It’s was my routine checkup with my neurologist today. One month shy of my 21st anniversary of my multiple sclerosis diagnosis. This appointment was with the neurologist that made that diagnosis 21 years ago. He knows me well. My folder is very thick and over the years it has been thinned out and moved into storage. Every time I see my file it is a reminder how long my history with this disease has been.

21 years. I ignored it for a long time. Maybe ignored is the wrong word but I definitely played victim. Each time I took steroids for an exacerbation, which was twice a year, I was victim to this terrible disease. The rest of the time I was ignorant to it. I didn’t do research. I didn’t take care of myself. I didn’t eat well. I didn’t do much of anything. It wasn’t until I got divorced that I made changes to the physical appearance. It certainly wasn’t done for the benefit of my MS. That was all for the need to date again. However I did take off 50lbs and working out became a habit so it did help the MS but it wasn’t the catalyst.

It was this blog that changed my mindset. Since I was already disabled by then sometimes I think it was to little to late. Yet I’ve learned a lot since starting this blog. I know and I’ve written a lot about the medicine I take for MS which is Ocrevus. I also have enough knowledge on this drug that when I asked my specialist to switch back to Rituxan I had all my research as to why I wanted to change. I’ve been on a few diets but mostly became vegan because it works better for my system. I have done the research on these diets too before starting them. I’ve learned to swim and how to adapt my MS to my life. I’ve written about the importance of moving with MS and how exercise does make a difference. I exercise now specially for my MS. Now I am working to getting the handicap van. All this research that has gone into some of my blogs has completely changed the way I deal with my MS.

My neurologist visit today was no different than it was last visit. I am not better but I’m not significantly worse. Yet I progress slowly. I know that as does my doctor so this wasn’t new information. I’m just a more informed patient now. Would the course of my MS be different if I was more informed then? I could never answer that. I’m glad I am now and would recommend all patients to be.