This is incredibly hard for me to ask for help, but here is my story. This is my story of being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.

2018 - My husband and I were in the middle of fertility treatments. I was taking a massive amount of hormones, one of which was estrogen. During this journey, I had an MRI, and they thought I had a stroke. I underwent a ton of tests, and in the end, I was diagnosed with a stroke. Luckily, I did not have any residual impacts, so life went on.

2019 - We welcomed the most beautiful twins in the world. Oh my gosh, I am in love with these two!

2020 - We all know what happened: COVID. In 2021, my husband was laid off and has been trying to find his place in the world.

2021-2023: Not much happened during this time. I've been feeling much more tired, but you know, having twins can make anyone exhausted. I just can't seem to keep up with them.

2023: I underwent back surgery due to a herniated disc in my lower back. This could explain why I’m struggling to keep up.

2024: I had back surgery again for the same herniated disc. After the surgery, my left leg and foot became numb, and my balance is really poor. I can’t run or do things like I used to.

2025: After feeling that all my symptoms were related to my back or the stroke I had, I ignored them for a year until I couldn't take it any longer. I went to my doctor, and they started ordering tests. My primary care physician suggested that I address a PFO (a hole in the heart) that was thought to have caused my stroke. When I saw a cardiologist, they referred me to a neurologist for approval of the PFO closure. While discussing my balance issues, frequent falls, fatigue, and the way I walk, the neurologist reviewed all my past records. Ultimately, she expressed concern that I might have MS rather than the stroke being the sole cause of my issues. Now I’m facing a mountain of medical bills.

I work full-time, but my salary barely supports our family of four. My husband, who is in school to become a substance use disorder counselor, is looking for part-time work but hasn’t had any luck. I’ve held two jobs for three years, but due to funding cuts, I can no longer teach part-time. We are selling everything of value, including our truck, trailer, and horses, and doing everything we can to keep our house. On top of that, we have a lot of medical bills piling up, making it hard to cover deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses.

I truly hate that I am in this position where I have to ask for help. We are eternally grateful to each and every one of you.