MS Michigan Man 64

Hey everyone, welcome to MS Michigan Man 64. I’m Brian Wallace, and today we hit a major milestone — Episode 100! In this special 2 Part episode, we’re looking back at the incredible MS warriors who’ve joined us along the way, sharing updates on their journeys, and giving thanks to guests who have helped make this show what it is. To all the subscribers, listeners, and supporters — thank you for riding with me. Your encouragement fuels this mission to bring awareness, connection, and real talk about life with MS. And hang in till the end — I’ve got a BIG surprise. I’ll be sharing exciting news about the future of MS Michigan Man 64 in a major announcement you won’t want to miss. “Hail! Hail! to Michigan!” Get ready for my move to Hail Media Group and SUBSCRIME NOW!! https://youtube.com/@hailmediagroup?si=rtvypEv7ziJHRM40 Follow on TikTok @msmichiganman64 Instagram @msmichiganman64 Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick Ohio

Hey everyone, welcome to MS Michigan Man 64. I’m Brian Wallace, and today we hit a major milestone — Episode 100! In this special episode, we’re looking back at the incredible MS warriors who’ve joined us along the way, sharing updates on their journeys, and giving thanks to guests who have helped make this show what it is. To all the subscribers, listeners, and supporters — thank you for riding with me. Your encouragement fuels this mission to bring awareness, connection, and real talk about life with MS. And hang in till the end — I’ve got a BIG surprise. I’ll be sharing exciting news about the future of MS Michigan Man 64 in a major announcement you won’t want to miss. “Hail! Hail! to Michigan!” Get ready for my move to Hail Media Group and SUBSCRIME NOW!! https://youtube.com/@hailmediagroup?si=rtvypEv7ziJHRM40 Follow on TikTok @msmichiganman64 Instagram @msmichiganman64 Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick Ohio

Hey everyone, welcome to MS Michigan Man 64. I'm Brian Wallace, and this is where we get real about living with multiple sclerosis—no medical jargon you can't understand, just honest conversations between people who get it. Today I’m catching up with Jonathan, MS warrior and mental health professional, first featured in Episode 29. Diagnosed in 2022, Jonathan is the Director of Inpatient Operations in Massachusetts, and this time he’s back to talk about the emotional toll of chronic illness. We dive into the mental health journey that comes with MS—how it’s a snowflake disease physically, but the emotional impact often follows a familiar path. Jonathan shares what it’s like going from medical expert to patient, learning to walk in shoes he once only described. We talk about the lack of mental health support at diagnosis, the need for systems that help people carry the weight of life-changing news, and how wrong it is to deliver that news over the phone. Technology may be advancing, but bedside manner is slipping—and that disconnect hits hard. We also explore how to balance social life, med management, and the acceptance of bad days. Because support systems matter. You can find me on TikTok and Instagram @msmichiganman64. Follow on Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick, Ohio. You can find Jonathan on TikTok @ms.mursenary.solja. Let’s dive in.

Hey everyone, welcome to MS Michigan Man 64. I'm Brian Wallace, and this is where we get real about living with multiple sclerosis - no medical jargon you can't understand, just honest conversations between people who get it. Today I'm talking with Mamoud, diagnosed with MS in 2021. He traveled to California in 2021 and got diagnosed with COVID-19, then experienced vision loss. He saw an optometrist who discovered he developed color blindness. She looked at his optic nerve, found it very swollen, and sent him for an MRI same day. Two hours later, she called - 32 brain lesions showing signs of MS. Same day he was taken for a spinal tap. In one day, his life changed. He had multiple sclerosis. Mamoud speaks about starting Ocrevus and how he hasn't had any new lesions since. He talks about his experience with DMTs and reactions to treatment. We talk about connections on TikTok and the chronic illness community, the importance of support systems within your MS community. We also dive into how MS affects your mental health, and Mamoud shares his own personal experiences. You can find me on TikTok and Instagram @msmichiganman64 and follow on Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick, Ohio https://firstdescents.org/ https://share.google/yuhUbBY9tEM64RyY5 https://share.google/PQVh8trcbwydWPZod Let's dive in.

Hey everyone, welcome to MS Michigan Man 64. I'm Brian Wallace, and this is where we get real about living with multiple sclerosis - no medical jargon you can't understand, just honest conversations between people who get it. Today, I'm talking to an MSer from Texas, Dan, that was diagnosed with his MS in 2022. Dan started having issues with his walking and having pain that he thought was a pinched nerve. Dan's wife encouraged him to see a neurologist asap and when he went to the neuro tests were immediately ordered and Dan was told he had MS. Dan talks about how he had no idea what MS was and how he didn't even hear anything after those words but thankfully his wife was with him listen to Dan's diagnosis too. Dan and I discuss the mental shock of being diagnosed with MS and how he had to begin to learn his new life and the mental struggles that come with it. Dan and I talk about how we met on TikTok and how he learned so much about his MS from talking to other warriors on TikTok LIVES. Dan shares the incredible devastation he is dealing with right now as his beautiful wife and childhood sweetheart passed away two months ago after a six year battle with lupus and suffered from kidney failure and multiple other issues taking her life. Dan is absolutely an amazing warrior with how he id using his wife as motivation to keep fighting this fight! Dan, thank you for sharing your journey with me and trying to help people understand and keep fighting no matter what happens in life! Knowledge is power and ignorance is a choice! FUMS! Follow on TikTok @msmichiganman64, Instagram @msmichiganman64 and Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick Ohio

Hey everyone, welcome to MS Michigan Man 64. I'm Brian Wallace, and this is where we get real about living with multiple sclerosis - no medical jargon you can't understand, just honest conversations between people who get it. Today I'm talking with Ashleigh from Virginia, diagnosed with MS in 2014 at 22 years old. She woke up unable to see out of one eye. At the ER, they told her Optic Neuritis could be a first symptom of MS - imagine hearing that so young! On September 11th, 2014, neurology called with her official diagnosis. We talk about how wrong it is to deliver a serious diagnosis over the phone. Ashleigh opens up about her recovery from alcoholism - how it started as a couple drinks but escalated when alcohol became a tool to manage MS symptoms and escape her disease. A phone call and road trip from her dad changed everything. That act of love was enough for her to accept change. She made that choice in 2023 and just celebrated 2 years of sobriety! If struggling with alcohol, call SAMHSA: 1-800-662-4357 or visit samhsa.gov We talk about the mental strain of this disease, accepting changes, dreaming of the past but waking in your current reality. We discuss asking "why me?" only to realize there's nothing you did wrong. We cover support systems, DMTs like Ocrevus and Mavenclad, and mobility aids. You can find me on TikTok and Instagram @msmichiganman64. I'm also on Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick, Ohio. Connect with Ashleigh on TikTok @SchlapMyAsh of us on TikTok. Let's dive in.

