Greetings from Southern Ontario! :)

[jhou1]

Hello all!

My name is Jen, and I've been living with MS since I was 14, so about 9 years. I've been creeping this site for ages, and figured it was time to stop creeping and introduce myself!

I've been rather lucky with my symptoms... I had a really bad first year with the disease, but then I was symptom-free for about 5 years (well, I still had the invisible symptoms, but nothing that my neuro would consider a 'major' attack). It wasn't until recently that my neuro decided I should go back on treatment after my last MRI and appoint. Basically, the injections suck, they bruise, and I whine about them

I'm joining this site because I want to learn from those that know more than I do about MS, and that have lived with it longer than I have. I'm sure you guys have tons of tips that could make life easier. I'm also just looking for that emotional support that I sometimes don't get, because nobody around me (especially at my age) understands, and for people to help me answer questions if I have any. I really look forward to getting to know people around here!

Thanks for your patience in reading my super-long post

Jen

[Mac87]

Welcome!

I'm a newcomer to MSWorld myself. Like you, I joined because I was looking for some emotional support and wanted to learn from other's experience. Having MS can be lonely sometimes!

I am so sorry to hear that your first symptoms were at age 14. That's really young to be faced with MS. I wasn't diagnosed until 3 years ago; I was 44. Looking back I'm reasonably sure I had MS even a decade prior to diagnosis.

My sons are now 21 and 17. In many ways I think it would be harder to watch them struggle with MS than to have it myself. My sister also has MS, and she's a full decade younger than I am.

When I read Dean Kramer's book Life on Cripple Creek, I knew that I wanted to join MSWorld. Dean's essays are so filled with humor. I've noticed that many MS-ers use humor as a coping tool. I once bought a card that read, "We laugh to survive!" That's so true for me, my kids, and my extended family.

I was in Toronto for 5 days in 2009 and loved the city for so many reasons.

I'm glad you've decided to join. I still feel that I'm a newbie, but my welcome has been warm! Hope yours is too!

[twisterred]

Welcome!

As you know, there is much support here. Thank you for introducing yourself to us. Nice to meet you.

Your reasons for joining were mine, too.
The people here are terrific.

PS (Love Canada, btw)

[KoKo]

Hello Jen

Welcome!

My name is Jen, and I've been living with MS since I was 14, so about 9 years. I've been creeping this site for ages, and figured it was time to stop creeping and introduce myself!

So glad that you've stopped "creeping" this site, and have joined on with us!

Sorry, though, that you have had to live with MS since the young age of 14.

I'm joining this site because I want to learn from those that know more than I do about MS, and that have lived with it longer than I have. I'm sure you guys have tons of tips that could make life easier. I'm also just looking for that emotional support that I sometimes don't get, because nobody around me (especially at my age) understands, and for people to help me answer questions if I have any. I really look forward to getting to know people around here!

I'm sure that you will benefit from MS World.

You will find useful information, interesting topics, and one of the best benefits is that you won't have to feel alone with the challenges of MS. You will feel like others do understand what you're going through.

Looking forward to having you around here!

Take care,
KoKo

[jhou1]

Thank you for your warm welcomes! I really do appreciate it.

I actually took it rather well for a 14yr old, I think. I didn't panic, didn't feel like my world was ending... etc. I didn't hit that stage for years, haha. Mind you, I deal with stressful things with humor... very dark humor. So perhaps I just laughed my way through it. Who knows.

I'm glad I've stopped creeping too! I always wrote off weird feelings or symptoms as "Eh, it's just me... I'm being weird". I tried really hard not to chalk it up to MS because I didn't want people to think that I was using it as an excuse. I had way too many people think that I used it as a crutch, which was beyond me because I never got any special treatment in school (not that I asked for it). It really depressed and shocked me as to how rude people can be to those who suffer from something that they don't even understand.

School has been a little harder for me since my dx. I don't think the way I used to, I can't do math anymore to save my life, and I remember things differently now. It was a very long and hard challenge to figure out effective ways for me to study. But I did it

Ok, this post is getting long, lol. Sorry. Thanks for reading though!

[KoKo]

Ok, this post is getting long, lol. Sorry. Thanks for reading though!

Thanks for sharing, Jen!

I'm sure your post has helped other members who may be going through similar "stuff".

Take care,
KoKo