My Mom came with me to the Neurology clinic at Henry Ford Hospital to discuss the test results from my recent hospital stay. The Neurologist who I saw in the hospital was very kind and EXTREMELY young; GREEN may be a better description.
She came in and told me that my spinal fluid had elevated white blood cells. It wasn’t a really high number but it was elevated. She also told me that my spinal fluid was clear and most of the time it is cloudy. She really wasn’t telling us anything conclusive about the tests I had done. She obviously was uncomfortable about something. She left the room and an older (obviously, more experienced) doctor came in.
She walked in and asked, “What’s going on here?” She looked directly at me while I was sitting on the exam table and said, “You have MS. You’re going to go blind and you’re going to die.” Then she turned on her heel and walked out of the room. EVERYONE I tell that story to does not believe me but it is TRUE!!! My Mom was in the room with me and heard her say it to me. Both my Mom and I were SHOCKED!!!
In my shock, I broke the silence by saying, (not really to her) “I’m going to have a baby.” My Mom turned to me and exclaimed “Jennifer?!” in disbelief of the statement I just made. I found out I was pregnant with my son 5 months later.
Then the Neurologist who saw me in the hospital came back in. So that was it! She didn’t want to tell an 18 year old that she has MS! While at the hospital, the ENTIRE medical staff was baffled that someone SO young was having the neurological problems that I was having.
While in the hospital, I was told that people don’t get diagnosed with MS until they are 25. But this woman just told me that I have MS! The young doctor told me to “do nothing” about this diagnosis. I was SO young, perhaps it may just remain dormant in my system. She told me to finish the prescription of steroids and to follow up with the Neurology clinic annually.
In retrospect, I should have acted differently with this diagnosis. Both in the deliverance of this news to me (the bedside manner of that doctor was INEXCUSABLE and REPREHENSIBLE!) and I should NOT have done nothing. Hindsight is ALWAYS 20/20 but both my Mom and I were TOO shocked and numb to think of any of these things.