MS Gallery − Waltraud
“Yes, MS has changed my life enormously – but I have found that many of the positive things in my life remain. I now live my life much more intensely than I did seven years ago.”
Waltraud
Age: 29
Hometown: Wiener Neustadt, Austria
Onset of symptoms: 1999
First symptoms experienced: Blurred vision and numbness in the legs
Diagnosed: 1999
Started treatment: 2000
When Waltraud first learned she had MS at age 21, her instinct was to hide it from others. But after telling her parents and her four siblings, they became an immense source of support.
“I would advise people to talk to someone immediately or soon after their diagnosis. You shouldn’t be too secretive about it. Many people asked why it took me two or three years to come out with it.”
After being diagnosed, doctors quickly put Waltraud on medication to slow the course of her MS. She feels grateful that she was diagnosed early and received prompt treatment because now she can manage her symptoms. v Waltraud is still a very active person who enjoys hiking, painting and reading. One year after diagnosis, she met her boyfriend, Thomas, who has been extremely supportive.
“After dealing with MS quite successfully for seven years, I am proud of how positive my attitude remains.”
