Melissa is an MS warrior from Michigan (Go Blue!) that received her MS diagnosis in September of 2024 and wanted to help spread awareness about living with MS. Melissa explains how she had back pain for years prior but went untreated. Melissa started having other issues like dizziness, fatigue, headaches and unexplained sweating that made her doctor order an MRI and it came back with some lesions. A lumbar puncture was also ordered to confirm the diagnosis by her neurologist. Melissa and I talk about how she had no knowledge of MS and no family history and how she missed a lot of symptoms for many years but she didn't know what the symptoms for MS were but it makes sense to her now. Melissa talks about the mental part of her diagnosis having already been managing mental heal issues and how she found a neuropsychiatry that specialized in MS and it's been amazing helping manage the disease. We also have a great discussion about family support and how Melissa's husband and children have been there for her from day one. Melissa talks about how her husband of 31 years that had no understanding of his wife's new diagnosis and but they relate to each other because both have a chronic disease. Melissa and I talk about how we met on TikTok and how important having people to talk to that understand what you're going through. Melissa is an amazing lady new in her journey but wants to help spread awareness about what its like living with MS. If you want to follow Melissa on TikTok @MAMAK @ma_kel3. Thank you so much for sharing your journey with me Melissa! You are an absolute warrior that will never give up with the support from your family and God you got whatever MS deals you!

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Mollie is an MS warrior from Georgia that began her journey when she was 15 years old and a freshman in high school. Mollie explains how she had a two week period where her right arm went numb for a short time and what Mollie called "spells" where she had stroke-like symptoms. Mollie had attacks multiple times the next few days even during her cheer tryouts when she lost strength and dropped one of her teammates. Mollie's parents were able to see one of Mollie's attacks and immediately took her to the ER where they ran a CT scan. Mollie tells me how she continued to have attacks and her parents took her to a different hospital that was equipped with an MRI. Mollie's parents were very concerned because there was a family history of brain tumors. An MRI was ordered and Mollie was told she had MS at the age of 15. Mollie and I have an amazing conversation about how she handled being told she had MS at such a young age and how she had to grow up over night with her new life of having a chronic condition. Mollie and I have so many incredible conversations during this episode. We talk about how she learned to advocate for herself at a young age and we also talk about the importance of our mental health. Mollie talks about relationships with having MS and multiple other diagnoses and how she found an incredible man that doesn't care about any of her issues and how he loves her for who she is. Mollie is just an amazing young warrior that wants to spread awareness about what it's like living with chronic disease. Follow Mollie on TikTok @molliefletch101. Mollie thank you so much for sharing your journey with me and good luck on your wedding in December! I can't wait to see pictures!

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Sarah is an MS warrior originally from Canada that currently lives in Spain who started her MS journey in 1995 when she was 20 years old. Sarah experienced extremely heavy legs one day walking home from school. She told her mom when she got home and her mom took her to a doctor and Sarah was diagnosed with scoliosis. Six months later, Sarah was in school taking a chemistry exam when her right hand went numb. The next day when Sarah woke up her whole right side of her body was numb and she struggled to walk. Sarah was taken to the ER to be seen and was told to take a Tylenol and go home. Sarah tells me how she learned quick to advocate for herself after it took four doctors and a year to finally diagnose her with MS. Sarah and I have a great conversation about how our family had to learn about our diagnosis because we were the first to be diagnosed with MS and how we learned about the disease without having the internet around in the 90's. We talk about the mental health part of the diagnosis as well as the importance of finding a community. Sarah and I also get into an amazing conversation about how she met her husband online and how he accepted her MS and has been at her side through everything MS dished out for 30 years. Sarah explains her mobility aid journey and we discuss how we struggled mentally using aids because we want to stay independent and how we learned to use them as tools to live the best life we can. Sarah is amazing with how she spreads awareness about living with MS on TikTok. If you want to connect with Sarah you can find her @Sarah @user17386233. Sarah thank you for sharing your journey with me to help understand living with MS better. FUMS!

