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An MS Diagnosis Meant RELATED: Getting a Handle on MS
Tremors and Shakes
‘Things Are Going to Get
The next six years were not in vain.
Better’ Working full time internationally and
domestically as an audit consultant
and managing my weekly, sometimes
On March 11, 1999, my doctor said to daily self-injections, I managed to be a
me, “You have multiple sclerosis.” And successful figure competitor in more
I emphatically replied, “Great!” than 15 shows, with many first and
overall placings.
That’s probably not a typical expected
response from a 26-year-old receiving I feared an end to my competitive
such grave news, but it was my fitness career when I lost 80 percent
reaction to the receipt of an official of my vision in my right eye during
diagnosis of MS. My doctor informed winter 2008, but I continued to train
me of treatments to slow the and was back on stage that spring in
progression, and even though I heard the 2008 NPC Junior USA bodybuilding
him say those words, I processed championships. Just a few months
them to mean, “Things are going to later, however, at the NPC USA
get better.” Better because I could — Bodybuilding Championships, I was
no, would — address this head-on, so convinced my competitive fitness
that it had a positive influence on career had been brought to an abrupt
maintaining my quality of life. For me, end when I had my worst ever MS
MS would not be a death sentence. exacerbation ever — while onstage.
Because of my MS-related heat Several individuals, unaware of my
intolerance, I was forced to ongoing battle with MS, mistook my
discontinue my weekly Sunday less-than-fluid movements (difficulty
morning 100K bike rides. The standing and walking) for a drunken
increasing tremors in my right hand stupor. Even after I told them, many
and right leg challenged my stability. doubtingly said, “But you look so
The deafness in my right ear good.”
precluded hearing car horn warning
alerts. So dedicating time in a slow- RELATED: Don’t Tell Me ‘You Don’t
paced, climate-controlled gym was Look Like You Have MS’
compatible with me beating MS. The
competition had just begun. For a brief while I was ashamed, but I
accepted life off the competition stage
for four years, pleased with my
