So this is my little mini “bio”, although you won’t be glimpsing into my soul or anything, here is a little surface skimming of me in the here and now…

I am a 27 year old living, working, and studying in my native state of Oregon. I suppose it’s pretty appropriate that I make coffee for a living, being that we do love our coffee in the Pacific Northwest. I live with my amazing boyfriend of four years (and “amazing” isn’t just an obligatory term), our two hilarious cats, and a not so hilarious, but extremely lovable wiener dog. I began back in school a few years ago, and just recently finished my AAOT (transfer degree). I am in between transferring schools and trying to figure out what the heck I want to be when I “grow up”. I have loved studying world religions and am interested in furthering my education in this department, but I also love art, and lately I have become super interested in the idea of doing something with my education that may be of some “social” benefit to people. Who knows? Also, I am slightly sarcastic at times, so if I ever come off as a pessimist… well maybe I am, just a tad?! 

I was diagnosed with MS in December of 2008, which as I write this, wasn’t so long ago. I have jumped on the drug bandwagon, and began shooting up with Avonex in February of this year. So far so good, but it’s a bit of a mind-bender taking a drug that costs almost as much, if not more, than a year of college education (thankfully I’m currently insured). Add this to the fact that I’m not even sure if this drug is “helping” me in any way, and that makes for an interesting drug experience. With that said, I am hoping like crazy that Avonex will work to slow my progress of disability, and I’m determined to stick with it until I am convinced either way. 

Like many others following a dx, I have been doing a ton of research, and trying to wrap my brain around anything and everything MS. Unfortunately this can be a bit of a downer, and a little digging around on the internet for info can go a long way, often times making you feel worse about everything. Although I found some interesting forums online, the support was geared more towards older patients, or perhaps it was just that these were the majority people taking part in them. Either way, I was thrilled when I found a site on MySpace called MSunderstood, run by none other than Jackie. This was a place where people could sign up for her newsletter, which she had only recently closed up shop on, when we got in touch. The good news was that I was finally talking with someone who “got” what I was dealing with. Sure, we each have our own unique MS experience, but just talking with someone who I had some common ground with (i.e. we are both super awesome) was amazing. Thus the birth of this blog, and the hope that this will be a place of coming together for people in our age group who are dealing, day to day, with the ups and downs, ins and outs, of MS. 

Sure, I get caught up in some dark moments now and again, regarding my life and future with this disease, but at the same time, I am thankful for the one gift this has given me, and that is simply seeing things in a new “light” if you will. I have been able to sort of reevaluate not only the “what’s” but the “who’s” that matter in my life, and if this is the only gift I get out of the whole deal, so be it. Who doesn’t need a swift kick in the ass now and then?