Scraps of Our Life: Happy New Year

Living With Multiple Sclerosis

Three years ago, my 13 year old daughter was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Contessa first showed symptoms at age three and doctors told us that maybe someday she would be diagnosed with MS. MS is a disease that effects the central nervous system. For some reason her body is attacking the mylien sheath that protects the nerve. When the nerve is damaged it cause problems such as vision problems, short term memory loss, and coordination. There are two types of MS, Contessa is diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS. This means she will go periods of feeling and looking well. Factors such as heat and stress will cause a relapse. Currently there is no cure for MS. We are using a daily injection called Copaxone that is to slow the progression of MS. Please take a few minutes to view the following clip to see how people with MS are often preceived as looking so good that they could not have a dibilitating disease. The Show Must Go On