Hello from a new recruit....

Hello all!

Newbie here and I thought I’d observe time-honoured interweb forum etiquette by introducing myself; because, you know, hopefully I’ll be around for some time and we might need each other someday.

My name is Steve, I’m 47, and live and work in London.

5 children, all boys, spread over two disastrous relationships.

So although battle-scarred and embittered, I am now happily and permanently single.

And, as a consequence, have more fun in my life than ever before.

Ah yes: except for the fact that I am 99% on the way to a MS diagnosis.

First onset was mid-August, and so far no changes for the good or bad in levels of most of the usual symptoms. Thankfully I have avoided vision and mind-fog issues.

But given my age and the unwavering nature of my symptoms, I feel certain that the full diagnosis will be PPMS.

But I don’t define myself by this disease, and feel strangely and vaguely comforted by having my horizon bounded by a fuzzy outline; dark and ominous of course, but at least I know what’s potentially coming and can plan for it.

I do define myself as an evangelical optimist, purveyor of inspirational platitudes and annoying bon-mots, deep lover of soul, jazz, funk, punk and weirdo music, master of the 90 day plan, the Big Hairy Audacious Goal and often a pompous ass.

I’m also a big lover of convoluted sentences.

Anyways, I look forward to learning from you, and contributing where I can.

Steve

Hi Steve, and a big welcome to the board… Thanks for wonderfully upbeat introduction!

Great to see that you are handling your dx (or near dx) so well. I do feel very lucky myself that I wasn’t dx until my 50’s as I think it is easier to deal with. God only knows how I would have handled it when I was younger (I’m sure I would have been a complete wreck), but by the time I got MS I was more philosophical about life… and actually felt very lucky that I had made it to my 50s in good health.

I do think you might be jumping the gun to think you have PPMS. Relapses can last for some time (many months sometimes) and although most people who get PPMS are 40 plus (although some much younger), many people are dx with RRMS are dx at 40 plus also. So wait and see. Much too early in your progression to tell what type it is… but in meantime feel very welcome to use the board. Great for advice, support, etc…

Having an optimistic attitude can certainly be a big bonus with MS… I think we are gold medal winners on this board for our attitude! We really keep our peckers up and support each other.

Look forward to seeing you on here… oh and by the way we are in the same city! I’m also in the Big Smoke!

Pat x

Thanks Pat

Yes I may have jumped the gun but you get a gut feeling about these things.

I trust instinct a little more than I do the doc.

And thanks for the warm welcome, I hope others are not put off by optimism, and no doubt some will be knocked out of me in due course. Anyone, feel free to slap me down…

Just managed to right-size my pic!

Many thanks to the helpful Mr. Chivers for that.

Hi Skel,

I’m quite new to the forum as well because I’ve had my head in the sand untill things got slowly worse.

I was dx in Jan 07 after an optic nerve problem, attended the local ms centre once a year till Feb 11 when things slowly got worse and glad this didn’t happen 10 years ago. Now I visit every 3 months because of my now permanent limp. There are lots of minor issues as well.

Since joining, I’ve found out that no two ms cases are the same with no sure prognosis available.

Re. dx,they took 15 months of tests before informing me that I had ppms.

Re. optomisim, keep it going, no matter what.

John (age 55).

hi steve

welcome to site,definately wait for neuro for certain dx

optimism not bad thing you have to have it,yes ms is individual to everyone but always someone on this site who had

same or relevant problems and always help

i’m from south wales so long way from big city

good luck and best wishes

also steve

Hello from me aswell.

I am 44 and dx with RRMS so hang in there for your label.

Dont forget you can post on any section,and as an upbeat person I’m sure you can entertain us all.

You are lucky not having cog fog/brain farts as we call them,and my ability with convoluted sentences has long gone…I had to look back at how to spell it!!!

I could class reading your posts as my daily brain training,as I am going to mush since retiring…I am 44 but needed a brain to do my job.

Welcome again

Pip

Thanks all for the welcome.

I have read through a lot of threads on this board and the associated ones, and like someone said on one of them, it can make for some downbeat reading at times.

That’s understandable, people come here for comfort and the sharing of enlightening experience rather than comedy.

But some positivity never hurts.

Here’s some glib words, but hopefully they stick in the odd (!) brain here or there and become words to live by:

You can’t be brave if you’ve only had wonderful things happen to you.

So there’s that.

On the subject of possitivity, as Oscar Wilde said ‘’ The basis of optimism is sheer terror’'!

Not always the case, I grant you, but has a certain resonance!

Cheers guys

I love little one liners to cheer me, boost the old spirit take care, M

Hi Am also a newbie to forum, I only became aware of a problem 2 years ago aged 65 and was

refereeing a football match and after half an hour began to stumble,nearly 2 years later finally diagnosed

Hi Petref, welcome to the board

Always lovely to see a newbie on here… although of course not lovely to see another with PPMS! But you’ve come to the right place for advice, support and friendship.

See you again soon,

Pat x

Hi there Petref, Welcome! It’s always lovely to meet someone new. Sadly that means that you too have PPMS. We are a happy group though and do our best to stay positive. Which does not mean that we don’t rant and rave sometimes,so feel free! Teresa xx