Background info

Starting at roughly 16 years (now 46) my legs have given me problems, jumpy (kinda like worms crawling up them) and I have NEVER been that coordinated. Just always klutzy like my Mom.

When I was 25 I was working full-time (M-F), part-time waitressing (Sunday brunch as well as Tue  and Thur nights 5PM to Midnight) getting home around 1AM. I was pushing it physically, but I had a goal in mind.

You see, me and my friend Louise just came back from our second Honolulu trip, and I (being the "smart" one ) took a waitressing job at my friends (Eric & Allura) restaurant to gain experience waitressing (these folks don't get the appreciation they deserve) - wait for it, so we could move to Honolulu and support ourselves as waitresses. Hey we were 25 and dreaming of living in a tropical destination!!

So burning the candle (so to speak) at both ends, in my tired state I remember taking the skytrain (kinda like a subway, but above ground) and after working my day job (8:30 to 4:30) I walked down the stairs in the station, when I got to the bottom my legs just gave way and I fell to my knees. I put it down to being just plain tired. Then when I was about 34 I kept going to the doctor about my jumpy legs (thought it was RLS) and for the next 5 years all the docs just seemed to scratch their heads and look puzzled. One doctor actually said, mmh I think it might be MS. Man I wanted to slug him! Now I wish I had listened and pursued his "diagnosis" no matter how off the cuff it was.

FINALLY when I was around 39 I had a number of changes personally (involving my job) I was at the doctor about 3x per week looking for results. He kept leaving the exam room (looking stuff up) and finally came back and said I am sending you to a neuro, one of the best in Vancouver. And finally as a 40th birthday present - yeah!- I got the dx of MS. :( So it takes persistence, keep bugging the doctors and do all possible to get the results. It may not necessarily the one you want, but at least you can move forward.