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Debbie is a return MS warrior from Colorado that shared her MS diagnosis journey with me in Episode 5. Debbie came back on to talk about the importance of finding a community and how we found each other on TikTok. Debbie and I talk about how we are on a mission to help people that are going through what we already have experienced. We talk about the mental part of the disease and how we are trying to be there for people struggling because we understand. Debbie and I talk about how we made adjustments in how we do things especially mobility aids. We also have a great discussion about how we have to sometimes go outside our comfort zone because we want to live as normal of a life that we can. Debbie and I talk about how we both recently thought outside the box and did something that we normally would have done in the past. I went to the Ohio state fair for first time inn 10 years and Debbie is planning a flight to go by herself to visit an MS warrior in southern Colorado. Debbie talks about how she had to make modifications to still enjoy the things she loves and knowing when things weren't realistic anymore. Debbie is an amazing MS warrior and if you want to follow Debbie on TikTok you can find her @DebbietheMSwarriormom. Thank you for joining me again Debbie to help understand what its like living with MS. FUMS

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Marcus is an MSer from Florida that started his MS journey while he was serving for the US Army after playing college football in Kansas. Marcus was playing basketball in the gym when he lost the ability to dribble and to run backwards like he normally could. Marcus went to the military sick call the next day because he knew something wasn't right. The Army doctors ran a few tests and put him on rest for a few days and Marcus improved his symptoms and continued his military career until a knee injury forced him out of service. Marcus then went into civilian life still with no definitive diagnosis but knew what he had. Marcus and I talk about the fight he had with keeping his military records available for his new civilian doctors and how he had to advocate for himself with Veteran Affairs to get the compensation he was entitled to because of his service. Marcus talks about what it was like being young and being diagnosed with a life changing disease and we have a discussion about how he struggled with the mental health aspect and how he figured out he needed professional help. Marcus shares how he went years hiding his disease because he didn't want to talk about MS with anyone and how he learned to talk and advocate for himself throughout his journey. We have so many great conversations about family, employment, exercise, walking aids and how we have learned how to manage our disease and figure things out through experience. We also talk about how we both have learned to ask for help. Marcus tells me the great story of how he met his wife after being in a 30 year prior marriage and how his current wife understands being a fibromyalgia warrior. Marcus has an amazing attitude with how he keeps fighting no matter what MS gives to him. Marcus, thank you so much for sharing your journey with me to help understand what it's like living with MS! Keep fighting the fight!

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April is an MS warrior from Tennessee who started her journey in 1995 when she had numbness and tingling in her legs. April feared it was MS after she saw her mom pass away from complications with her MS in 1988. April went to a neurologist and an MRI was ordered along with a lumbar puncture. April was told that she had the same chronic disease as her mother in 1995. April and I discuss how Betaseron was the only DMT out at the time and how her and her neurologist decided to hold off treating her and giving her the label at the age of 21 so April just continued to live life. We have a great discussion about how she was angry about her diagnosis and didn't understand why this was happening to her and how she needed antidepression medication to help her mental health issues she was having. April and I talk about the importance of support by family and friends. April explains her DMT journey and how she struggled to find a DMT that her body handled. April talks bout how she had to make the decision to stop working because of he disease 13 years ago. We also talk about the journey in itself filing for disability and getting denied four times. April and I have an awesome conversation about what motivates her to keep fighting for her daughter. We talk about the importance of educating yourself and that ignorance is a choice. Thank you for sharing your journey with me April! You are a warrior! Never stop fighting the fight!

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Ally is an MSer from Arkansas who was diagnosed with MS in 2014. Ally and I talk about how she had a party for her two boys on a Saturday and she suddenly couldn't use her legs and fell to the ground in her bedroom. Ally's sister found her and it took Ally 30 minutes to regain her strength to get up. The next day Ally had double vision that she blamed on the busy day she had before with the party. On Monday Ally still had double vision but still went to work only being able to see if she kept one eye closed. After Ally almost had an accident while she was at work because of her vision she knew she needed to go to the hospital to get what's going on figured out. Ally had an MRI and a spinal tap and was diagnosed with MS. Ally and I talk about how she really didn't know much about MS and how she went down the Google hole and how she didn't know if she was going to die. Ally talks about how she researched and actually started an MS walk team with other MS warriors so she could learn from people that have been living with MS for years. We have a great conversation about how her kids learned about her disease and how they grew to understand it better. Ally talks about her DMT journey and we also have a great conversation about using mobility aids. Ally talks about how she found volunteering for organizations as a tool for her mental health. Ally and I have an incredible conversation about stress and how she had to make difficult decisions for herself and her children in order to be her best possible her. We also talk about the MS Rebels which Ally and I are administrators for and how finding a community is so important with fighting this fight. Thank you Ally for sharing your journey with me to help people understand living with MS better. FUMS!

