Summary

In this episode, host Anthony Lobosco interviews Kathy Chester, a resilient individual who manages multiple health conditions, including multiple sclerosis (MS), rheumatoid arthritis, and epilepsy.

Kathy shares her MS journey, highlighting the importance of acceptance, support, and exercise. She discusses her initial diagnosis, the challenges she faced, and the impact of MS on her daily life.

Kathy also talks about the importance of finding support and having a sense of humor when dealing with MS. The episode emphasizes the themes of acceptance, grieving, and the role of movement in managing MS.

Takeaways

• Acceptance is a crucial step in dealing with a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.
• Grieving is a natural process that newly diagnosed individuals may go through as they come to terms with their condition.
• Finding support from others who understand the challenges of living with MS can be incredibly helpful.
• Having a sense of humor can help navigate the difficulties and uncertainties of life with MS.
• Movement and exercise play a vital role in managing MS and maintaining overall health and well-being.

Sound Bites

• "I was diagnosed back in the late nineties with rheumatoid arthritis. And he did tell me at the time, like I know what this is, but I would like it if you would at least go see a neurologist and get some other tests, because I feel like there might be something else going on."
• "I had had it for so long. So don't do what I did. I didn't go to the doctor for so long. They found at least 30 lesions on my brain. So I definitely had that in high school and looking back, I think a lot of us newly diagnosed as we go through a couple of years, you can kind of see like, oh, that makes sense now."
• "MS is like a visitor that came, unwanted, this visitor was unwanted. And it's not leaving. It's not going to leave us. At least as we know right now. So what do we do with it? We've got to find a spot for it. It doesn't mean that it owns us. Doesn't mean it defines everything about us. But it means we've got to find some kind of peace with it that we still go on with our daily life."

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Overview

03:00
Diagnosis and Early Experiences

07:37
Discovering the Extent of the Disease

14:40
Acceptance and Finding Peace with MS

16:29
The Importance of Support and Grieving

17:26
Finding Joy and Slowing Down

26:23
The Role of Movement and Exercise