{"id":6281,"date":"2019-05-31T08:00:46","date_gmt":"2019-05-31T13:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/blog\/?p=6281"},"modified":"2026-02-24T16:21:22","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T22:21:22","slug":"from-worrier-to-warrior-my-multiple-sclerosis-journey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/from-worrier-to-warrior-my-multiple-sclerosis-journey\/","title":{"rendered":"From worrier to warrior: My multiple sclerosis journey"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Leann

The author and her four children in 2009, the year of her MS diagnosis.<\/p><\/div>\n

I remember the summer of 2009 was a beautiful one in Illinois, and I spent it enjoying chasing around my four kiddos. They were 1, 2 and a half, 4 and almost 6.<\/p>\n

Busy was the name of my game, and so a tingly, slightly numb left hand wasn\u2019t something that could slow me down. I\u2019ve been carrying at least one sweet baby around for the last six years, and I just assumed I had a pinched nerve in my shoulder that was giving me trouble.<\/p>\n

After several months of this symptom, I made an appointment with my family doctor<\/a>.<\/p>\n

At the time our health insurance was an HMO, which requires a referral to go to a specialist<\/a>. I was convinced I just need to see a chiropractor and get an adjustment, and my left side will be good as new.<\/p>\n

Thank goodness my family doctor was very conservative and didn\u2019t totally agree with my plan. He sent me to a neurologist<\/a> instead.<\/p>\n

At the time I thought it was overkill and a major annoyance to have more appointments to fuss with.<\/p>\n

The neurologist did a physical exam and then sent me for a MRI.<\/p>\n

On October 23, 2009, I went to the doctor to learn the results of the MRI. My husband offered to go, but I was optimistic. I encouraged him to not jam up his schedule for this silly appointment.<\/p>\n

When she said I had multiple sclerosis<\/a> all I could think of was a wheelchair.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve often thought we should be thankful for all the things we don\u2019t know about because, we\u2019ve been saved from having deal with them. I never suspected I could have MS, and I knew almost nothing about the disease<\/a>.<\/p>\n

My unawareness made this day so scary.<\/p>\n

Would we have to sell the three-story house we\u2019d built and move to an accessible ranch? How on earth would I keep up with my sweet children?<\/p>\n

For six weeks after my diagnosis, I mourned the future I had once pictured. Now my future included a chronic illness that would affect my family in who knows how big a way.<\/p>\n

\"Leann

Leann chooses to use exercise as a means to fight back against MS.<\/p><\/div>\n

After realizing that a pity party is the least fun party to host, I decided to focus on fitness and fight back against this auto-immune disease that I was learning about. Fitness was something I could control, and I decided if I can run today, it\u2019s more likely I\u2019d be able to run tomorrow.<\/p>\n

I signed up for my first triathlon and pushed back against my disease<\/a>. It\u2019s been almost 10 years, and my theory on activity hasn\u2019t changed. In fact, it\u2019s served me well. As I\u2019ve learned so much more about MS, I realized there are as many stories as there are patients, and I could have some say in writing mine.<\/p>\n

Education, connecting with other patients, cheering for others with MS and advocating for myself has made a big difference in how I cope with MS. Though my kids can outrun me now, we are all signed up to do a 5k together.<\/p>\n

I haven\u2019t sold my house. I love the advice another patient gave me that first month \u2013 think about the worst case scenario, make a plan for how to deal with it, and then move on and don\u2019t dwell on that version of your future. I\u2019ve shared that a zillion times.<\/p>\n

Have a plan. Be a warrior, not a worrier.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I remember the summer of 2009 was a beautiful one in Illinois, and I spent it enjoying chasing around my four kiddos. They were 1, 2 and a half, 4 and almost 6. Busy was the name of my game, and so a tingly, slightly numb left hand wasn\u2019t something that could slow me down. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":89,"featured_media":6293,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[99,223],"tags":[70,884,755],"coauthors":[923],"class_list":["post-6281","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-neurosciences","category-patient-story","tag-exercise","tag-multiple-sclerosis","tag-osf-ini"],"yoast_head":"\nFrom worrier to warrior: My multiple sclerosis journey | OSF HealthCare<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Since being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2009, Leann has used education and exercise to keep her symptoms under control.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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