Meet Mary Camp, aka MaciA
and her beloved husband, Richard

Hi everyone! This is what I look like all dressed up with somewhere to go. This is not how I look every day, but it is nice to "get all gussied up" (as my Granny used to say). This picture was taken at my "baby's" (22-year-old son's) wedding.

I am Mary Camp (aka MaciA) and have been diagnosed with MS for what seems a lifetime. The first several years I had it pretty rough. Like a lot of us, I didn't respect it (MS) enough. I attempted to live my life as I always had – fast paced with a high stress level and in charge of everything! I was a "lead teacher" (which means a supervisor) of five 1st grade teachers and I had my own 25 students. I loved it and was very good at being a "whole language" teacher and trainer, for my entire school district.

I was also active in church and in Boy Scouts of America, as an assistant scout master and BSA trainer. I could not forget that I was a mother, a wife, a neighbor, a sister, an aunt, a child, and a friend also. I wore MANY hats and I wore them well. This meant that I was extremely active for about 18 - 19 hours of each day.

This schedule and lifestyle was not conducive to a comfortable or healthy life with multiple sclerosis. I went up, down, in and out, while having exacerbations with each "attack" nibbling away at a different part or function of my body. I was suffering more and so was my family and my job. What could I do?

I gave up my "lead teacher" position. Then came kindergarten (my first love in the teaching field) and next BSA. Church leadership and choir were later abandoned. Yet, I still was in and out of the hospital and rehab! What more could I give and still be happy? I voluntarily gave up driving (I think this was my hardest MS decision) because of optic neuritis and still found myself in the hospital. Finally, I said "enough!!" I quit teaching, took a year off from life (did a year of chemo-therapy) and then began the Betaseron program.

Finally -- my multiple sclerosis was stabilized. I have adjusted my lifestyle so that my MS, my family, my doctors and myself are happy! I am active again –being involved with all sorts of projects (cooking, housework, editing a newsletter, a MS auxiliary officer, being a great-aunt, E-mail, the internet, traveling and on and on). But now I know my limits and I respect them (usually).

In this picture you also see my hubby (Richard). We had been married 28 years when this picture was taken. Sometimes I know having a chronic illness is harder on him than me (like when he gave me my first Betaseron injection and cried because he had to), but he is always there for me. He is my strength and my support. Oh, don't get me wrong – we have our moments of dissatisfaction, but the good times far outweigh those. One of my MS E-mail friends saw this picture and commented "you can see the love – it shines!" My wish is that I always will be able to show love -- not only to Richard, but to everyone I come in contact with. I have such a love for life. God shows me each day that I am alive and that I can enjoy living -- even after a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis.

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