b'MS Focus ActivitiesDesir Linkens Covaleski By Kimani HendricksAs a self-proclaimed rowdy mid-90s teenager,DesirwasnostrangertoMS,asher native New Yorker Desir Linkens Covaleskigrandmother, to whom she was very close, aspired to become a nurse, join the Peace Corps,lived with the disease for decades. Having and travel to Kenya to combat the Ebola virus.been diagnosed when Desir was a child, her Fresh out of high school, she moved to Houston.grandmother lost her mobility in her 50s. While continuing her education there, DesirShe said, "There were moments when I feared began experiencing fatigue, which persistedthat I would end up in a wheelchair as my for six months. After reuniting with her familygrandmother had, but I didn\'t allow myself to for Christmas break, Desirs appearance startledoverthink that possibility. Through it all, my her parents. She said, "Right off the bat, mygrandmother and I got along great. Sometimes, mother told me she thought I was dying andshe expressed feeling bad that I had to live urged me to move back home; of course, Iwith MS, too, and other times, she forgot that refused and chalked it up to \'Worrying MotherI had it. She was very happy, even though she Syndrome.\' But when my stepfather concurred,had been bedbound for the last 40 years of I gave in because he is not the type to get easilyher life, and that\'s one of the things I love concerned."about her. Always happy." Four months later, while out and about,In time, Desir married, had a child, and Desir suddenly lost control of her stride, ascontinued managing her MS until her symptoms her legs continued moving despite attemptingincreased, thus interfering more with daily to stop and safely cross a street. By the time sheactivities. She returned to school to complete an arrived home, one of her legs was dragging.RN program. Upon achieving her career goal, Immediately,DesirunderwenttestsinDesirs celebrations proved short-lived when pediatric care and learned she had multiplea relapse forced her to go on disability. She sclerosis. She said, "I can still see everythingsaid, "It was eye-opening because I had always clearly from that day; I stepped outside, lit abeen on the go, but slowing down was my cigarette, and watched the sunset. Afterward,only option. I had to learn to walk again during I went back into the hospital and asked thethis period; it was a difficult season." doctors what the next steps were. There wasSoon after, someone suggested an online no denial; it was just a change of mindset thatMS support group for Desir, who was reluctant something had to be done, and I was readyto join one. Desir said, "At rst, I thought, to do it.\'What in the hell would I want to do that for? msfocusmagazine.org 34'