Hello to everyone! I'm new to this site, and well, new to a lot of things. Since my diagnosis of RRMS in 2010, everything in my life has changed. I had a happy marriage, a home I loved, a successful career, friends & family, hopes & dreams and above all, I knew who I was. Now, pretty much all that is gone.
I was fortunate that the first true signs that something was wrong led to a speedy diagnosis and I quickly began treatment with Copaxone. Unfortunately, I still had worsening symptoms, developing issues with nerve pain, gait problems, severe fatigue, falls resulting in broken bones and my worst problem, cognitive issues. I switched to Tysabri, and stayed that course until I found myself in the position of having no income and no medical insurance. So, I've not been on disease modifying drugs, nor medical care for the past 6 months.
It wasn't long after my diagnosis that I found myself unable to work, my husband was unable to accept the fact that our lives were changing and was unwilling to stand by my side. My sons began to see me as "frail and fragile", the friends I had, became distant and aloof.
My divorce and lack of income, forced me to make huge changes. In the past year, I left my home state of Oregon moving first to California, then Kentucky, and finally landed in Maryland 3 months ago, living with my son and his family.
I am now on social security disability, and recently secured healthcare through the state, and started to receive medical care once again, but am struggling in with the process of navigating and understanding what care I can access and what doctors I am able to see.
I admit the fact the I find myself depressed, and above all, very alone. While I have my son who is wonderful and caring, I love that I am able to be with my granddaughters each and every day, and have a daughter-in-law I love, I find myself very alone, and can't find my way to building a new life, filled with smiles, hopes and dreams.
I came to this site with the hope that perhaps I will be able to make some connections, and find my way to rebuild my life. In my heart, what I truly want, is to have my life back. Understanding I will never have the life that was once mine again, has been a difficult realization. I know somewhere, someone else has walked a path that is similar to mine, at least in part, so I hope there might be some words of wisdom someone might be willing to share.
I was fortunate that the first true signs that something was wrong led to a speedy diagnosis and I quickly began treatment with Copaxone. Unfortunately, I still had worsening symptoms, developing issues with nerve pain, gait problems, severe fatigue, falls resulting in broken bones and my worst problem, cognitive issues. I switched to Tysabri, and stayed that course until I found myself in the position of having no income and no medical insurance. So, I've not been on disease modifying drugs, nor medical care for the past 6 months.
It wasn't long after my diagnosis that I found myself unable to work, my husband was unable to accept the fact that our lives were changing and was unwilling to stand by my side. My sons began to see me as "frail and fragile", the friends I had, became distant and aloof.
My divorce and lack of income, forced me to make huge changes. In the past year, I left my home state of Oregon moving first to California, then Kentucky, and finally landed in Maryland 3 months ago, living with my son and his family.
I am now on social security disability, and recently secured healthcare through the state, and started to receive medical care once again, but am struggling in with the process of navigating and understanding what care I can access and what doctors I am able to see.
I admit the fact the I find myself depressed, and above all, very alone. While I have my son who is wonderful and caring, I love that I am able to be with my granddaughters each and every day, and have a daughter-in-law I love, I find myself very alone, and can't find my way to building a new life, filled with smiles, hopes and dreams.
I came to this site with the hope that perhaps I will be able to make some connections, and find my way to rebuild my life. In my heart, what I truly want, is to have my life back. Understanding I will never have the life that was once mine again, has been a difficult realization. I know somewhere, someone else has walked a path that is similar to mine, at least in part, so I hope there might be some words of wisdom someone might be willing to share.
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