Diagnosis Day and the Events that led up to it.

I still remember this day like it was yesterday, chances are i will remember it for the rest of my life. 

before we talk about diagnosis day I will take you through the things that led up to it...

on the 28th January 2012 (exactly a week after my 21st birthday) i woke up and had no feeling what so ever in my left leg from my hip down to my foot, it was the weirdest sensation ever, the only thing i can compare it to is constant pins and needles that just never fade or go away. i assumed that it would pass but after 2 days it was still the same.

i went to the doctors who immediately sent me to the hospital, it was 18:30pm so it's fair to say that i knew it was serious and i was absolutely shitting myself!!! anyways, off i went to the hospital, i took dad with me, when we got there i got looked at by a consultant who said i needed to go for an MRI Scan, again i was terrified but i went with it, when the results came the consultant said to me "theres some demylenation, on your nervous system both in your brain and  on your spine, but don't worry we can give you some IV steroids and you should slowly start to get the feeling back in your leg " and he was right, within a week and a half all was back to normal! 

i didn't think about the 'demylenation' and what it could mean again until april when i lost vision in my left eye, this time i wasted no time in going to the hospital and they told me it was related to the demylenation and again they would put me on steroids and it would be okay, but then they mentioned that they would like me to go for a lumbar puncture so that they could investigate further. for those that know me or follow me on instagram you will know that i have a massive phobia of needles and the thought of having a needle shoved in my spine was the worst thing ever but i was just as eager to get to the bottom of what was going on as the doctors were, so i agreed and a date was set.

i went back to the hospital a week later for my lumbar puncture, and it really wasn't half as bad as i was expecting it to be. the neurologist said to me "right Patrice, count to 30 and then i'll start" and by the time i got to 10 he'd finished, it was done! i then had to lie flat on my back for 4 hours to stop any spinal fluid from escaping, and that was difficult for me, because of my Cerebral Palsy my balance is horrific and i have damaged my coccyx from falling over too much so i spent the 4 hours uncomfortable, and the last 2 hours i was laid there thinking "OMG i am going to pee myself" i told the nurse i needed a wee and she said "it#s okay love, we've put a special sheet on the bed, just let it go"  i was mortified, i could not think of anything more embarrassing than wetting the bed at the age of 21 even if i was in a hospital and they thought it was acceptable! needless to say i held it in and when i was allowed to move i literary ran to the loo, dad said he hadn't seen me move so fast in years!

we went home and as much as i tried not to think about it the results of the lumbar puncture were playing on my mind constantly!

and then the letter came i had an appointment with the neurologist to get my results on the 4th May 2012. 

the day arrived and me and dad went to the hospital, i asked him to come in the room with me because i don't like doing anything on my own and he said he was more than happy to come in with me, so we sat there and the conversation went a bit like this...

Neurologist: "well we can safely say that the demylenation is definitely in both your brain and your spine."
me: "oh.. that doesn't sound good..."
Neurologist: "i'd say it was good news, the results of the lumbar puncture show ebouh signs for us to be able to give you a clinical diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis "

and that was it, he said he was going to refer me to a specialist in Leeds to discuss treatment options, that an appointment would be sent to me through the post and then ushered me out of the room. 

the drive home was silent because neither me or my dad knew what to say to each other, but surprisingly i wasn't upset by the news, i was just happy that it was me and not my dad or one f my brothers because my body was already equipped to deal with something like this, after all I have been disabled all my life and this new diagnosis was just another challenge that life had thrown at me. I was determined to not let it change me or the way i lived my life and i think that almost a year in I am doing a pretty good job.