Originally posted on Multiple Sclerosis News Today
Being diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis doesn’t necessarily mean that other health complications or conditions won’t arise.
According to an article published in the journal Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders, multiple sclerosis (MS) patients have significantly higher rates of comorbidity and morbidity than people who don’t have MS. Common comorbidities of MS patients include, but are not limited to, depression, anxiety, hypertension, hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol), and chronic lung disease, a research article in the journal Neurology noted.
A few weeks ago, I was hospitalized for four days due to an IUD complication that caused a cervical laceration, leading to an infection and dying cervical tissue. During my hospitalization, the doctors and medical staff were unsure about what was happening to me or why it was occurring.
At the time, I didn’t have time to process my emotions or fully understand the severity of my circumstances because I was under constant supervision and had a series of exams and blood tests. I was prescribed a few different antibiotics to fight the cervical infection and rid my body of the dead tissue. Luckily, at my follow-up appointment, I was told that my cervix was healing substantially.
A week after my hospitalization, I had a regularly scheduled MS appointment with my neurologist, where we discussed my experiences with a new treatment, Kesimpta (ofatumumab), but there were no complications or issues to report. We also went over any symptoms or concerns I had experienced following my last appointment, prompting my doctor to adjust some of my medications and provide additional refills.
My neurologist performed the standard neurological assessment, which includes a physical and a motor and sensory skills exam. The exam revealed no red flags or areas of concern.
After the neurological assessment, there was a brief pause in the conversation, because there wasn’t anything else to discuss. A sigh of relief from my doctor broke the moment of silence as she expressed her contentment with my current MS status. In that moment, a huge wave of calmness and ease traveled through my body. Upon leaving the appointment, I spent a few minutes outside, soaking in nature and thanking the universe for a positive visit after a long month of dealing with a cervical infection.
After all of these events had occurred, I took a moment to reflect on the fears and worries I had during my hospital stay and leading up to my MS appointment. In that moment, I realized that MS wasn’t the focal issue consuming my life at the time. This insight brought forth a series of realizations that life beyond MS can transpire at any moment, and for that I am grateful.
