Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Episode 96 Interview with Ashleigh (MS WARRIOR)
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Episode 96 Interview with Ashleigh (MS WARRIOR)
Hey everyone, welcome to MS Michigan Man 64. I'm Brian Wallace, and this is where we get real about living with multiple sclerosis - no medical jargon you can't understand, just honest conversations between people who get it.
Today I'm talking with Ashleigh from Virginia, diagnosed with MS in 2014 at 22 years old. She woke up unable to see out of one eye. At the ER, they told her Optic Neuritis could be a first symptom of MS - imagine hearing that so young! On September 11th, 2014, neurology called with her official diagnosis. We talk about how wrong it is to deliver a serious diagnosis over the phone.
Ashleigh opens up about her recovery from alcoholism - how it started as a couple drinks but escalated when alcohol became a tool to manage MS symptoms and escape her disease. A phone call and road trip from her dad changed everything. That act of love was enough for her to accept change. She made that choice in 2023 and just celebrated 2 years of sobriety!
If struggling with alcohol, call SAMHSA: 1-800-662-4357 or visit samhsa.gov
We talk about the mental strain of this disease, accepting changes, dreaming of the past but waking in your current reality. We discuss asking "why me?" only to realize there's nothing you did wrong. We cover support systems, DMTs like Ocrevus and Mavenclad, and mobility aids.
You can find me on TikTok and Instagram @msmichiganman64. I'm also on Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick, Ohio. Connect with Ashleigh on TikTok @SchlapMyAsh of us on TikTok.
Let's dive in.
View all episodes
By Brian WallaceHey everyone, welcome to MS Michigan Man 64. I'm Brian Wallace, and this is where we get real about living with multiple sclerosis - no medical jargon you can't understand, just honest conversations between people who get it.
Today I'm talking with Ashleigh from Virginia, diagnosed with MS in 2014 at 22 years old. She woke up unable to see out of one eye. At the ER, they told her Optic Neuritis could be a first symptom of MS - imagine hearing that so young! On September 11th, 2014, neurology called with her official diagnosis. We talk about how wrong it is to deliver a serious diagnosis over the phone.
Ashleigh opens up about her recovery from alcoholism - how it started as a couple drinks but escalated when alcohol became a tool to manage MS symptoms and escape her disease. A phone call and road trip from her dad changed everything. That act of love was enough for her to accept change. She made that choice in 2023 and just celebrated 2 years of sobriety!
If struggling with alcohol, call SAMHSA: 1-800-662-4357 or visit samhsa.gov
We talk about the mental strain of this disease, accepting changes, dreaming of the past but waking in your current reality. We discuss asking "why me?" only to realize there's nothing you did wrong. We cover support systems, DMTs like Ocrevus and Mavenclad, and mobility aids.
You can find me on TikTok and Instagram @msmichiganman64. I'm also on Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick, Ohio. Connect with Ashleigh on TikTok @SchlapMyAsh of us on TikTok.
Let's dive in.