Hey everyone, welcome to MS Michigan Man 64. I'm Brian Wallace, and this is where we get real about living with multiple sclerosis - no medical jargon you can't understand, just honest conversations between people who get it. Today I'm talking with Franky from Indiana. Her journey started with numbness from the belly button down and right side weakness. The hospital dismissed her - told her she was just overweight and needed to walk more. She spent a year trying to adjust while working full time with a 1-year-old. Life wasn't stopping while she tried to figure out what was happening. Neurology wrote her off and sent her to rheumatology, who misdiagnosed her with Lupus. It wasn't until a fall was captured on a Ring camera that her neurologist finally agreed to testing. MRIs, spinal tap, then that in-person call - her whole life changed in an instant. She had multiple sclerosis. We talk about how your head spins for years before you get a grip on the diagnosis, and how careers can change overnight. Franky discusses the disability fight and those endless hoops. She's always pushed herself and learned to adapt. A walker helped her practice - and that helped her both physically and mentally. We dive into "mom guilt" - not participating in activities, kids missing events because she can't get them there. We discuss being open with kids about MS, DMTs, and the support we've found through TikTok lives in the MS community. You can find me on TikTok and Instagram @msmichiganman64 and I'm also on Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick, Ohio. You can connect with Franky on TikTok @FuckinFranky. Let's dive in.

Hey everyone, welcome to MS Michigan Man 64. I'm Brian Wallace, and this is where we get real about living with multiple sclerosis - no medical jargon you can't understand, just honest conversations between people who get it. Today I'm talking with Carmen from Arizona, officially diagnosed in 1999 - but her journey started a decade earlier. At just 7 years old in 1989, she began experiencing unexplained falls. Back then, MS wasn't recognized in adolescents, so doctors missed it for years. She dealt with falling, vertigo, and gait changes before optic neuritis finally caught attention. They misdiagnosed it as a stroke, and it took another year and a half before they admitted failing to check her spinal tap results and finally diagnosed MS. Carmen talks about childhood resilience and carrying that strength forward. We discussed her homeopathic approach for 7 years - diet changes and medicinal marijuana - before transitioning to traditional MS medications. We both share how exercise helped retain mobility. We dive into relationships and MS - from diagnosis around age 18, through culinary arts school where she built confidence. She opens up about pregnancy with MS and post-pregnancy symptoms that progressed her from cane to rollator. Carmen met her significant other through a dating app. He didn't see her illness first; he looked beyond the diagnosis to who she truly is - finding a partner who is understanding, compassionate, and involved. You can find me on Instagram @msmichigan64, Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick, Ohio and I'm also on TikTok @msmichiganman64. You can find Carmen at https://carmenlucia.shop/. Let's dive in.

Hey everyone, welcome to MS Michigan Man 64. I'm Brian Wallace, and this is where we get real about living with multiple sclerosis - no medical jargon you can't understand, just honest conversations between people who get it. Today I'm talking with Dave from Canada, diagnosed with MS in 2016 while attending college. His journey started with extremity numbness, and what happened next shows how fragile our treatment plans can be. Dave was an electrician and business owner until Covid and MS took it all away. During Covid, he couldn't get his medication, which caused him to deteriorate fast and left him with permanent damage. Dave started a movement called "Rockin to End MS" - using his passion for guitar to raise awareness and push for a cure. We talk about explaining MS to his child and how they processed that their dad has this disease. It's real talk about acceptance of using mobility aids and the mental drain this disease puts on you. Finding relief and an outlet for that mental stress is crucial - We both speak on the importance of finding a passion that occupies your mind. We discuss finding an MS community and the love and support you'll receive from it. Dave also shares his experience with a PEMF mat and highly recommends people with MS give it a try. You can find me on TikTok and Instagram @msmichiganman64 and Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick, Ohio. Find Dave on TikTok @DDS Dave does stuff, YouTube and Instagram @ddsdave7 #rockintoendms Let's dive in. https://healthywavemat.com/index?referrer=CNWR_140571747440515

Hey everyone, welcome to MS Michigan Man 64. I'm Brian Wallace, and this is where we get real about living with multiple sclerosis - no medical jargon you can't understand, just honest conversations between people who get it. Today I'm talking with Amanda, diagnosed with MS in 2016. Her journey started with numbness in her feet and legs that progressed to losing feeling from the chest down. Then came Christmas Day - imagine getting that life-changing diagnosis call from your neurologist on Christmas. Talk about timing. Amanda speaks on choosing positivity through this journey, real resilience. We dive into something that always makes me angry - people and their miracle cures that don't exist. We talk about how MS can completely change the course of your career and force you to reimagine your future. But Amanda also shares her creative outlets - knitting, painting, and her joy of singing. These aren't just hobbies; they're lifelines that help her process and cope with everything MS throws at her. Amanda's perspective on finding purpose and joy despite the challenges is something we all need to hear. You can find me on Instagram @msmichiganman64, and both of us on TikTok. Let's dive in.

Hey everyone, welcome to MS Michigan Man 64. I'm Brian Wallace, and this is where we get real about living with multiple sclerosis - no medical jargon you can't understand, just honest conversations between people who get it. Today I'm talking with Justin from Wisconsin, diagnosed with MS in 2019. His journey started with weakness and flexibility issues in his left leg - symptoms many of you will recognize from your diagnostic stories. We're diving into the disability approval process, which so many of us have to navigate but nobody prepares you for. Justin shares his experience with the paperwork, the waiting, and what that process looked like for him. We also talk about relationships and having a chronic illness - It's real talk about stuff that impacts our daily lives beyond the medical side. Justin has a Facebook page called "Weebles May Wobble but They Don't Fall Down" where he connects with others in our community. I love that name - it captures that resilience we all need. You can find me on Instagram @msmichiganman64 and on Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick Ohio and both of us on TikTok. Check out Justin's Facebook page for community support. Let's dive in.

