b'The fact I wake up every day with a purposeless, and nd your people if you dont have means so much. Whats not going to get methem yet. Were all survivors. is MS itself, and it hasnt. Sometimes I forgetYou can also draw inspiration from other IhaveMSuntilitstimetotakemydailyMS survivors to continue the ght of never medication. I am newly 40 and just camegivingup.Iwouldliketogiveapersonal back from celebrating my birthday in Dubai,shouttomyinspiration,LynnHill.Iwas and soon Ill be heading to Rome. This MSwalking in her honor long before my diagnosis journey has been long and hard, but I refuse toand she is still surviving. Love you Lynn Hill, stop living. I encourage those in the communitythank you for always being my motivation to toincreaseandmaintainself-care,stressnever give up. How long did it take to get an MS diagnosis? What challenges did you experience?sarah_labrada - I was diagnosed in February 2008 while on active duty in the United States Army. I woke up on Monday morning and thought my hand was asleep, and by the following Monday, I had multiple sclerosis. I was literally diagnosed in seven days, and I had no symptoms. I was at peak physical health and the top of my athletic ability. Thank you, the U.S. Army, is all I can say. Still, I have two healthy, happy sons post-MS diagnosis and couldnt be happier serving on my Paralyzed Veterans of America board as the Multiple Sclerosis Liaison. I love helping other MSers nd their way, especially other veterans who may be lost in the wind and still need help. Vet+MS=PVA. lorbella - More than four years. I had tingling rst in my face, then in my legs. They were originally dismissed and misdiagnosed when they immobilized me and I became hospitalized because of them. I was nally properly diagnosed in 2012 and I, along with my diagnosis, taken seriously. I am now on my fth neurologist (she specializes in MS). I have been her patient since 2018 and really like her. Point being, dont be afraid to move on if you feel the t (for a multitude of reasons) is not right. Best wishes to all fellow warriors.whew_chile_mymsstruggle - Right eye went blind. I went to the eye doctor and she informed me I had MS. That was in 1998. I was 24 and never heard of MS. I just put a patch on and the eye was in pain for four months. rheaume76 - Eight years. Along the way, I had a neurologist and rheumatologist tell me I denitely didnt have MS, even though they never put me in for an MRI. When I got to a point where I was suffering from suicidal depression and living on morphine every day for pain, I applied for a transcranial magnetic brain stimulation study for depression that involved an MRI as part of the screening process for entry. I remember knowing on my way in for the MRI they would nd something. When I didnt hear back from the study quickly letting me know I had been approved and could advance with it, I contacted the study administrators and they told me that the radiologist had found irregularities on my MRI. I blurted out, I hope its not MS! The study facilitator became very quiet. When I saw a neurologist soon after that, I was told I had too many lesions to count on my brain and spinal cord. I thought back and realized Id had my rst symptom exactly one year after having the worst case of mononucleosis my nurse practitioner had ever seen. My life never was the same after mononucleosis. 27 msfocusmagazine.org'