Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month
A couple of day’s ago I received a call from an old university friend. Now Frank’s wife was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis a few years back and so far has been doing fine. However she recently had a relapse and her difficulties with mobility have become very acute.
Frank called while he was on his way to fire a wheelchair for his wife. As he explained this was a big but hopefully temporary step.
The conversation turned, as you would expect, to various different mobility aids. Indeed Frank and his wife had looked at orthotics and leg braces but had come to the conclusion that at the present time not even canes or walkers could meet their needs.
So we were both wondering what mobility aid other people in the multiple sclerosis community use and why?
It would be great if you could share your experience both in the poll below but also please feel free to use the comments box to tell us a bit more about your use of mobility aids.
Thanks very much in advance.
In 2003 Originally Dx with Type 2 relapsing remitting MS at age 26 walking normal unaided then Progresses to single cane and Rt AFO, special shoes then quad cane with AFO then Manual Wheel chair but I also developed right sided weakness so I could not push myself so family and boyfriend would have to push me. Then they gave me the First Electric Wheel Chair. It was to small for my frame but Medi- Medi Insurance only covers so much and when I got diagnosed I lost my job and was told I needed to go back to school to get retrained to do something else as the years have gone by my Dx has changed to Stage 3 Progressive Relapsing 2008 and I got a different power chair and a second AFO for my Left foot The Dr told me then to stop working I was making my self sicker So I have been on SSA/SSI Since 2006 I also have a back brace so at 37 I am now supposed to home/bed bound but Because of the spinal lesions I can not lay sit or stand in one position for any length of time.I also have several brain lesions The Dr say I probably have had MS since Jr High school. Even with all the medical aides I don’t let MS stop me from living my life I did go back to school on the advice of my former boss. I changed Industries from Health Insurance Claims Examining My first degree in 2001 to Hotel Restaurant Management With double Honors in 2006 I also met and married the man of my dream. Who I would not have found had I not been force to go back to school again thank you MS we will be celebrating 6 years married 11 years together on 08-08-14
Thanks for commenting. Your response brought me to tears and left me speechless. I am so sorry for your loss. Here I am feeling sorry that I’m losing the ability to do things almost daily, and I should be thanking God that I’m still alive.
Morning , my daughter was dx May 2012 , within a month of dx she was using a leg brace and 1 month later she lost her ability to walk at all . She passed on Dec 31 , 2012 . Everything just seemed to steamroll , couldn’t keep up with the MS . Symptoms changed by the day . Stay strong and fight as long as you can . God bless .
Dx PPMS in ’08. Used a cane from 5/11-7/12. Used a Bioness L300+ from 3/12-10/12. Used a walker from 7/12-3/13. Been wheelchair-bound since 3/13. Got a power wheelchair 11/13. I am curious if my MS has progressed more quickly than most? It seems like such a short amount of time to already be in a wheelchair. One neuro dx me with PPMS, but another dx me with Devic’s.