Hey everyone, welcome to MS Michigan Man 64. I'm Brian Wallace, and this is where we get real about living with multiple sclerosis - no medical jargon you can't understand, just honest conversations between people who get it. Today I'm talking with Beth from Oklahoma, who brings a unique perspective - she worked in mental health AND she's been living with MS since her 2007 diagnosis. Beth's journey started with losing eyesight in one eye and getting her diagnosis over the phone after an emergency MRI. Talk about a way to find out! We're diving into something that doesn't get talked about enough - grieving the loss of yourself after you get diagnosed. Beth speaks honestly about that process and how MS affects mental health. She opens up about memory problems and learning to accept when you need help. Beth mentions MS hugs - those symptoms that feel like heart attack symptoms and terrify you until you know what they are. We talk about how her faith in God has been her stability through this journey, and how relationships get impacted when dealing with a lifelong diagnosis. She encourages journaling to process this MS journey and emphasizes finding support, even through social media. Beth's wisdom about overcoming hurdles to still do what you love is something we all need to hear. You can find me on TikTok and Instagram @msmichiganman64 and Facebook, Brian Wallace Brunswick, Ohio. Both of us can be found on TikTok. Beth's TT user name is Dr. Beth (followed by 3 orange hearts) Let's dive in.

Hey everyone, welcome to MS Michigan Man 64. I'm Brian Wallace, and this is where we get real about living with multiple sclerosis - no medical jargon you can't understand, just honest conversations between people who get it. Today I'm talking with Jen, a fellow Michigan MS warrior who's navigating this journey with strength and honesty. Jen's story starts with symptoms that hit during the height of COVID - numbness and vertigo that left doctors wondering: is this MS or could it be COVID? Sound familiar? So many of us dealt with that extra layer of confusion during the pandemic. We're diving into how MS affects your career and work life - the real talk about accommodations, limitations, and those tough decisions we all face. Jen opens up about heat intolerance and how it impacts daily life, plus we discuss the often complicated process of applying for SSA disability benefits. Jen's perspective on managing symptoms while trying to maintain a career is something a lot of you will relate to. She's honest about the challenges without sugarcoating anything, which is exactly what this community needs. You can find me on TikTok and Instagram @msmichiganman64, this show's on YouTube, Spotify and Apple. Let's dive in.

Hey everyone, welcome to MS Michigan Man 64. I’m Brian Wallace, and this is where we get real about living with multiple sclerosis - no medical jargon you can’t understand, just honest conversations between people who get it. Today I’m talking with Mely Macabre, a 36-year-old artist and writer I connected with on TikTok. What drew me to Mely is that she’s an open book, just like me. She doesn’t hold back about the hard stuff that comes with MS. We’re diving into her diagnosis journey, the medical gaslighting so many of us face, and how MS affects every part of your life - your relationships, your social connections, and yeah, we’re talking about intimacy and sex too. Nobody else wants to discuss it, but it’s real life. Mely deals with tremors, drop foot, migraines - symptoms a lot of you will recognize. But more than that, she’s using her story to help others feel less alone, which is exactly what this community needs. You can find me on TikTok and Instagram @msmichiganman64, this show’s on Spotify Let’s dive in.

Q is an MS warrior from Texas who was working in the prison system for 10 years when he suddenly lost his ability to see in sunlight when he tried going to work one morning. Q made his way back into the house and sat down to try to figure out what was going on and rest his eyes. Q tried to go back out into the sunlight and the same thing happened. Q made it back inside and called a friend to come over and take him to the ER. When Q got to ER an MRI and other tests were completed and Q was told in the ER that he has MS and he will need to see a neurologist. Q was with his mom at the time and asked his mom if it was a death sentence because Q had no prior knowledge of the disease. Q and I talk about the fear of the diagnosis at 26 years old and not understanding much about the disease. Q was originally prescribed Tecfidera but made the decision to not take the DMT because it went dormant and he was feeling normal. Q was at work and he was getting his hair cut when a disturbance occurred so he got up to respond and began to run but his legs did not want to work. Q had to reestablish his diagnosis because he didn't have a neurologist anymore. When Q found a new neurologist his doctor reaffirmed his MS but also told Q he was deeming his work unsafe. Q and I talk about the mental struggles of losing a career that we put so much of our life into. We also talk about the mobility aid struggle and how we were depressed because of the isolation we went through. Q and I talk about our suicidal thoughts we went through during our period of fear we went through. Q talks about how he fights every day after he found his faith and put everything into God's hands. Q switched DMT's to Ocrevus and began PT to rebuild his strength up and now he has been relapse free for over two years. We also have a conversation about our kids and how they are learning about their dad's disease. Q and I talk about how our MS has opened our eyes with how we see people. Q is amazing the way he customized his journey with his MS and how he found God to help him to keep going. If you want to connect with Q on TikTok you can find him @living.with.ms14. Q, thank you for sharing your journey! You are a warrior! Follow me on TikTok @msmichiganman64 Instagram @msmichiganman64 Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick Ohio

