My name is Rhonda Martin. I have been married to my husband, Mike, for almost 29 years. We have a 23-year-old daughter, Bailee, who is an RN and an 18-year-old son, Ryan, who will graduate from high school this year. Ryan will be attending UNCC fall 2021 and will be in the Engineering program. I worked as a Physical Therapist Assistant from 1992 until 2012 when I was diagnosed with MS. Throughout my career, I worked with several MS patients. In 2012, I found myself being the MS patient.
In January 2012, I started presenting with neurological symptoms. These symptoms consisted of shocking pain that ran from my neck down to my left hand, my leg would buckle, and I would stumble and nearly fall, I began dropping things with my left hand, I had crawling sensations on my left shoulder and back and my vision was affected. I did not have a family doctor, so at this point I had to make an appointment with a doctor whose patients I had treated in PT, and he was very booked up. He saw me in late April and quickly realized I had a neurological issue as well. Being int the PT field, I assumed I had a disc issue that was pushing on my spinal cord because by this time I had developed bowel and bladder issues. I also developed a foot drop by August 2012. After having X-rays and MRIs on my back and neck, my family doctor said he felt confident I may have MS. I was in shock and denial and was emotionally struggling with the possibility of having MS. I had not ever treated an MS patient that was newly diagnosed. My issues did not present like any of my MS patients that I had treated. I was sent for a brain MRI and my family doctor sent me to see a neurologist at Vanderbilt, who was not sure I had MS and questioned the possibility they I could ALS because my left leg had significantly atrophied. I found out about an MS specialist in NC and decided to get a second opinion. After further testing, he officially diagnosed me with MS in 2013. I was given steroids that helped control my symptoms and began taking an MS medication. I was fortunate enough to have a degree in PT so I could use my skills to improve my physical quality of life.
I contacted the Bristol MS Group and began attending the group meetings after my official diagnosis. I was fortunate enough to have known Sylvia Bowden as a PT patient. She had told me during some of our conversations that she was the leader over the Bristol Virginia MS Group. I met Sharon Cross at one of our meetings and talked with Sharon’s group, which is now the Mountain Empire MS Group. I discovered the MS Alliance through Sharon Cross and have had the honor of meeting many MS warriors while attending The Cinderella Ball in Roanoke. Having MS has not been all negative because I have met some great friends throughout this journey that I otherwise would have never crossed paths with.
If I could run a campaign to promote MS awareness, I would like the world to know that MS affects each person differently. Some people are affected physically, others end up with just cognitive issues, and some may end up with both physical and cognitive issues. Just because that person does not look sick does not mean they are not. Always be kind because you do not know what kind of issues someone is dealing with. There are MS medicines to slow or stop the progression, but no cure. With continued research, let us hope a cure is found in the near future.