's Story

The steps leading to my diagnosis were pretty deliberate. It all began one day when I realized that my feet and legs we're losing sensation.

Back in 1998, I started falling all the time. I would roll my ankle and go down hard. A couple of times I thought I had broken my ankle.

I was actually in the hospital in 1995 for something completely different when one of the doctors discovered I had double vision, off to my right hand side.

I’m Debra Ross, and I’m 46 years old. I have been a personal trainer for over 24 years. I was diagnosed with MS when I was 25 years old.

I'll never forget skating in warm-ups prior to a hockey game, finding I could no longer stand and being carried to the bench.

What were the steps leading up to your diagnosis? I was suffering from strange symptoms such as dizziness, back pain, and weakness on my right side.

I do not suffer from MS physically – I am on the other side of this journey. My partner has lived with this illness for 14 years.

I first noticed that my eyesight was not quite right. I felt like I couldn't quite focus and everything seemed a little foggy.

I was diagnosed in 2000. Prior to being diagnosed I worked all of the time. I was living by myself; my kids had their own lives going on.

I had an episode two years prior to my first confirmed attack where half of my face went numb. I was shocked that I could feel only half of my tongue.

I came from a middle class family in NW Indiana. My childhood and teenage years were filled with excitement; I played local sports through high school.

I'm just like everybody else. I get overwhelmed. I get frightened. I have my “meltdowns". I have learned through my faith to depend on God to get me through the day. I don't give up.