Well, here goes.

November 2001, I felt great...Just quit smoking, just got remarried in April, just bought a larger house with a big yard, a swimming pool and oh, a lot of stairs, in August!! The job, though very stressful, was going great and I loved it. My business, finally after four years of hard work, was paying off big time for me, mid-6 figures income a year now, wow. Yep, 2001 was looking pretty good!!

January 3, 2002... I got the flu, or so I thought. Sick as a dog, couldn't stand up, all of a sudden, had a lot of trouble remembering stuff and that part just got worse. Left hand was numb. Left leg was numb. Very clumsy, awkward, I would fall down way too easy, drop stuff. My doctor was sure that I had a bad case of too much stress/depression. No kidding? I would laugh at almost anything. The rest of the time I was crying, I mean crying hard for no good reason. He was also sure that my left hand numbness was caused by carpel syndrome and the left leg, arthritis. Etc. etc. etc.

February 2002, I fell down in a darken movie theater. Dropped the popcorn and the large DR. Pepper, ruined my glasses, and knocked myself out for about 15 minutes. The medic was standing over me wanting to know if I was all right. I just spilled a large Dr.Pepper, missed the movie and now I'm crying like a baby, again. Yeah, I'm alright. Scared the crap out of my son and brother-in-law though. My doctor now insists that we do some further test. The MRI.

March 2002, I go in for the MRI. Now I'm really stressed. Something bad is wrong with me. Work is not going good. I'm forgetting to do stuff for my clients or I'm calling them 5 times a day (really) regarding the same issues. Jackie, my wife and I are arguing more now. I mean, we all have our struggles now and then you know. MRI results are in. I have had either a mild stroke or I have MS. Great.

April 2002, My first visit to the Neurologists. Nope it's not MS, those cloudy areas are just little white fluffy puffs of something, I forgot exactly what she called them, but we will have a lumbar puncture just to be sure. Oh boy... April is a bad month for me. The boss tells me I need to get @#@#*%g busy and no I can't have a @#@#*%g vacation. I left the office crying again. Oh and the Doctor wanted to know more about that double vision thing that I had a few years back.

May 2002, Lumbar puncture, sounds ugly, doesn't it. It wasn't too bad they gave me a pill to help me relax, before they showed me the needle. They told me it would feel like a bee sting. It was a large bee. The results, sure enough, not good, I have MS. The relapsing/remitting version.

June 16, 2002, It's official! The doctor calls me, yes, calls me, to let me know and I get to start on Copaxone. An injection everyday until they can cure MS or I run out of money/insurance coverage or die. Which ever comes first.

December 2004...Still on Copaxone, the shots are sometimes annoying but no real side effects or problems. The good news, memory is better, I still forget some but mostly just a little slower with the process, i.e. names, directions, spelling, etc. I walk better, use a cane sometimes, sometimes not. I fell down a ditch last year, broken ankle, 3 places, my leg, 2 places. Had surgery and still have the 3 screws in the ankle. The security guys at the airports just love it. Seriously, the Copaxone is great, no relapses yet. The real problems that I have is the heat intolerance--I hate the heat now. The pins and needles thing which really feels like something much larger. I get that in my hands or my legs about once a month. So far, it passes. Pain in my feet most every day. It passes too. And last but not least, tired/fatigue everyday. Some days worse that others. I lost my business, which is a drag. It was short-run digital color printing, very competitive, very fast turn over. One has to stay sharp and very fast with the thought processes. No time for hesitation. But, on the good side, I now work with (FOR) my wife. She owns and operates a small but successful advertising agency. I get to try to sell stuff. The 'depression' is still with me, some I guess, however, I do take a drug for that and now I don't hardly cry at all. I have become way too cynical though. Hey, I'm working on it.

I don't believe that I have written so much at one time
about myself and MS and the effects. Good therapy. When I put a pencil to it, it really hasn't been so bad for me. I know that it is a lot worse for others...I thank God every night before I go to sleep.

-Dave