarah said...

that was an incredible post. and you have my support. I have a family member with MS and this especially hit home.

oh, and uh, I'm outing myself as a long time reader.

Anonymous said...

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Stef0115 said...

I have been reading your blog for a long time but have never commented.

We lost my mom to an especially insidious form of MS in the summer of 2004. Never thought anything like that could happen to us as a family, but guess what. It did.

Although you have written about MS and your fundraising efforts before, for some reason I always held back with the comments and donations. Not this time.

I raced in my second half marathon yesterday and the night before the race my dad called to remind me how much Mom loved to watch marathons and other endurance sports when they came on tv. She loved that these sports were individual sports that allowed each athlete to test his and her personal limits.

Going to make a donation now . . . I am sure you will surpass your fundraising goals.

Thanks.

Rainmaker said...

Thanks for sharing, and the great post. Happy to help!

SingletrackJenny (formerly known as IronJenny) said...

Greyhound, it is just so cool how you always find a way to live outside of yourself. I will donate, for certain.
Mrs. Greyhound is so strong and brave and committed you and Pounce - you guys are awesome.
xoxoxo to all of you!

Unknown said...

benny and i are in. great post.

Tarabay said...

Nice post!

monica said...

WAY BEHIND on reading blogs, but just wanted to add to what everyone has already said. your wife is strong, and rightfully so, witha great hubby and a beauty like superpounce to raise. i will hopefully be able to donate in the next month or at the very latest before you hit im cda.

you rock

Pharmie said...

Brilliantly written, as usual. Steve and I will pitch in. Good luck with reaching your goal!

GetBackJoJo said...

You have my support. Great post.