Ray is an MS warrior originally from New York City and then went to the University of Maryland where he earned an athletic scholarship to play basketball. Ray then ended up in Pennsylvania because of job opportunities and he still calls it home. Ray explains that when he was around 35 years old when he started experiencing his leg dropping. Ray thought he was having meniscus issues and figured it would fix itself eventually but his drop leg quickly turned into a dragging lag. Ray was at an event for his record label, Nothing But Determination, and security accused him of being under the influence because of how he was walking. The next day Ray immediately went to his doctor because he knew something wasn't right. Ray's doctor examined him and had him get an MRI because it was possible he had MS. Ray's MRI showed spinal cord lesions but no brain lesions so a lumbar puncture was done and it was confirmed he had MS. Ray and I discuss how he had no knowledge of and how he is still learning 10 years into his journey with his RPMS. Ray went from walking, to a cane, then quickly progressed to a rollator and wheelchair in less than two years from diagnosis. Ray and I talk about how his family had to learn about his new disease and how we struggle trying to explain what we are going through. We also have a great conversation about how we adjust and cope with our new life and learn how to stay motivated to keep fighting. Ray talks about the mental part of his journey and we talk about how we had thoughts of suicide and how we got help and the importance of support systems. Ray and I also talk about how we have to occupy our time and find new passions like he did with his record label (NBDR) Nothing But Determination Reckordz LLC. Ray is an amazing MS warrior with his attitude and resilience. Follow Ray on social media @Vocullz Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. For Ray's Record label you can find him @nothingbutdetermination.com and on Facebook and Instagram @nothingbutdeternination. Thank you Ray for sharing your journey to help people understand living with MS a little better. Follow me on TikTok @msmichiganman64 Instagram @msmichiganman64 Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick Ohio

Allison is an MS warrior from Toronto Canada who started her journey in April of 2022 when she woke up and was numb from the ribs down on her right side. The numbness lasted a few days and her primary doctor advised her to go to the ER. Allison immediately went to the ER and the doctors in the ER told her it was anxiety and sent her home with no tests or scans. Her primary doctor thought that didn't sound right so she set up multiple tests within the following couple months and Allison was told that she had MS. Allison then spent the next six months trying to figure out exactly what was going on when she had another episode in November of 2022 and was told she had an extremely aggressive form of RRMS. Allison and I have a great conversation about the fear we experienced when we received our diagnosis and how we handled it and we also discuss how we feel mental health therapy should be a part of our treatment early to help us understand our new life better. Allison shares the importance of her support system and we also discuss how we found each other on TikTok and how we use TikTok as a tool to help manage our disease. We also talk about her DMT path with Ocrevus and how she really didn't know anything about them like most of us new in this journey. Allison and I talk about attitude and our motivations to keep going and Allison also shares how she found love with a guy she reconnected with after her diagnosis and how he has been there for her ever since. Allison is absolutely amazing to talk to about how she will never give up the fight with her MS. Allison, thank you so much for sharing your journey with me and help to understand living with chronic disease better. Ignorance is a choice! FUMS! Follow me on TikTok @msmichiganman64, Instagram @msmichiganman64, Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick Ohio

In this episode I have a conversation with Mayra, an MS warrior from California that started her journey in 2023 when she had issues with her right eye. Mayra let it go thinking it would go away but after two weeks it didn't so her husband took her to the ER but they just told her she had a headache and sent her home. Mayra then made an appointment with her primary doctor and was told the same thing but Mayra insisted she have an MRI. Mayra's doctor ordered the MRI and when the results came back her doctor told her he suspected MS and wanted her to see a neurologist. Mayra talks about how she did not know what MS was and she thought she had what Michael J Fox had, Parkinson's. Mayra and I have awesome discussions about the mental part of the diagnosis and how fear is the biggest emotion and how it's not addressed when diagnosed. We talk about family and how Myra and her husband use couples counseling as a tool for both of them. Mayra dedicated this episode to her husband as her main caregiver and her rock who she loves to give TLC to any way she can and their relationship is absolutely beautiful. We also talk about the importance of community and finding that support. Mayra's is a warrior who has so much strength and perseverance with how she has come to manage her MS. Follow and connect with Mayra on TikTok @ms.tink.a.bility. Mayra thank you so much for sharing your journey with me so people can understand living with MS better! Follow me on TikTok @msmichiganman64 Instagram @msmichiganman64 Facebook Brian Wallace Brunswick Ohio

Dave is an MS warrior from the UK that joined me in this episode. Dave talks about his journey with his MS diagnosis when he started experiencing tingling from his head to his foot when he stretched which he brushed off and ignored for over a year. Dave was at his mother-in-law's and she made a comment about his walking not being normal and later that weekend Dave lost all feeling in his right leg. Dave feared he had a stroke or heart attack and went to the hospital where nothing was done as far as testing so Dave made an appointment with his GP. Dave's GP said he had inner ear vertigo, but that made no sense being that it wouldn't explain his loss of feeling in his right leg. Dave's doctor referred him to a specialist and six months later he was told he had MS in 2019. Dave and I have some great conversations about how people are told they have a chronic disease without any mental health support for the patient and no explanation of our new life. We discuss the importance of addressing the mental health part of the disease as early as you can after diagnosis. Dave and I talk about the importance of finding a community like we did on TikTok to find people that relate to the struggles. Dave is a huge advocate in the UK about spreading awareness about MS and we talk about how we want to help people understand everything about living with a chronic disease. We also have a great conversation about how are governments treat us in the UK and USA. Dave also talks about his Facebook page, MS Champion for the MS Society (David Thurman), he started to help spread awareness about this disease. Dave is an amazing MS warrior with so much great information about how we manage this disease. Follow Dave_m.s-trucker on TikTok @multiplesclerosistrucker. Check out children's MS PDF from Dave here https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=9d3d6247a3&attid=0.1&permmsgid=msg-a:r-4469581347826250453&th=198e90b407e38a48&view=att&disp=inline&realattid=6D7EF8D1-FA57-4D58-A032-83C1EDF8BE36&zw. Thank you Dave for sharing your journey! Follow me on TikTok @msmichiganman64 Instagram @msmichiganman64 Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick Ohio

Melissa is an MS warrior from Kansas that started her journey a year ago when she wasn't able to stand one morning in March of 2024. Her husband immediately took Melissa to the hospital and they ran multiple tests including a spinal tap which lead to her diagnosis of MS in May of 2024. Melissa and I talk about how she new what MS was, having a career in long term care, but she only saw severe cases so she didn't understand the early stages. Melissa had to try to learn as much as she could as quick as she could. Melissa discusses how being so new to her diagnosis has affected her life from her career to her relationships with family and friends. Melissa also talks about the mental health aspect of her diagnosis and how she is navigating her new life. We have a great conversation about how we want are family to understand our disease and the difficulties we have explaining how we feel. We also talk about how we connected with each other through TikTok and Facebook and how important it is to find a community. Melissa is new to her diagnosis and she is absolutely attacking how she manages her MS and learning what is the best way for herself. Melissa is an amazing MS warrior that is new in her journey and doing what we all do, WE FIGURE SHIT OUT! Thank you Melissa for sharing your journey with me and help to spread awareness. Follow on TikTok @msmichiganman64 Instagram @msmichiganman64 Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick Ohio

