Hello, my first time, joining this group. 😊

Gwenny

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for the opportunity to be able to, join this wonderful group.

With so many topics available, for discussion, i am sure that, i will be able to learn from many of you.

I am a 65 yr old woman with, Secondary progressive Multiple Sclerosis.

I began my working life at, the age of 19, starting with childrens homes, then learning & physical disabilities (adults) the latter being the longest spell of, my working life as. I loved it so much &, spent 20 yrs working with people.

During all this time, i gained my degree in Social work &, during my final days of work, i worked in one of the Local area offices, in Edinburgh.

I was eventually Medically retired when, i was 48 where my disease progression, impacted on the work i was doing.

Mainly computer work & retaining an incredible amount, of information however, due to my 'brain fog'… i could'nt rely on my capacity anymore &, had to put my 'hand up' to, my management &, inform them that i 'suspected' i had Ms.

Although Not 'Officially' diagnosed at that point, i did suspect from the 80's that, i had something serious going on.

When i began working/carrying out assessments, with people of whom, had Nuerological conditions it was then that, it began to 'click', into place.

However, going back & forward to the Gp was, a nightmare.

As i had fractured my spine, when i was 16 they, continually attributed my symptons to, coming from my spinal injury &, kept sending me to Orthopedics instead of, Looking at the whole picture, an 'Holistic' approach.

Finally, i met with a different Orthopedic Consultant, he looked at my eyes rather than, doing even more x-rays on various parts of my body.

He found some difficulty with, finding the 'nerve' endings at, the back of my eyes &, quickly announced that he would make a, refferal to Nuerology instead.

The relief that i felt then, i could of kissed him 😂

My appointment to see a Professor at Nuerology, came quickly. He listened to all my concerns & what i had been experiencing for approx, 30 yrs. He 'fast' tracked me for an MRI saying, "i think that you, have waited long enough".

Within a week, i was back to get my results &, Ms was confirmed, finding many 'lit lesions' in my brain.

I cried, not ones of sadness but, ones of relief. After all those years of, going through a system that, is so difficult & Not 'geared' up really for, detecting long term conditions such, as Ms.

It is a Condition which, is Notoriously difficult to diagnose.

Many symtons, not being 'physically' obvious.

70/100 yrs ago, they used to put people in, really Hot baths which, triggered the 'tremors' in people's limbs who had Ms.

Let them try, & do that nowadays? 😂 Mind you, maybe i wouldn't have waited, so long for my diagnosis 😂

That is how they, were able to diagnose, people back then. Heat & Ms, it is like 'Cryptonite'! 😂

So that is my story of, my disability.

Ms, affects me in many ways now, both physically & mentally &, has worsened with age.... my excuse to grow old, 'Very Disgracefully' 😂

I may not reply to people quickly or, use this site, very often as, fatigue has become a real issue for me now.

Thank you to everyone for, being able to be a member of this site.😊

JD_INCINERATOR

Hi there,

Welcome to this wonderful Scope community! I hope that this site helps you with what you may need, and I hope that you find this site to be wonderful for you :)

Chris75_

Welcome to the forum from me too.

Littlefatfriend

Thanks for your introduction Gwenny,

Edinburgh is a delightful bit of the country. So much to see and do! My confirmation gift from my parents when I was ten was the adoption of two Macaws in Edinburgh Zoo. We visited them fairly often.

I've enjoyed The Fringe a few times, occasionally for a week or more.

The NHS is struggling and has been for a while, but they've done very well for me when I've needed them to.

I hope you find the forum entertaining and perhaps useful.

Good luck

Gwenny

Thank you J D 😊

I am looking forward to this experience. I have not joined any other groups before.

Actually, that is a lie 😂 (good start 😂), when i was first officially diagnosed i, joined an Ms online forum.

I did find it really difficult as, it was mainly had people who, were 'undiagnosed'. People looking for answers to their symptoms &, comparing their symptoms to, 'maybe' what, Ms symptons may be.

I was part of that group for, a short while but, i was still myself in the 'headspace' of, trying to understand the, implications of & the impact my diagnosis, had on me & my future.

So i came away from the group to, give myself some time, to digest it all. 😊

Chris75_

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1087824#Comment_1087824

I was last in Edinburgh 2 summers ago, to see the Declaration of Arbroath on display. There was a security guard stood beside it to stop any photos! (Bright light might damage it apparently).

JennieWren

welcome! I hope you find this space as encouraging and friendly as I do.

Nightcity

Hey Gwenny, welcome 😃

I can see you have a great sense of humour! disgracefully is the only way to age 😁