March still is always a hard month for me because it marks my yearly Multiple Sclerosis anniversary diagnosis. This year is 31 years with this still no cure disease. I still remember my first exacerbation as if it was yesterday, year 1991, age 28. The double vision, lost sense of taste, left ear deafness, left side face, arm, hand numbness and paralysis, dizziness, nerve pain, and confusion.

On the day of my diagnosis, it was blistering hot outside well into the 90’s with extreme humidity (was living in Florida) and I had a huge ass migraine that was threatening my body into throwing up and passing out from the excruciating pounding and stabbing. My diagnosis was instant after an MRI scan, the neurologist looks at me with a blank look on his face and very little was explained.

I was given a prescription of huge doses of prednisone, a pamphlet to read, was told I will possibly feel better in a few weeks, and was sent home. The wonderful world of internet was not really big in 1991.

This was the beginning of my journey of the unknown. The years of no answers, being scared of losing my job or finding work (people freaked out when they found out you have MS), kept massive secrets from people, the lack of understanding from some, gaining so much weight from the meds that still hinders me today, the extreme fatigue, challenges in learning about the disease, food, triggers, mood swings, losing myself, meeting others who had/have it (the attitude from them was you’re f@@ked), and more.

Still here and surviving the best I can. 💪🧡💪