Melissa is an MS warrior from Michigan (Go Blue!) that received her MS diagnosis in September of 2024 and wanted to help spread awareness about living with MS. Melissa explains how she had back pain for years prior but went untreated. Melissa started having other issues like dizziness, fatigue, headaches and unexplained sweating that made her doctor order an MRI and it came back with some lesions. A lumbar puncture was also ordered to confirm the diagnosis by her neurologist. Melissa and I talk about how she had no knowledge of MS and no family history and how she missed a lot of symptoms for many years but she didn't know what the symptoms for MS were but it makes sense to her now. Melissa talks about the mental part of her diagnosis having already been managing mental heal issues and how she found a neuropsychiatry that specialized in MS and it's been amazing helping manage the disease. We also have a great discussion about family support and how Melissa's husband and children have been there for her from day one. Melissa talks about how her husband of 31 years that had no understanding of his wife's new diagnosis and but they relate to each other because both have a chronic disease. Melissa and I talk about how we met on TikTok and how important having people to talk to that understand what you're going through. Melissa is an amazing lady new in her journey but wants to help spread awareness about what its like living with MS. If you want to follow Melissa on TikTok @MAMAK @ma_kel3. Thank you so much for sharing your journey with me Melissa! You are an absolute warrior that will never give up with the support from your family and God you got whatever MS deals you! Follow on TikTok @msmichiganman64 Instagram @msmichigan64 Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick Ohio

Mollie is an MS warrior from Georgia that began her journey when she was 15 years old and a freshman in high school. Mollie explains how she had a two week period where her right arm went numb for a short time and what Mollie called "spells" where she had stroke-like symptoms. Mollie had attacks multiple times the next few days even during her cheer tryouts when she lost strength and dropped one of her teammates. Mollie's parents were able to see one of Mollie's attacks and immediately took her to the ER where they ran a CT scan. Mollie tells me how she continued to have attacks and her parents took her to a different hospital that was equipped with an MRI. Mollie's parents were very concerned because there was a family history of brain tumors. An MRI was ordered and Mollie was told she had MS at the age of 15. Mollie and I have an amazing conversation about how she handled being told she had MS at such a young age and how she had to grow up over night with her new life of having a chronic condition. Mollie and I have so many incredible conversations during this episode. We talk about how she learned to advocate for herself at a young age and we also talk about the importance of our mental health. Mollie talks about relationships with having MS and multiple other diagnoses and how she found an incredible man that doesn't care about any of her issues and how he loves her for who she is. Mollie is just an amazing young warrior that wants to spread awareness about what it's like living with chronic disease. Follow Mollie on TikTok @molliefletch101. Mollie thank you so much for sharing your journey with me and good luck on your wedding in December! I can't wait to see pictures! Follow on TikTok @msmichiganman64 Instagram @msmichiganman64 Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick Ohio

Sarah is an MS warrior originally from Canada that currently lives in Spain who started her MS journey in 1995 when she was 20 years old. Sarah experienced extremely heavy legs one day walking home from school. She told her mom when she got home and her mom took her to a doctor and Sarah was diagnosed with scoliosis. Six months later, Sarah was in school taking a chemistry exam when her right hand went numb. The next day when Sarah woke up her whole right side of her body was numb and she struggled to walk. Sarah was taken to the ER to be seen and was told to take a Tylenol and go home. Sarah tells me how she learned quick to advocate for herself after it took four doctors and a year to finally diagnose her with MS. Sarah and I have a great conversation about how our family had to learn about our diagnosis because we were the first to be diagnosed with MS and how we learned about the disease without having the internet around in the 90's. We talk about the mental health part of the diagnosis as well as the importance of finding a community. Sarah and I also get into an amazing conversation about how she met her husband online and how he accepted her MS and has been at her side through everything MS dished out for 30 years. Sarah explains her mobility aid journey and we discuss how we struggled mentally using aids because we want to stay independent and how we learned to use them as tools to live the best life we can. Sarah is amazing with how she spreads awareness about living with MS on TikTok. If you want to connect with Sarah you can find her @Sarah @user17386233. Sarah thank you for sharing your journey with me to help understand living with MS better. FUMS! Follow me on TikTok @msmichiganman64 Instagram @msmichiganman64 Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick Ohio

Debbie is a return MS warrior from Colorado that shared her MS diagnosis journey with me in Episode 5. Debbie came back on to talk about the importance of finding a community and how we found each other on TikTok. Debbie and I talk about how we are on a mission to help people that are going through what we already have experienced. We talk about the mental part of the disease and how we are trying to be there for people struggling because we understand. Debbie and I talk about how we made adjustments in how we do things especially mobility aids. We also have a great discussion about how we have to sometimes go outside our comfort zone because we want to live as normal of a life that we can. Debbie and I talk about how we both recently thought outside the box and did something that we normally would have done in the past. I went to the Ohio state fair for first time inn 10 years and Debbie is planning a flight to go by herself to visit an MS warrior in southern Colorado. Debbie talks about how she had to make modifications to still enjoy the things she loves and knowing when things weren't realistic anymore. Debbie is an amazing MS warrior and if you want to follow Debbie on TikTok you can find her @DebbietheMSwarriormom. Thank you for joining me again Debbie to help understand what its like living with MS. FUMS Follow me on TikTok 2msmichiganman64 Instagram @msmichiganman64 Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick Ohio

