Tripping With MS
Donation protected
Hi, my name is Greg (46) and my wife’s name is Michelle (49). We have been married for 18 years and have been blessed with a beautiful daughter, Hope (15) and handsome son, Joe (12). 14 years ago my wife was diagnosed with Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis. She knew something was wrong with when her feet went numb and all she could feel were pins and needles in her legs. True to form she never said a word to anyone or complained as work was short but more importantly, Hope’s 1st birthday was only a week away. It wasn’t until she fell at work and was forced to go to the hospital that she slowed down enough to get the tests done that were needed to diagnose her with MS. If you need a ride to the airport at 3 AM, even on a workday, she’s there at 2:30 with coffee. Need extra coverage for a work or hockey shift, she’ll have you covered. Finally, if you need an idea for a last-minute science fair project, she’ll have it, and she’ll even be able to find everything you need somewhere in one of her mom bags. Pure and Simple- that’s just the kind of girl she is, and I’m very lucky to have found her.
Since the week after she was diagnosed, she has been determined to Never let MS slow her down, interrupt taking care of her family, or stop her from living. For 14 years, she has kept a full-time job and some part time ones like standing by as an EMT for hockey games. All this time keeping the MS manageable shots, pills, programs, and CBT. Over the year, it’s finally really affecting her. I’ve noticed that she is slowing down, needing more sleep, her walking has become more unsteady also her falls have increased, and most frustrating to her is having trouble finding words when she is stressed. She now takes a day every 6 months to go in and have an IV treatment of a new drug Ocrevus. This knocks her out for about 3 days while it kills her immune system. After her most recent MRI we found that she has progressed to progressive MS. We found a total of 26 lesions on her brain and 8 on her cervical spinal cord.
What Michelle wants more than anything is to take a Family Trip that we have been dreaming about for years. It’s been a dream to see the 48 continuous United States as a family. Now is the time!! After the craziness of the last year, the kids not having to miss school because they are distance learning, the apartment we have lived in for the last 14 years is being torn down (so no home to worry about), me working from home, and Michelle not knowing how much longer before she won’t be able to do all the walking with her kids that she needs to do. Our plan is to purchase a motorhome, head west out of Minneasota, and cover all 48 in 90 days. We want to show that even with MS you don’t have to sit home and watch to world roll by. Our family has started YouTube, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook pages to share the trip with all our family and friends—the good, the bad, and the ugly. We want to showcase not just the “must sees” in every state, but also the unique little spots that only the locals know about. Hopefully though our thoughts, pictures, stories, and feelings you will be able to enjoy this journey with us and understand a little about MS being the 5th member of our family.
Here is where I ask for a little of your support to help us make this dream come true. We will not be staying in any fancy campgrounds or eating steak and lobster every night. We know that there will be costs along the way gas, home maintenance, campground fees. We aren’t asking for much, but anything you could donate to help us make Michelle’s dream come through would be greatly appreciated.
Since the week after she was diagnosed, she has been determined to Never let MS slow her down, interrupt taking care of her family, or stop her from living. For 14 years, she has kept a full-time job and some part time ones like standing by as an EMT for hockey games. All this time keeping the MS manageable shots, pills, programs, and CBT. Over the year, it’s finally really affecting her. I’ve noticed that she is slowing down, needing more sleep, her walking has become more unsteady also her falls have increased, and most frustrating to her is having trouble finding words when she is stressed. She now takes a day every 6 months to go in and have an IV treatment of a new drug Ocrevus. This knocks her out for about 3 days while it kills her immune system. After her most recent MRI we found that she has progressed to progressive MS. We found a total of 26 lesions on her brain and 8 on her cervical spinal cord.
What Michelle wants more than anything is to take a Family Trip that we have been dreaming about for years. It’s been a dream to see the 48 continuous United States as a family. Now is the time!! After the craziness of the last year, the kids not having to miss school because they are distance learning, the apartment we have lived in for the last 14 years is being torn down (so no home to worry about), me working from home, and Michelle not knowing how much longer before she won’t be able to do all the walking with her kids that she needs to do. Our plan is to purchase a motorhome, head west out of Minneasota, and cover all 48 in 90 days. We want to show that even with MS you don’t have to sit home and watch to world roll by. Our family has started YouTube, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook pages to share the trip with all our family and friends—the good, the bad, and the ugly. We want to showcase not just the “must sees” in every state, but also the unique little spots that only the locals know about. Hopefully though our thoughts, pictures, stories, and feelings you will be able to enjoy this journey with us and understand a little about MS being the 5th member of our family.
Here is where I ask for a little of your support to help us make this dream come true. We will not be staying in any fancy campgrounds or eating steak and lobster every night. We know that there will be costs along the way gas, home maintenance, campground fees. We aren’t asking for much, but anything you could donate to help us make Michelle’s dream come through would be greatly appreciated.
Organizer
Greg Radtke
Organizer
St. Paul, MN