MS ALLIANCE: Tell us about yourself, your MS diagnosis/journey and how long you have been living with MS.
CHRIS: I am a 75 year old guy with a permanent Foley catheter and MS who is happily married to my second wife now for 18 years (I lost my first wife to cancer after 31 years). I had my first episode in 1980, a month after a tumble on my head in a beach/surf accident. I had temporary lapses of about 15 seconds with my speech, walking and hands/coordination. I went through a spinal tap and other tests but there was no MS diagnosis for six years until I had optic neuritis in 1986 (after the MRI was invented).
Then, oddly enough, I was in remission for 21 years! We thought the MS had disappeared. I had retired in 2001, but continued to ski, golf, and play tennis like I normally would. Then in 2007, I stumbled while running at tennis and I knew what it was. Since then, I had been in a slight decline and had to use a cane or walker until last year – and now I’m confined to a scooter or wheelchair. But my MS journey has been a good one, with an outstanding wife/caregiver, great friends, great family, and other fine caregivers. Importantly, we have had decent income and insurance.
MS ALLIANCE: You were on the very first Board of Directors for the MS Alliance. What was it about the MSAV that made you want to be involved with it?
CHRIS: I am flattered to have been on the first MSAV Board of Directors. I just wanted to help others with MS because I get it!
MS ALLIANCE: What are some important life lessons you have learned by living with MS?
CHRIS: Be thankful for what you have, not what you don’t have. Recall Christopher Reeve was a quadriplegic! And change the things you can and accept what you can’t. Do things while you can, too. Don’t have regrets. Also, an MS person needs to exercise frequently. That really helped me do the most I could for as long as I could.
MS ALLIANCE: What advice would you give someone who is newly diagnosed with MS?
CHRIS: Remember, most importantly, MS is one’s individual disease. No one can assume that his/her MS will progress like someone else’s.
MS ALLIANCE: What are some things you are looking forward to doing now that the world is getting back to normal?
CHRIS: I’m looking forward to spending more time with the family, reading and games.