Marcus is an MSer from Florida that started his MS journey while he was serving for the US Army after playing college football in Kansas. Marcus was playing basketball in the gym when he lost the ability to dribble and to run backwards like he normally could. Marcus went to the military sick call the next day because he knew something wasn't right. The Army doctors ran a few tests and put him on rest for a few days and Marcus improved his symptoms and continued his military career until a knee injury forced him out of service. Marcus then went into civilian life still with no definitive diagnosis but knew what he had. Marcus and I talk about the fight he had with keeping his military records available for his new civilian doctors and how he had to advocate for himself with Veteran Affairs to get the compensation he was entitled to because of his service. Marcus talks about what it was like being young and being diagnosed with a life changing disease and we have a discussion about how he struggled with the mental health aspect and how he figured out he needed professional help. Marcus shares how he went years hiding his disease because he didn't want to talk about MS with anyone and how he learned to talk and advocate for himself throughout his journey. We have so many great conversations about family, employment, exercise, walking aids and how we have learned how to manage our disease and figure things out through experience. We also talk about how we both have learned to ask for help. Marcus tells me the great story of how he met his wife after being in a 30 year prior marriage and how his current wife understands being a fibromyalgia warrior. Marcus has an amazing attitude with how he keeps fighting no matter what MS gives to him. Marcus, thank you so much for sharing your journey with me to help understand what it's like living with MS! Keep fighting the fight! Follow on TikTok @msmichiganman64 Instagram @msmichiganman64 Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick Ohio

April is an MS warrior from Tennessee who started her journey in 1995 when she had numbness and tingling in her legs. April feared it was MS after she saw her mom pass away from complications with her MS in 1988. April went to a neurologist and an MRI was ordered along with a lumbar puncture. April was told that she had the same chronic disease as her mother in 1995. April and I discuss how Betaseron was the only DMT out at the time and how her and her neurologist decided to hold off treating her and giving her the label at the age of 21 so April just continued to live life. We have a great discussion about how she was angry about her diagnosis and didn't understand why this was happening to her and how she needed antidepression medication to help her mental health issues she was having. April and I talk about the importance of support by family and friends. April explains her DMT journey and how she struggled to find a DMT that her body handled. April talks bout how she had to make the decision to stop working because of he disease 13 years ago. We also talk about the journey in itself filing for disability and getting denied four times. April and I have an awesome conversation about what motivates her to keep fighting for her daughter. We talk about the importance of educating yourself and that ignorance is a choice. Thank you for sharing your journey with me April! You are a warrior! Never stop fighting the fight! Follow om TikTok @msmichiganman64 Instagram @msmichiganman64 Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick Ohio

Ally is an MSer from Arkansas who was diagnosed with MS in 2014. Ally and I talk about how she had a party for her two boys on a Saturday and she suddenly couldn't use her legs and fell to the ground in her bedroom. Ally's sister found her and it took Ally 30 minutes to regain her strength to get up. The next day Ally had double vision that she blamed on the busy day she had before with the party. On Monday Ally still had double vision but still went to work only being able to see if she kept one eye closed. After Ally almost had an accident while she was at work because of her vision she knew she needed to go to the hospital to get what's going on figured out. Ally had an MRI and a spinal tap and was diagnosed with MS. Ally and I talk about how she really didn't know much about MS and how she went down the Google hole and how she didn't know if she was going to die. Ally talks about how she researched and actually started an MS walk team with other MS warriors so she could learn from people that have been living with MS for years. We have a great conversation about how her kids learned about her disease and how they grew to understand it better. Ally talks about her DMT journey and we also have a great conversation about using mobility aids. Ally talks about how she found volunteering for organizations as a tool for her mental health. Ally and I have an incredible conversation about stress and how she had to make difficult decisions for herself and her children in order to be her best possible her. We also talk about the MS Rebels which Ally and I are administrators for and how finding a community is so important with fighting this fight. Thank you Ally for sharing your journey with me to help people understand living with MS better. FUMS! Follow on TikTok @msmichiganman64 Instagram @msmichiganman64 Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick Ohio

Johnny is an MS warrior from Ohio that was diagnosed with MS in 2019 but his journey started in 2006 when he suffered from severe migraine headaches. Johnny went to numerous doctors for the next 13 years trying to get answers. Johnny explains how doctors would tell him his migraines were from his weight or from his teeth. Finally in 2017 a doctor ordered a scan of his brain and a pituitary tumor was discovered the size of a softball causing his migraines. Johnny went through two years of intense treatments to shrink the tumor. After two years of treatments that shrunk the tumor a scan revealed a lesion hidden behind the tumor that was growing for the last 13 years. Johnny now had lesions on his brain and spine which lead to MS diagnosis. Johnny and I talk about how he handled the mental part of his diagnosis and how he was angry. We also have a great conversation about how our family struggles to understand our disease. Johnny is an incredible artist that uses his talent as a tool to occupy his mind. When Johnny and I met I asked him if he would be interested in doing my cover art and this episode debuts Johnny's talent. We also have an amazing conversation about the importance of finding a community and how we met on TikTok. Johnny and I talk about how MS doesn't discriminate and how important it is to talk about our disease so people understand better. If you want to follow this badass artist who happens to have MS on TikTok @artistic_wolf_prints. Johnny thank you so much my friend for sharing your journey. Never stop being an artist! FUMS! Follow on TikTok @msmichiganman64 Instagram @msmichiganman64 Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick Ohio

Dr Summer and I continue our conversation about her journey with her MS diagnosis and we also have great discussion about how Summer approaches her visits with her neurologist as a doctor herself and an MS patient and how she separates the two. We also get into so many awesome conversations like where she thought medicine is at with a cure and her thoughts on AI in future medicine. Dr Summer and I have an incredible conversation about the medical system and how bad doctors are kept employed because of the volume of patients and the money they bring in as opposed to good doctors that are slower and aren't bringing in money will not have their contract's renewed. We talk about how the way the medical system is set up that creates poor healthcare for the patients. We also talk about how the tuition cap is going to cause more of a shortage in medical providers. Summer gives me an excellent definition of MS fatigue that I never heard worded the way she explained it. Dr Summer talks about how she keeps motivated. Summer controls the things she can control. Summer still crowd surfs at concerts even though she is in a wheelchair and she is trying to find sit ski lessons. We talk about how we still do things but we figure out different ways to do it. Summer and I have an amazing discussion about how we had to learn how to ask for help. Dr Summer also talks about how important finding a community is to help with support living with our disease and how we found each other on TikTok. We also discuss how there should be a safe space for caregivers to support themselves. Thank you so much for taking the time to discuss your journey and answer questions about the doctor side of the fence. You are an amazing warrior!! FUMS! Follow on TikTok @msmichiganman64 Instagram @msmichiganman64 Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick Ohio

