MS Gallery − Lucy
“This is another life for me – not the one I imagined, but it is beautiful.”
Lucy
Age: 44
Hometown: Mexico City, Mexico
Onset of symptoms: 1986
First symptoms experienced: Prickly sensations in palms and feet, numbness and eyesight problems
Diagnosed: 1992
Started treatment: 1995
Lucy has been living with MS for about 20 years and understands the day-to-day struggles people with the condition face. “You have to work through your grief, your anger and your fears so you can stop carrying them with you and see your future.”
At age 24, Lucy first experienced a prickly feeling in the palms of her hands and feet, followed by numbness and problems seeing. Doctors said she had scoliosis, a curvature of the spine. So whenever symptoms returned, Lucy gave them little thought.
Five years later, however, half of her tongue and the left side of her face became numb. Lucy was pregnant with her third child, and afraid that she might have something that could affect her baby. After consulting a neurologist, Lucy learned that she had MS. “I was very scared. I never thought something like that could happen to me. My self-esteem at the time was at rock bottom. I felt less of a woman, less attractive, less complete.”
At the time, Lucy’s oldest son (pictured here) was only six years old. Lucy explained that she would need him to help with day-to-day chores. As her symptoms progressed, Lucy stopped working – closing a school she ran for deaf children and those with language and learning difficulties.
But during the first years after her diagnosis, Lucy discovered a passion and talent for painting. She also has found enormous comfort in her religion. Now, she is eager for others to see that she’s still enjoying a full and happy life despite MS. “I want to do my part to give hope to the people who have been recently diagnosed – to show them that all is not lost.”
