Supporting my Sis!!

Saturday was the nicest day we've had this year, and how fitting that on this nice day we were able to join together in the fight against MS. Here is Katie's story:

March 2008 marks my 10-year milestone of being diagnosed with MS. I'll never forget the morning that changed my life...I woke up to my 8 month daughter calling "mama, mama" but as I opened my eyes, it felt like the room was moving and I had to use the walls to help me get down the stairs. Once I got downstairs, I looked in a mirror, then I got very scared...my eyes were not looking back at me. I walked into my daughter's room as she was still calling out for me. Tears began rolling down my cheeks as I realized I couldn't pick her up, I was so dizzy and starting to tremble.It is hard for me to go back to the beginning of my journey with MS. I was so scared by the "unknowns" and honestly, was feeling angry that this was happening to me. In fact for the first 7 years of my diagnosis, I lived in denial. I had the one episode initially and no further problems yet in my mind, the MS was lingering over me and silently progressing. As many of you know, I've had more relapses, the worst one occurring one year ago. Since March '07, I have had two smaller relapses that went into remission within 1-2 weeks. Through the years, I've been very stubborn about not starting a medication. I came up with every reason you could think of to convince people that I didn't need treatment..."We're not done having kids"..."I feel just fine, why start a med and feel worse?"..."It's so expensive...it's so depressing...it's to painful...". The biggest thing is it felt like the shots seemed so invasive and it was a reminder that I had MS. I'm happy to report I finally conceded... With much badgering and persistence of my best friend Shannon (love her to pieces!), I am now on weekly injections, which Rolf has been diligent in helping me with.
Each year we join Katie at the MS Walk and each year it is so exciting to see so many people join together to fight for a cure!!

Now on the funny side...each year I use the walk as a workout...I like to kill two birds with one stone...anyways each year as I am in full aggressive walk mode and am passing people like crazy I love to watch their expressions...I know what they are thinking, "This girl must think that this is a race...doesn't she know this isn't a race...why is she walking so fast...someone should tell her there is no prize!!" Oh well...I'm a dork...but what else is new??