Summer is an MS warrior from the state of Utah and now calls Ohio home. Summer was in her last year of her residency when she started her MS journey. Summer explains how her program director physician had a private conversation with her and discussed the possibility of Summer having MS. Summer's program director ordered MRI's and a lumbar puncture and Summer was diagnosed with MS in 2017. We talk about how Summer didn't have time to process her diagnosis because she had so much going on around her with raising two kids as a single mom and her residency. Summer explains how she went into a wheelchair 18 months into her diagnosis and her doctors changed her diagnosis to NMO (Neuromyelitis Optica), which was considered an aggressive form of MS with very little treatments. Summer then explains how she went 6 years under the diagnosis until her doctors changed her diagnosis back to MS except now she is SPMS. We have a great conversation about how her teenage kids understood the disease and how they support their mom in her new journey. We also talk about how she met her husband and how he has been there for her. Summer talks about how her diagnosis has given her empathy with seeing her patients. We also talk about how some doctors are not good with communication and also how doctors have difficulties getting answers because they are limited to 15-30 minute appointments. We have an awesome discussion about how the patient and doctors are handcuffed by the system. We also have a great conversation about how to prevent getting gaslit by physicians. Summer talks about how to advocate for yourself and how doctors work for us. I had so much more to talk with Summer about we are going to have a Part 2 discussion Wednesday. Follow on TikTok @msmichiganman64 Instagram @msmichigan64 FaceBook @Brian Wallace Brunswick Ohio

Trina is a returning MS warrior from Tennessee who recorded with me in Episode 6 about her journey with MS since 2007. Trina and I have a great conversation about the frustrations we go through living with MS. We talk about how society treats us and how it affects our mental health. We talk about how our family and friends perceive us as not trying hard enough and how they don't understand how we don't have any control how our disease is progressing and we are doing everything we can possibly do to survive each day. We talk about how we just want to be treated normal and understood better. We also get into a great discussion about how we keep on fighting and how we make adaptations to keep doing what we enjoy doing. Trina discusses different tools that she uses to keep fighting the mental part of the disease and we talk about finding a community that understands what we are going through. We are the same people that we were before our diagnosis and we want to be treated the same way. If you want to follow Trina on TikTok you can find he @trina_ms_dx07. Thank you for joining me again Trina to help spread awareness about what it's like living with MS. Never stop being you! FUMS! Follow on TikTok @msmichiganman64 Instagram @msmichigaanman64 Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick Ohio

Jon is an MS warrior from Texas that started his MS journey in 2021 when he wrecked his truck in stop and go traffic with his son in the car. Jon experienced symptoms for a couple years prior but lived in a culture where men didn't seek medical treatment and he ignored his symptoms until the accident. Jon went to the ER because he didn't have a PCP and he was admitted for concern of a stroke. Jon went through a couple days of testing and was told he had MS at 39 years old. Jon tells me how he had no knowledge of his diagnosis and remembers his concern was hoe to get rid of it until he found out it was chronic. Jon and I talk about how he handled his diagnosis from the mental aspect of it and how he had no support system and how men didn't talk about their problems. We talk about how family relationships change after his diagnosis and how he handled it. We have an excellent conversation about how his diagnosis affected his income and his career. Jon is in the process of trying to get his SSDI and we talk about how we get denied by our government. Jon talks about his kids came to understand their dad having MS as teenagers. Jon talks about how he had to adjust using a cane and a walker and he had to overcome the stigma of using a power cart to shop. Jon and I have a great discussion about community and how we use TikTok. Jon is an awesome guy and if you want to follow Jon on TikTok @Joncor. Thank you for sharing your journey with me Jon! Keep fighting the fight! FUMS Follow on TikTok @msmichiganman64 Instagram @msmichiganman64 Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick Ohio

Amariel is an MS warrior from Michigan that was diagnosed with MS in 2021 but experienced her symptoms as far back as 12 years old when her legs would just give out on her. Amariel's parents took her to doctors repeatedly with no answers to her symptoms. Amariel and I talk about how she spent years as a juvenile and as an adult going to doctors only to be misdiagnosed or ignored entirely. Amariel explains how she found a neurologist that looked at all her medical history and told her she had MS without any further testing. We have a great conversation about how doctors fail to listen to us and how we get gas lit we also talk about the importance of advocating for yourself. Amariel talks about her interesting decision to not go on any DMT even after she finally did get diagnosed. We also have a conversation about the mental health of her journey. We have such an interesting conversation about how Amariel customized her own treatment path and manages her MS her way. We also talk about relationships and the difficulties of dating with a chronic disease. Amariel is just amazing advocate for MS and other chronic disease diagnosis and has a goal of spreading awareness about the medical system navigation through a Facebook group called Corey's Corner. Amariel is an incredible warrior that is on a mission to make changes in how we are treated. We all need to come together to talk about our experience and support each other. Thank you for sharing your journey with me Ameriel! Follow on TikTok @msmichiganman64 Instagram @msmichiganman64 Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick Ohio

Annamarie is an MS warrior from New York that started her journey when she woke up one morning in 2001 with a crooked eye. Annamarie talks about how her parents took her to a specialist hospital in New York for extensive testing and was sent to another hospital for scans and another hospital for even more testing and a spinal tap which confirmed she had MS at 16 years old. Annamarie and I talk about how scared she was at 16 and how she didn't understand what was going on with her body and how she feared she was going to have no future. Annamarie talks about how she had a fear of needles so she chose Avonex once a week injection and made it through two years of side affects and is still on same DMT 24years later. We have am awesome conversation about her dating as a teenager with a chronic disease and how her mom made sure every young man that showed interest understood what MS was before they dated her daughter. Annamarie also talks about how her mom was her coach and motivated her to fight everyday no matter what happens and how she still uses her as motivation. Annamarie explains how she has handled dating as an adult and how she found her prince on an online dating site. We talk about how we want to be treated like a normal person by family and friends and how we've lost friends throughout our journey. Annamarie also shares the importance of finding a community with people that understand what we go through and how we found each other on TikTok and became friends. We talk about how it doesn't matter where we live we all understand each other and how we need to come together. Annamarie's attitude is MS has to fight me and I'm going to kick it's ass everyday and I will never stop! Follow Annamarie on TikTok @Annamarie516. You are not alone in this fight FUMS! Follow on TikTok @msmichiganman64 Instagram @msmichiganman64 Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick Ohio