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Johnny is an MS warrior from Ohio that was diagnosed with MS in 2019 but his journey started in 2006 when he suffered from severe migraine headaches. Johnny went to numerous doctors for the next 13 years trying to get answers. Johnny explains how doctors would tell him his migraines were from his weight or from his teeth. Finally in 2017 a doctor ordered a scan of his brain and a pituitary tumor was discovered the size of a softball causing his migraines. Johnny went through two years of intense treatments to shrink the tumor. After two years of treatments that shrunk the tumor a scan revealed a lesion hidden behind the tumor that was growing for the last 13 years. Johnny now had lesions on his brain and spine which lead to MS diagnosis. Johnny and I talk about how he handled the mental part of his diagnosis and how he was angry. We also have a great conversation about how our family struggles to understand our disease. Johnny is an incredible artist that uses his talent as a tool to occupy his mind. When Johnny and I met I asked him if he would be interested in doing my cover art and this episode debuts Johnny's talent. We also have an amazing conversation about the importance of finding a community and how we met on TikTok. Johnny and I talk about how MS doesn't discriminate and how important it is to talk about our disease so people understand better. If you want to follow this badass artist who happens to have MS on TikTok @artistic_wolf_prints. Johnny thank you so much my friend for sharing your journey. Never stop being an artist! FUMS!

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Dr Summer and I continue our conversation about her journey with her MS diagnosis and we also have great discussion about how Summer approaches her visits with her neurologist as a doctor herself and an MS patient and how she separates the two. We also get into so many awesome conversations like where she thought medicine is at with a cure and her thoughts on AI in future medicine. Dr Summer and I have an incredible conversation about the medical system and how bad doctors are kept employed because of the volume of patients and the money they bring in as opposed to good doctors that are slower and aren't bringing in money will not have their contract's renewed. We talk about how the way the medical system is set up that creates poor healthcare for the patients. We also talk about how the tuition cap is going to cause more of a shortage in medical providers. Summer gives me an excellent definition of MS fatigue that I never heard worded the way she explained it. Dr Summer talks about how she keeps motivated. Summer controls the things she can control. Summer still crowd surfs at concerts even though she is in a wheelchair and she is trying to find sit ski lessons. We talk about how we still do things but we figure out different ways to do it. Summer and I have an amazing discussion about how we had to learn how to ask for help. Dr Summer also talks about how important finding a community is to help with support living with our disease and how we found each other on TikTok. We also discuss how there should be a safe space for caregivers to support themselves. Thank you so much for taking the time to discuss your journey and answer questions about the doctor side of the fence. You are an amazing warrior!! FUMS!

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Summer is an MS warrior from the state of Utah and now calls Ohio home. Summer was in her last year of her residency when she started her MS journey. Summer explains how her program director physician had a private conversation with her and discussed the possibility of Summer having MS. Summer's program director ordered MRI's and a lumbar puncture and Summer was diagnosed with MS in 2017. We talk about how Summer didn't have time to process her diagnosis because she had so much going on around her with raising two kids as a single mom and her residency. Summer explains how she went into a wheelchair 18 months into her diagnosis and her doctors changed her diagnosis to NMO (Neuromyelitis Optica), which was considered an aggressive form of MS with very little treatments. Summer then explains how she went 6 years under the diagnosis until her doctors changed her diagnosis back to MS except now she is SPMS. We have a great conversation about how her teenage kids understood the disease and how they support their mom in her new journey. We also talk about how she met her husband and how he has been there for her. Summer talks about how her diagnosis has given her empathy with seeing her patients. We also talk about how some doctors are not good with communication and also how doctors have difficulties getting answers because they are limited to 15-30 minute appointments. We have an awesome discussion about how the patient and doctors are handcuffed by the system. We also have a great conversation about how to prevent getting gaslit by physicians. Summer talks about how to advocate for yourself and how doctors work for us. I had so much more to talk with Summer about we are going to have a Part 2 discussion Wednesday.

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