I am only 14 ,however I am worried about my future.
I wish to be a drama teacher, however I suffer with serious fatigue, and spells of not being able to walk. When I’m older will I be able to work?
Thank you all.
Beth xx
Hi Beth I do believe with the right treatments and you not over doing things you will be able led a good life and be able to do all the things you want to do like working and becoming a drama teacher. I’m 29 and recently have been diagnosed, I still work as a solution designer. I love my job but had to change my role slightly so I wasn’t travelling away and Im looking into reducing my hours as I’ve also got a son who is 8 to run about after. Only being 14 you have so much to look forward to and having MS doesn’t mean you can’t accomplish your dreams don’t let anyone tell you different. Polly x
Hi Beth
I agree with Polly. There are already some fantastic treatments available designed to reduce the frequency and severity of relapses and when you find the right one for you (with the help of a good neurologist, of course) then you should be able to concentrate on your education and future career plans
Life isn’t easy with MS and we do have to work around it but I’ve had it 5 years now. I’ve also had spells where I can barely walk and my fatigue is one of my biggest problems but I still work, still socialise, take holidays etc. The support of a good employer is crucial but I have been upfront with mine from the outset and they have been very supportive. (I’m an administrator in a high school btw.)
There are some very good research programmes happening and the future for MS patients looks more promising than ever before. There are new treatments becoming available every year and it is very likely that they will find a cure in your lifetime.
Don’t give up hope. Follow your dreams. I really hope that you’ll stay in touch and let us all know in a few years’ time when you have a stack of qualifications and you are starting your teacher training.
Good luck
Tracey xx
Hi Beth, I also have MS and worked as a physics teacher last year, so it is possible! ( I know what your gonna say boring! Haha) definitely don’t give up on your dreams, there are many ways to get around the problems that ms causes, but also be open minded and try to keep your options as open as possible. I found teaching both extremely rewarding but it is also a very stressful job! Kids are not always easy as you probably know from school. If it is what you wAnt to do then go for it by all means and I am sure you will find a way to make it work for you, part time or a smaller school, there are many options. but also be smart and keep as many doors open for other careers as you may find when you get there that teaching isn’t right for you and want to do something else, like I did, which is a bit less physically and emotionally demanding. Hope this helps. I know how hard I find making career decisions so it must be 10 times harder at your age and you must be very brave. Try not to get too worried about it though as I have found these things have a tendency to work themselves out! Dan
THANK YOU ALL FOR THE COMMENTS!!! They’ve cheered me up alot ! And I realise I have to take things easy sometimes and pace things. Being a teacher does seem quite stressful tho, as mentioned previously, and I shall try and be open minded. Have options open. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE REPLYS!
Hi hunny…it saddens me to read of someone as young as you, who has had a diagnosis of MS.
However, as others have said…they and I trust you will be able to follow your dreams, as long as you have the right support, meds etc, to live as full a life as possible.
I wish you all the luck in the world and hope to read more about how you`re doing.
luv Pollyxxx
Beth, Keep your dreams - and follow them. A cure for us is around the corner - that l am positive about.
You will become an excellent drama teacher - as you have already seen other aspects of life. Knowledge is never wasted.
love Francesx
Hi Beth, I’ve read a few of your replies but haven’t replied so far. Anyway, a drama teacher sounds excellent, even if your ms gets worse, you could use being a drama teacher to change attitudes. I’m not saying that you will be in a wheelchair or need to use a walking aid, so please don’t think I am saying that. But you could use being a drama teacher to show that there are acting parts even for people with sticks, in a wheelchair. If you want to peruse a career as a drama teacher, go for it.
Look at it like this, Beth:
The only limit to what you can do is between your ears.
Way back about 30 years, I was an official at the first ever Cerebral Palsy games at Stoke Mandeville. Officials slept in the same dormitary as the contestants, ate with them, socialised with them, and I have never met such a wild bunch of happy people. They were doing what they wanted to do, and trying to do it better than all the rest of their gang.
All you can do, is to go after what you want to do, and do not let anything stop you.
Geoff
Thank you for replys, they’re all beautiful! THANK YOU! And “Upytupy” I understand what you mean! Haha!
Thank you, again!
much appreciated!
Beth xx
Hi FranzBeth, I’m 29 and am an English teacher with ms. In the early part of my career I also taught drama. I wonder if having a dual skill would be of benefit to you? I am qualified in both. I enjoyed teaching drama and (at the time) found it fine as long as I was at my fittest. I think, in reality, you maybe need to see how your condition progresses? At my worst - moving about equipment, drama games etc were much harder, sometimes practically impossible. A lot of aspects are easier to manage in a setting with desks and chairs - where you can sit down when you need to! Not have to ‘jump around’ playing games and modelling etc. Having said that, if your condition progresses slowly you could have 10, 15, 20+ years of being a fantastic drama teacher before any of that is even a consideration. Having a second skill would give you another option to keep teaching if or when it does. MS is something you need to work around - not something that should hold you back 
Thanks for the comment “Starlingslipstream”! GOOD IDEA ! Infact, I’d always wanted to do something with both drama AND English! How do you do that? Can you study both at college and university? Or, how did you do it? Did you get the full English degree then study teaching separately?
Thank you! Xx
Franzbeth, I am not a teacher, my wife is, I just know it is a very rewarding, demanding and time consuming job, that she wouldn’t trade for anything. She is also the track and field coach at her High School , so I am the “Volunteer” assistant coach, the kids are great, they see me who just three years ago was running 1/2 marathons now using a cane, the only question they have had, “are you going to be coaching next year” in a hopeful tine. I keep saying, of course, I can still yell just as load lol. Bottom line, You might have MS, don’t let MS have you. Good luck! Greg
Good for you Greg! You carry on yelling…it`s good for the pain!
pollx
Hi Franzbeth, I did like this: A levels Eng lit, drama +2 others, an English Lit degree (3 year), - my PGCE (teaching degree 1 year) was in English too. There’s lots of different ways you can do it though - whatever interests you most I guess! Most placement schools can offer some drama lessons on your placement if it’s part of the curriculum of their school. Then you can extend this with armature dramatics etc also. NQT year (first year teaching for real) I took an English / drama job and so passed my NQT with both. There are many under graduate courses at uni which would let you explore both then lead into either skill (if that makes sense)