Mark’s story

My diagnosis   

I had my first serious attack in 2001. I woke up with little feeling below the waist, just a mess of pins and needles. I wondered whether I had slept on a nerve, but I still went to work. My partner was two months pregnant we had a holiday coming, I wasn’t sure what to think. My GP knew a neurologist at the local hospital who was kind enough to see me just before we flew out. He gave me words of reassurance, booked me in for a series of tests and we flew to Porto. After the holiday, the tests came back and I got the final diagnosis a few months later, I had already guessed. I was told I had a 50 % chance of having to walk with a stick or worse within 10 years. I went home, wailed a bit in private then set about telling the people I Ioved.  

What helped me  

About 10 years ago I was introduced to the then CEO of Overcoming MS at the time, Gary. My neurologist had already strongly recommended vitamin D3 supplements and had suggested omega 3 oil so conversations on lifestyle changes and marginal gains were already on my mind.  

What changed   

I do a lot of exercise; parkrun, weights, pilates, etc. During the summer I take great pleasure in swimming in a lake, mindfulness and exercise rolled into one. As time has gone by, I have slowly improved my diet, removing virtually all ultra processed food, reducing diary and any sugar. My last major attack in my early fifties made alcohol impossible to drink. At first, I found that difficult. Now I joke that MS saved me from being a potential alcoholic. I’ve lost weight and have been a fit middle-aged man pushing back against the MS tide. Overcoming MS certainly helped. We are not alone. Unless I am doing a triathlon, still can’t get anyone to join me on that!  

What still isn’t easy   

Bouts of depression are hard but navigable. I wish I was better at mindfulness, but my brain is constantly looking for solutions. I only really switch off over a quiet oat flat white or when asleep. Music helps, too. I accept that I have MS, there is no cure. But I have life, kids and even an ordinary life can have extra ordinary moments  

Life today  

My life is ongoing. I will retire soon. I may have overcome MS but sadly cancer sneaked up when I was looking the other way. My life now will be compressed but the cancer has reinforced for me the MS message – a diagnosis is not a destiny.  

Nobody told me… not to mourn for what you haven’t yet had