MS & THE LONG ROAD TO DIAGNOSIS!

 
 Jeannine Everett, Columnist, MSnewsChannel.com

 I started having problems when my son was born in 1986.    OK off to the doctor where I was told that it was just because I wanted to be at home with my new son (I really did but that was not it).  A few months later same thing different doctor who told me I had Epstein Bar Virus with Chronic Fatigue (note to self, didn’t know there was a difference but I guess I am wrong).  He also diagnosed me with hypoglycemia. ugh. So ok, how do I go on with my life?  I just did.  At that time I had 2 children, one newborn and one 9 years old so how can you just stop?  I also found out at that time that not everyone's legs go numb when going in a hot tub. lol

I didn’t stop, how could I?  I had only finished some brief college courses throughout my life and at that time I got an opportunity to work for a large insurance company during the Y2K scare, those really nervous about the coming roll of 2000.

MOST OF MY FAMILY WOULD RATHER NOT HEAR ABOUT MY MS!

Jeannine Everett, Columnist, MSnewsChannel.com

Hi! Here's my weekly Column: My name is Jeannine and I have Multiple Sclerosis (kind of sounds like an AA meeting huh?).  Anyway I was diagnosed with MS August 2000.  I didn’t know what I had; I just knew I had something.  I am the oldest of 3 children and was the most daring of the three.  Little did anyone know, right now, I would have to be the bravest as well. 

We lived in New Jersey and when I was 17 my dad got a job offer in California.  Wow, all the cool people lived there of course, not really but I thought so at the time.  So off we went where I started my senior year in a new school suffering culture shock!  But I lived, married and had my daughter Erin (she is now 37 who has a brand new daughter and one more on the way) and eventually a son named Joe, who is now 27.

DATING & MS: I GOT BRAVE & TRIED ON-LINE DATING

Jeannine Everett, Columnist, MSnewsChannel.com

OK I will say upfront, I am not an expert on this subject.  But I do have a story with opinions.

When I was diagnosed with MS my boyfriend of a few years didn’t handle this diagnosis very well.  As a matter of fact I think he was as scared as I was.  Just 2 months after my diagnosis he decided he didn’t love me anymore.  I was devastated; I felt like a piece of trash that someone threw away and put out on the curb.  It hurt so much.