I immediately called my mom. She was shocked that the doctor told me the diagnosis over the phone, and as she is a nurse, my life essentially flashed before her eyes.

I was referred to a neurologist who quickly told me they were ending their practice. They referred me to another neurologist who told me I was a “more serious case” than they normally treat and referred us to see Dr. John Foley. Unfortunately, the soonest I could be seen was in August.

One of the first two neurologists started me on a medication called Tecfidera. It’s a twice a day pill and can be very effective for some people. Unfortunately, it wasn’t helpful for me. Throughout March, April, May, and June I was off and on differing steroid treatments. They helped at first, but became less effective as time went on. The side effects from the steroids were horrible to say the least. Let me give you a nice list of the side effects I experienced: weight gain (literally 20 lbs), acne, dark hair on the upper lip, irritability, insomnia, not to mention the metallic taste while getting the infusions.

On July 31st, 2015 I was spending time with a friend when I started having vertigo. My friend told me later that she tried talking to me but I was unresponsive. She called my mom, who then called my primary care physician. The doctor had me come into the office and I only remember laying on the floor with the light off, a bowl in front of me in case I threw up, and the doctor standing in the doorway. The doctor said that if a neurologist wouldn’t see me, then she would have me admitted into the hospital so they would HAVE to help me. I was told that quite a few people visited me in the hospital, but I have no memory of it.

My little sister told me that the hospital staff brought me some jello, so she asked if I needed her help because “You might miss your mouth.” In response I stated “I won’t miss my mouse!” She said I quickly recognized I said the wrong word and corrected myself. But when I did, in fact, drop the jello off the spoon before getting it in my mouth I was quick to make a joke. “I missed my mouse!” I proclaimed loudly.

I was released from the hospital the next day and went back to my college apartment. One week later I woke up with a British accent and then my memory gets hazy for about a month. At this point I was walking with a cane and had to wear an eyepatch due to having double vision. I walked one mile to my job as a cashier, worked for an hour, and then was sent home by my boss. She had shared with me before that her mom had MS and died from complications. After sending me home, she sent my mom an email expressing her concern. While I was working, I forgot how to do simple things and was acting strange. As people came through my checkout line they asked me where I was from because of my British accent. When I told them I was from a small city in Utah and didn’t know why I had an accent, they were confused and a little uncomfortable.

My mom sent my brothers to check on me later, after I had walked back home and taken a nap. I remember them looking at me, us laughing together, and that’s all. I now know that they took a video of me and it’s that video that assures me that all of this actually happened.

They left, I went back to bed, and when I next woke up my aunt and sister were in my room putting my things into bags and packing my stuff. I asked what was going on and they told me I was going to stay at my Grandma’s house. I know I was there for a day or two and that my sister and mom helped me to shower. My parents decided it would be best for me to go home with them.

Click here to read Part 2

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The post The tale of diagnosis: Part 1 first appeared on MS and Mo.