Hi,   My name is Cheryl and I was born in 1976.  I have three gorgeous children: Chloe, Thomas and Toby. My partner or, extremely long-term fiance, is called Nick, we are finally getting married in 2010.  My children are all aware of and understanding of my illness.  Nick does whatever he can to help me on my not so good days, he really is fantastic. I feel very lucky to have so much love and support around me and there is always someone to share a cuddle with.

I received my clinical diagnosis on 15th May 2006 (my daughter's 10th birthday) just my luck! I knew that I had MS for many months beforehand; it was just a matter of pushing the experts for the correct tests to obtain this diagnosis.  I was told previously that I had sciatica, a bad virus, and that I had suffered a mini stroke (TIA), everything but MS!

In the summer of 2005, during the school holidays I had a terrible MS attack, I had been going to the doctors for many weeks prior to this with varying and ever-changing symptoms that I just couldn't understand. Severe dizzy spells, bladder problems, slurred speech, dead legs, excruciating muscle spasms etc. This resulted in me having an awful attack which meant I had to go into hospital, I was completely disorientated, couldn't stop vomiting and I didn't have a single tiny bit of strength in my body.  I thought that every subsequent relapse would be that bad but can honestly say that they never have been.  I've had episodes of not being able to walk and neuropathic pain and other everyday MS things but am grateful to be working and living as near normal a life as possible!

Luckily for me I already knew Sharon Adams who is herself a member of the North Herts Branch and of the Young Person's Group. Sharon was of immense support in those first few days and weeks of diagnosis and it wouldn't have been half as easy to cope without her.  Sharon invited me along to attend The Wednesday Club at Hadleigh for lunch and physiotherapy; I went for the first time just 2 days after my clinical diagnosis. The support, friendship and advice which I was given at The Wednesday Club was fantastic and I felt immediately very comfortable and welcome there. I would recommend strongly that anybody with MS attends physio as it is known that this can significantly reduce the chances of disability and help to improve the mobility of those who are already disabled. The physiotherapy consists of lots of periods for relaxation.

I was for a while on the committee for the North Herts Branch but couldn't manage this on top of family commitments and a full-time job.

As for how I have dealt with it all, pretty well.  Being a busy mother of three gives you little time to think about yourself and I take that as a blessing.  On good days I do wonder if I am putting on a front and I have definitely had my fair share of tears and down days.  I have been through so many different emotions and MS is on my mind everyday and there is no avoiding that.  However, I am very positive about the whole thing as right now I am in good health and I am very lucky to have such a wonderful family unit.  There is a lot of joy in my life and it has changed me for the better as a person, I don't take things for granted anymore.  I have met and made friends with some amazing people through this illness, many of whom are inspiring. It is impossible not to worry about the future when you have been diagnosed with MS, but, there are worse things in life and who knows what tomorrow holds, a cure maybe?