MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

WHAT IS MS....(MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS) MS IS A CHRONIC DISEASE OF THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM IN WHICH THE SIMPLEST, EVERYDAY TASKS CAN NO LONGER BE TAKEN FOR GRANTED.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS? SYMPTOMS OF MS VARY GREATLY DEPENDING UPON WHERE THE SCLEROSED PATCHES ARE FORMED IN THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM. THEY MAY INCLUDE TINGLING SENSATIONS, NUMGNESS, SLURRED SPEECH, BLURRED OR DOUBLE VISION, MUSCLE CRAMPS, SPASMS, PROBLEMS WITH BLADDER, BOWL AND SEXUAL FUNTION,AND PARALYSIS. OCCASIONALLY, THERE MAY BE SUCH MENTAL CHANGES AS FORGETFULLNESS OR CONFUSION. THESE MAY OCCUR IN ANY COMBINATION AND CAN VARY FROM VERY MILD TO VERY SEVERE.

HOW IS IT CAUSED? OUR BODIES CONTAIN A FATTY SUBSTANCE CALLED MYELIN WHICH SURROUNDS AND PROTECTS NERVE FIBERS OF THE BRAIN AND SPINAL CORD (THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM) IN THE SAME WAY THAT INSULATION PROTECTS ELECTRICAL WIRES. WHEN ANY PART OF THIS MYELIN SHEATHING, OR INSULATION, IS DESTROYED, NERVE IMPULSES TO THE BRAIN ARE INTERRUPTED AND DISTORTED. LIKE WHEN YOU ARE LISTENING TO MUSIC AND THERE IS A SHORT IN THE SPEAKERS SOMETIMES IT WORKS SOMETIMES IT DOESNT. THE RESULT IS MULTIPLE SCEROSIS- MULTIPLE, BECAUSE MANY SCATTERED AREAS OF THE BRAIN AND SPINAL CORD ARE AFFECTED,SCLEROSIS BECAME SCLEROSED OR HARDENED PATCHES OF SCAR TISSUE FORM OVER THE DAMAGED MYELIN.

WHO GETS IT AND IS IT EASILY DIAGNOSED? MS MOST OFTEN STRIKES PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THEIR TWENTIES OR THIRTIES-(YOUNG ADULTS) ....JUST AS THEY ARE STARTING TO LIVE.... WOMEN DEVELOP IT MORE FREQUENTLY THAN MEN, WHITES MORE THAN BLACK OR ORIENTALS. REASONS NOT YET UNDERSTOOD. THE DISEASE IS ALSO MOST FREQUENT AROUND THE COLDER CLIMATES, NORTH AND SOUTH OF THE EQUATOR.STILL UNKNOWN WHY. IT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY TO DIAGNOSE BECAUSE OTHER DISEASES OF THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM HAVE SOME OF THE SAME WARNING SIGNS, AND SINCE THERE IS NO DEFINITE TEST TO CONFIRM OR RULE OUT MS, THAT IS WHY IT IS NOT EASILY DIAGNOSED. IN ORDER TO HAVE A CONCLUSIVE DIAGNOSIS, THERE ARE TWO IMPORTANT FACTORS: 1) THERE MUST BE EVIDENCE OF MANY PATCHES OF SCAR TISSUE IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM. 2) THERE MUST HAVE BEEN AT LEAST TWO SEPARATE ATTACKS (EXACERBATIONS) OF THE DISEASE. DIAGNOSIS USUALLY CAN TAKE SEVERAL MONTHS EVEN YEARS!

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

IT WAS NOT EASY FOR MY CHILDREN, FRIENDS, NOR MY PARENTS WHO ARE PROFFESIONALS IN THE MEDICAL FIELD, MOM A NURSE AND DAD A PHYSICAL THERAPIST, TO ACCEPT MY DISEASE. THEY KNEW HOW MY LIFE WOULD BE AND HOW IT MAY TURN OUT. EVERYONE WAS IN DENIAL AND I TOO. BUT WHAT CAN YOU DO? JUST ACCEPT IT..... DEAL WITH IT .... AND LIVE IT....EVERYDAY OF YOUR LIFE...

WHAT IS CLEFT LIP AND CLEFT PALATE? CLEFT LIP AND CLEFT PALATE IS A FACIAL DEFORMITY THAT HAPPENS IN THE EARLY WEEKS OF DEVELOPMENT, LONG BEFORE A CHILD IS BORN, THE RIGHT AND LEFT SIDES OF THE LIP AND THE ROOF OF THE MOUTH NORMALLY GROW TOGETHER... IN MY YOUNGEST SON'S CASE IT DID NOT HAPPEN ON HIS LEFT SIDE. OCCASIONALLY, ONE OF 800 BABIES, THOSE SECTIONS DON'T QUITE MEET, SO A CHILD BORN WITH A SEPARATION IN THE UPPER LIP IS SAID TO HAVE A CLEFT LIP,AND IN THE ROOF OF THE MOUTH IS CALLED CLEFT PALATE. THEY REQUIRE MANY SURGURIES. AND IN MY SON'S CASE , HE HAS HAD MANY AND WILL REQUIRE MANY MORE... IN WHICH I AM VERY GREATFULL FOR ALL THE DOCTOR'S AND MY FAMILY FOR ALL THE HELP AND SUPPORT.... AT BIRTH, IT WAS HARD FOR ME AND HIM, BECAUSE I HAD TO FEED HIM THROUGH A TUBE IN AND DOWN HIS NOSE BUT IT TURNED OUT FINE AND HE IS A GORGEOUS AND HANDSOME YOUNG MAN... LOOK AT HIM NOW!!!!

WE ALL HAVE TO DEAL WITH LIFE'S CHALLENGES... AND THESE AND THOSE ARE MINE.....

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