March is National Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month ~ by Grace Augustine

March is National Multiple Sclerosis Awareness month. For the

photo courtesy of the NMSS

past few years on social media I have been posting articles and information relating to this ever increasing autoimmune disease. March 8-14 is National MS Awareness Week.

MS is an autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system. People ask all the time if I’m contagious, how I was stricken with it, and if they are susceptible. The answers: no, it is not a disease spread person to person, I have no idea how I contracted it, and anyone at any time can have MS symptoms.

It is a pro at destroying lives by destroying the host who has the disease. By this I mean it is an individual thing…no two people have the exact same symptoms. It isn’t viral or bacterial. It is our OWN cells attacking our bodies.

In short, we have T-cells and B-cells, both lymphocyte immune

photo courtesy of Teachmephysiology

cells, part of our white blood cells, that originate in our bone marrow. T-cells are responsible for protecting our bodies against any pathogen, including cancer. B-cells are responsible for producing antibodies.

In a person with MS, our bodies produce B and T cells that turn rogue. When this happens, the myelin coating of our nerves are eaten away…the once good fighter cells now become destructive…hence how MS gets its name—MULTIPLE SCARRING. The brain matter and spinal cord are prime places for these rogue cells to feast and break the connection from the command center (our brain) to the nerves throughout our bodies.

Personally, I have lesions at C6 and L6 and multiple white and gray matter lesions in my brain. Location of the lesions are integral in what part of the body is affected by the MS.

MRI’s show the damage to spinal cords and white and gray brain matter, but sometimes they do not correlate to the symptoms of the patient. (Click HERE  to read further.)

Several years ago, I wrote a book SO, YOU HAVE MS. NOW

WHAT? because I was tired of misinformation being given to newly diagnosed patients. 

There is no cure for this autoimmune disorder, that is why it is important to donate to research that can find a cause and hopefully stamp out MS. You can also participate in many other events that are held around the US and globally—BIKE MS, WALK MS, LITTLE BLACK DRESS WINE TASTINGS.

I may not see the cure in my lifetime, but, while I can, I intend to be a motivator and advocate for those who are stricken with this disease. I am a 17 year warrior.