I was always a very active person. I was either working out, playing tennis or golf, walking long distances and dancing.  I loved to dance!  Music just made me move and groove!  Oh, I forgot to mention racquetball and skiing.  I was always in pretty good shape.  And you know what??? I took all these activities for granted. What I mean is I never in my wildest dreams would ever think I would not be able to do these activities due to a chronic illness.   One day my muscles are strong and the next day they I get stuck.

Let me explain further.  I was always the last one on the dance floor at any party or event that I attended.  Actually, the first on; last off!!  My feet hurt at the end of the night but that’s quite normal.  I always made it part of my weekends to go somewhere that had dance music(or at least most weekends).  Even having MS, I was able to dance.

However, about three years ago, that changed.  I went to a wedding with my boyfriend Bob.  We were standing awhile having hors derves and drinks and I started to feel the need to sit down.  I didn’t think a thing of it.  Sometimes, my legs got a little tired in high heels. I just thought it was MS which always goes away.  It came time to go into the ballroom for the reception, dinner and dancing(my favorite part)!

I danced with Bob for a couple of dances; no problem. Then a gentleman at the table asked me to dance.   I started to dance, but halfway through the dance, my feet stopped.  What was happening?   It felt as though they were in two blocks of concrete.  I was mortified!  Me not dance???  I called my boyfriend over to help me to my seat. I wasn’t happy, but I thought it was probably just an MS flair up.  I tried to walk…….Not happening!  So, Bob got the car, came back in and carried me to the car.  How embarrassing!  He took me home and I planned to call my doctor on Monday morning .

I called my Neurologist Monday at 9 A.M.  and he said to come in later that day.  That was October 2014. The diagnosis he eventually gave me was MS with Parkinson’s symptom.  That did not sound good to me.  He prescribed to me medication called carbidopa-levodopa.  That sounded familiar to me.  I think my Dad took that.  That was not a good sign!  Eventually, he referred me to a Parkinson’s Disease Neurologist.  And you know the outcome…… Now 2 dis-eases…..MS and PD!!

Not happy….