It’s World MS Day 31st May 2017 and in support of our customers and the #lifewithMS campaign from MS International Federation, we asked Melinda, a Hit 100 customer to share her experience and tips for living well with MS with us.
When did you find out you had MS?
I was diagnosed in June 2010 at the age of 52 when I woke up one morning with a blurry left eye. I visited her doctor that morning, a specialist and an optometrist later that day but couldn’t stop from having panicking thoughts like; what’s wrong with my eye?
On my way home that day was called back to the specialist to come back in but rapidly I had lost all vision and couldn’t see at all out of my eye at all. I was all by myself at that time and luckily I had to call friends to take to the hospital again. I underwent a biopsy and diagnosed with optic neuritis; a gateway symptom and sometimes referred to as the first stage of MS for a lot of people.
We heard you are passionate about volunteering?
I have always helped others and I’ve volunteered in different organisations for most of my life. That hasn't stopped. The last festive season, I was in the community again Christmas present wrapping in my local shopping centre; while I couldn’t tie the bows, I could wrap the presents, tear off the sticky tape and could be the voice to call out.
Why did you choose Hit 100 as a support?
I used to be in the hospitality industry for over 40 years but I don't have great eating habits. I actually had an atrocious diet because I never knew when I would have time to eat, my metabolism never got into a rhythm. Through Hit 100 dietitians, my goal is to educate my support workers and me to prepare good food, make healthy food choices and ensure I don’t waste food.
What are your tips for #lifewithMS?
When diagnosed, try not to google it and remember each diagnosis is individual. Learn to know your own symptoms.
Most importantly, do what you can, when you can. If you get fatigued, that’s ok, rest up, you’ll get those days, don’t let it rule you, you have to be in command of it.
