Hi, I am Trickenzie.
I started playing World of Warcraft in September 2006 when I was having a bad couple of weeks and not feeling too good. I didn’t know what was wrong with me but I was gradually going completely numb, from my feet upwards. Luckily it stopped just above my waist and I could still eat chocolate.
However, I then had a massive bout of hives – I had hives on the hives and lost so much body heat I was continually shivering although my skin was incredibly hot to touch. The doctors in the emergency room gave me steroids. Oh, how I loved those steroids. Until I had them I had no idea someone had come along and stuffed cotton wool in my brain. I felt better, I felt good, I pingponged around the house on my numb legs and feet, talking on the phone to all my friends at a great rate of knots.
Of course, I had to return to the doctor about the numbness once the hives were under control. He sent me to a neurologist, who sent me to a neurologist, who told me to go to hospital (not having seen me) and be prepared to stay for four days. So, hives on Sunday, steriods on Monday, neurologist one on Tuesday, MRI of the spine on Wednesday, neurologist two (by phone) on Thursday, hospital on Friday.
It was pretty scary because we knew there was something in my spinal cord. Not on my spine, in my spinal cord. Parallels to my mother’s cancer and death were freaking me out, so when my gorgeous little Asian neurologist doctor lady came in and sat me down and said “I think you have Multiple Sclerosis” I asked if I could kiss her.
We were all vastly relieved, because no matter how you look at it, while Multiple Sclerosis sucks – (MS stands for More Shit according to Richard Pryor) at least with MS I could have several years of More Shit and not just the months or weeks we were all so worried about.
So there I was.
And in all honesty, here I still am. I haven’t managed to move on very far from there. I have spent most of the intervening two years playing WoW where I can run and jump and heal people just like no one can in real life. Here’s hoping I can start to get a life rolling along a bit now.
Oh, and kudos to my wonderful husband, who hasn’t once complained about the fact that I have sat in stunned surprise that this could happen to me and have made very little effort to adjust. Hopefully, my love, I have had the time I needed to decide to start and while I am sure the times ahead will have tears and traumas, please know that I am everlastingly grateful for your undaunting support and patience and most of all your love.
