Hi
I’m a 40 year old Husband & Father to 4 little girls and my story starts on 26th July 2013.
I’d gone to the pictures to watch Despicable me 2 with my wife, Eve & Daughters Kinsey (9), Nyah (6) & Willow (3). Dempsey (1) was too young (And loud) to make it through a whole film. Anyway, about half way through, Willow was a bit bored so I took her for a walk. I noticed my lower left leg felt numb but I just put it down to maybe sitting a bit awkwardly and thought nothing more of it.
As the weekend went by, this numbness spread to my right leg & left arm. After much worrying by Eve I rang NHS111 on the Sunday and told them of my symptoms. An ambulance was dispatched immediately. After many of the same tests by different Doctors, Nurses etc I was sent for a brain MRI on the Tuesday morning.
The MRI came back clear so I was sent for a spinal MRI about 6 weeks later. During this time I was referred to a Neurologist and had various blood tests.
My symptoms had worsened: Excruciating pain in both legs, a mixture of numbness & pain in my left arm, really noticeable tremors in both hands and problems remembering things, concentrating and stopping mid sentence because i just couldnt remember what i was talking about. These symptoms persist an I need the aid of either a stick or wheelchair to go anywhere outside of our home.
My GP asvised me that I will require further tests under the neurologist for demylination (a word I was not even aware of at the time). I have since become aware that many symptoms that I have do tie in with MS and I must admit I am scared of what my future and 16/10/13 (Appt with neurologist) hold.
It has also occured to me that on 5 separate occasions in the last few years There have been signs that something (whether it be MS or something else) was maybe not quite right. Ranging from debilitating pain/ weakness/ numbness in limbs, uncontrollable tremors in my hands, periods of extreme fatigue, temporoary blindness and a worsening brain function (I did originally put this down to advancing years)
I suppose i’m using this forum as a sort of needy sounding board to see if anyone else has had the same feelings swinging from uncertainty, fear, wondering if i’m just a massive hypochondriac thinking I really don’t want anything to be wrong with me but wanting to know that there is some reason for it. If anyone does feel like this it would be great just to know that i’m not alone.
Thanks for reading and sorry for the essay.
Keith.