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MS - Multiple Sclerosis

Yes I Have Ms - and I wish this on one!
I am being open minded about this and the hopes I come across others with same Disease.
Since June 28, 2007
My life is not the same anymore...

The progress, severity, and specific symptoms of MS

What is multiple sclerosis?
Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, unpredictable disease of the central nervous system (the brain, optic
nerves, and spinal cord). It is thought to be an autoimmune disorder. This means the immune system
incorrectly attacks the person's healthy tissue.

MS can cause blurred vision, loss of balance, poor coordination, slurred speech, tremors, numbness,
extreme fatigue, problems with memory and concentration, paralysis, and blindness and more.
These problems may be permanent or may come and go.

Most people are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, although individuals as young as 2 and as
old as 75 have developed it. MS is not considered a fatal disease as the vast majority of people with it
live a normal life-span. But they may struggle to live as productively as they desire, often facing
increasing limitations.

What are the typical symptoms of MS?
Symptoms of MS are unpredictable, vary from person to person, and from time to time in the same
person. For example: One person may experience abnormal fatigue and episodes of numbness and
tingling. Another could have loss of balance and muscle coordination making walking difficult. Still
another could have slurred speech, tremors, stiffness, and bladder problems.

Sometimes major symptoms disappear completely, and the person regains lost functions. In severe
MS, people have symptoms on a permanent basis including partial or complete paralysis, and
difficulties with vision, cognition, speech, and elimination.

Read more about the symptoms of MS

What causes the symptoms?
MS symptoms result when an immune-system attack affects myelin, the protective insulation
surrounding nerve fibers of the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord). Myelin is
destroyed and replaced by scars of hardened "sclerotic" tissue. Some underlying nerve fibers are
permanently severed. The damage appears in multiple places within the central nervous system.

Myelin is often compared to insulating material around an electrical wire; loss of myelin interferes
with the transmission of nerve signals.

Read more about myelin

Is MS fatal?
In rare cases MS is so malignantly progressive it is terminal, but most people with MS have a normal
or near-normal life expectancy. Severe MS can shorten life.

Does MS always cause paralysis?
No. Moreover, the majority of people with MS do not become severely disabled. Two-thirds of people
who have MS remain able to walk, though many will need an aid, such as a cane or crutches, and
some will use a scooter or wheelchair because of fatigue, weakness, balance problems, or to assist
with conserving energy.

Why is MS so difficult to diagnose?
In early MS, symptoms that might indicate any number of possible disorders come and go. Some
people have symptoms that are very difficult for physicians to interpret, and these people must "wait
and see." While no single laboratory test is yet available to prove or rule out MS, magnetic resonance
imaging (MRI) is a great help in reaching a definitive diagnosis.

Read more on diagnosing MS*

Social Security Disability

If you live with multiple sclerosis and are unable to work due to an MS-related disability and/or other
conditions, you might be entitled to Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental
Security Income (SSI) benefits. The Social Security Disability Guidebook can assist in deciding
whether applying for disability benefits is right for you and in navigating the complex application
process.

Social Security Disability Benefits: Frequently Asked Questions

The Social Security Administration (SSA) recognizes MS as a chronic illness or “impairment” that
can cause disability severe enough to prevent an individual from working. If you have any of the
following symptoms, or any combination of these or other symptoms, that prevent you from working,
you might qualify for Social Security benefits:

Difficulty with walking and other motor skills
Difficulty seeing
Difficulty concentrating or completing simple tasks
Difficulty remembering
Extreme fatigue, regardless of sleep
Speech impairment
Side effects of medication(s)
While SSI and SSDI provide different benefits, SSA uses the same disability determination process
for both. You can even qualify for both at the same time. This new Guidebook focuses primarily on the
SSDI application process but includes helpful information for both programs. If you need additional
information or help as you read through the Guidebook, contact your chapter of the National MS
Society, call SSA at 1-800-772-1213, or visit www.socialsecurity.gov/disability*

Okay, so I have done this and guess what ? Turned Down!
So now I got a lawyer, I have to appeal this, and if turned down again, could take a year or more
before goes to a judge. So in meantime, how is a person to live and get decent medical treatment
during this period. I have no clue...
It took me a while to accept that I have MS, and teach and explain to my family/kids.
So now you might understand why I have changed jobs and take one day at a time.
I do prey a lot and do Thank the Lord a lot.

I do thank you for reading this and in the hopes I can talk and meet others that have MS.

Many Thanks

Daniel Neumann

July 14, 2009