Deny, Cope, or Thrive: Living with MS

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For my fourth Neuro Note assignment, I dove deeper into the topic of multiple sclerosis (MS) by watching a TedTalk by Stephanie Buxhoeveden. I chose to watch this talk in hopes of improving my understanding of such a complex disease. Stephanie was diagnosed with MS when she was only 25 years old, a young nurse working her way through a highly selective nurse anesthetist graduate program. Stephanie was planning a wedding and lifted weights in her small amount of free time. Upon receiving her diagnosis, Stephanie was at a crossroads: she could deny her diagnosis, cope with it, or thrive in spite of it. I recommend her TedTalk to anyone hoping to better understand MS and to those suffering from a neurological disorder who are in need of a little inspiration.

Stephanie's symptoms of MS first emerged as a tingling sensation in her foot during a routine workout. Like any young, healthy person would, she chalked this feeling up to a pinched nerve or other sports-related injury. However, as time went on (and in spite of her best efforts to press on as usual), Stephanie found herself without sensation on about two-thirds of her body. She also began to experience blurred vision and difficulties using her dominant hand, which negatively impacted her ability to practice her nurse-anesthetist skills. After a week-long hospital stay, Stephanie was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS, the most commonly diagnosed type of MS (there are four types). 

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disorder that causes immune cells to attack and break down the myelin sheath surrounding the axons of nerve cells. This damage can result in scar tissue (sclera) around the nerves, that create lesions in the brain, spinal cord, and along specific nerves. Nerves are responsible for transmitting messages to and from the brain and spinal cord. Thus, when the path of communication (the myelinated axon) is damaged, sensation, perception, cognition, motor coordination, and various other functions can go awry. Stephanie's treatment of her MS involves frequent injections, oral medications, and IV infusions that help manage her symptoms. 

As a result of her diagnosis, Stephanie is now an expert on MS, an active researcher looking for a cure, and a nurse practitioner devoted to empowering others with the same diagnosis. Below is the resource that can be used to access her story. 

TEDx Talks. (2015, April 3). Thriving in the face of adversity | Stephanie Buxhoeveden | TEDxHerndon [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuLOT6GsAxw

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