Take for example a very common symptom for the 'starting' of MS, the loss of sensation. Initially one may feel they had slept in an awkward position over night or the sudden weather change (which actually seemed to be something that induces a relapse), but when that feeling doesn't seem to go away and it affects even the basic daily rituals like having a shower and the water feels hotter or colder than usual or walking down the street takes more effort than usual, it leads a person into a land of limbo.
Because of the nature of the human body, the nerves are repaired to a certain amount ( will be discussed later on) so after the first few times the relapses may occur, it can easily go to the back of our minds, especially if you are busy in things like work or studying ( I was at the start of my GCSEs when it crept up on me), the diagnosis is delayed further. When the same things keep occurring over and over again, we would attend our GP surgery, the last thing on a general practitioners mind would be MS, so the immediate things are tested first, like things like diabetes ( especially if you're Asian and it's almost a norm in your family like me!) And this can easily lead to a misdiagnosis, many people have been diagnosed with lupus (an inflammatory disease caused when the immune system attacks its own tissues) due to a main symptom shared by both conditions ( fatigue).
The next 'stage' being when relapses continue to occur and are worse than at the beginning and you go from acing your exams to being perceived as dyslexic. Then you'd see a specialist (mine being exactly like DR. House from the TV series!) who would carry out even more tests which can be even more worrying! Those tests usually being blood tests ( to eradicate things like diabetes), neurological examinations and evoked potential tests (the assessment of responses and measuring the time it takes for nerves to respond to stimulation), then the big two being a spinal tap ( fluid taken from a patients lower back to see whether there is abnormal of white blood cells present) and how most people are diagnosed with MS, MRI scans which display damaged nerves ( see pictures below, a normal brain, the first being me, the shiny dots displaying damaged nerves) my teachers really didn't lie when they called me a 'bright' lad!
The fear and confusion in the limbo land would naturally lead people to research as much as they can what is possibly happening, especially with information at our fingertips with the internet. Initially I thought perhaps a trapped nerve or so, but I had also come across MS and I brought up the question about it with my science teacher at the time. The many questions swarm a persons mind and one of the most problematic things again were the kitchen doctors, who were adamant the loss of sensation was due to lack of exercise (which as mentioned in the previous post, that was the complete opposite), eye damage due to me revising on the computer, some trying to become exorcists and some even stating without any knowledge that the spinal tap would hurt me for the rest of my life as it was the same thing given to women in childbirth! Some people even accusing MSERS of lying for whatever reason went through their minds!
It was completely different from the epidural and it could possibly leave a person physical disabled if done wrong, but their presence did teach me many things in my life with MS and has prompted me to get the facts from the source to understand things in a more studied and understood manner rather than makeshift ideas! I don't intend to embarrass or mock people who tried to think out of the box, as I plan to discuss later, it really can be a huge problem.
My mini rant over! Although every MSERS experience would differ greatly compared to mine which I've briefly mentioned, the one thing many share, regardless of how much it may change or lives, is the relief of the final diagnosis. The diagnosis finally naming something we tried to figure for usually a long and dark time and a name for us to work with, although our future may have felt even more of a blur and a concern (many new questions arise) but developing a relationship almost with medical professionals who understand and can assist through any issues that may occur.
No comments:
Post a Comment