Christine is an MS warrior from Alabama that started her journey at a very young age when she experienced vision issues multiple times and zaps up and down her spine that went undiagnosed for years until her diagnosis in 2009. In the time leading up to her diagnosis Christine explains how she had a life filled with traumatic episodes to her mind and body and how they lead up to her chronic disease. We have a great discussion about the mental health part of the journey and how she ignored her symptoms growing up in the 80's with the "you're ok" mentality. In 2009 Christine was at an ophthalmologist appointment and was told she had optic neuritis and she wanted her to see a neurologist because he said it looked like MS. At that point Christine said she immediately said hell no I'm not going in any wheelchair. We talk about how she accepted her disease and educated herself as much as she possibly could. Christine talks about how she adjusted to her new life with MS and how she started doing a lot of grieve work and trauma work. We also have an incredible discussion about community and how important it is to our mental health. Christine talks about how MS is a monster and she is the monster slayer. Christine has an amazing attitude with how she attacks her MS and also with how she just will never quit. Follow Christine sharing her journey on TikTok @TheTraumaLady Instagram @TheTraumaLady. Thank you so much for sharing your journey Christine. Follow on TikTok @msmichiganman64 Instagram @msmichiganman64 Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick Ohio

Chad is an MS warrior from Canada that started his journey in 2018 when he was 30 years old and started experiencing difficulty walking with numbness from the waist down. Chad spent the next two years going to doctors with no answers to his symptoms. Chad had multiple tests completed in that time with no MRI ordered to test for lesions and MS. Finally in 2020 after having an MRI Chad was diagnosed with RRMS. Chad and I have a discussion on how he was in shock by the diagnosis and how he felt like he lost part of his manhood because of the mental drain of his new future. Chad talks about how he went from RRMS to SPMS in 2024 and his DMT was changed to Mayzent (Siponimod). Chad also explains how he has never been prescribed a steroid to treat any of his symptoms. Chad and I have a conversation about our mental health and how we used alcohol to escape the battle inside our bodies daily. We also talk about his relationship experiences being diagnosed with MS and how he has struggled meeting women that understand chronic disease. Chad and I have a great discussion on how we have learned to say no to people now because of our disease and how its ok to say no. Chad talks about what motivates him to keep fighting and how he uses humor as a tool to cope with his MS. Chad is an awesome warrior that is on a mission to spread awareness about what it is like living with MS. Follow Chad on TikTok @wobblez.ms and check his videos out! Chad takes a shitty disease like MS and he will put a smile on your face as he spreads awareness about what it's like living with MS. Thank you Chad for sharing your journey with MS. You are a warrior my friend. Follow on TikTok @msmichiganman64 Instagram @msmichiganman64 Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick Ohio

Antwuan is a US Air Force vet and an MS warrior that started his journey in 2015 when he experienced double vision and it went away after a few months. In 2017 Antwuan had an MRI completed that showed white matter but doctors didn't want to give him the diagnosis of MS. After two years of testing and a trip to the ER Antwuan was told by a nurse that he had MS in 2019. We talk about how the diagnosis made Antwaun feel being he had no knowledge about the disease at 40 years old. Antwuan talks about how the diagnosis made him feel shocked that this was happening to him. He wanted something that could be fixed but learned there was no cure for MS. Antwuan did everything he possibly could to learn about the disease so he knew how to attack his path. Antwaun and I have an awesome conversation about being employed and how companies terminate you even though you are trying to do the right thing and just get better with our disease. We talk about how companies just look at us as a liability and because our disease is invisible and they judge us. We also talk about how society doesn't understand how difficult it is to get up every day and function. Antwuan talks about how we need to have motivation and an attitude to fight this disease and how he uses his God, family and awareness as his motivational tools. Antwuan talks about how his wife and kids and the rest of his family are completely supportive of him during his journey. Antwuan talk about his DMT journey and how he may change DMT's just because. Antwaun discusses lifestyle changes he made and how he has seen positive results so far. We also talk about how we learned to use our mobility aids and how we struggled using them because of our pride. Antwuan and I talk about how our mental health are affected and how we had to figure things out. Antwuan is incredible with how he wants to spread awareness about this disease especially being so young in his journey. I love Antwaun's message that you are not alone with MS or any chronic disease. There is a community out there that understands what you're going through! Thank you Antwuan for sharing your journey with me! Keep fighting the fight! FUMS! Follow on TikTok @msmichiganmsn64 Instagram @msmichiganmsn64 Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick Ohio

Katie is an MS and Fibromyalgia warrior originally from the UK and now calls France home. Katie's journey started in 2015 when she began to have numbness in her hands and feet along with migraines and chest infections. She went to doctors to try to get it figured out and she was diagnosed with carpel tunnel and had a surgery to correct the issue but it gave her no relief. Katie then explains how she was also diagnosed with endometriosis and went through a full hysterectomy in 2019. While recovering from the procedure Katie lost the use of her legs while out in her garden and she knew that there was something serious going on with her health. Katie immediately went to see her doctor and after an MRI and spinal tap Katie was diagnosed with MS in 2019. Katie and I talk about how she had some knowledge about the disease but found herself scared and worried about what was going on with her body. We have a great conversation about our mental health after our diagnosis and how we use our family as our motivation to fight this disease. We also talk about how Katie was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia two years after her MS diagnosis that is linked to the Covid 19 vaccine and how she manages her dual diagnosis. Katie and I talk about our mission of spreading awareness about living with a chronic disease. We talk about family and the importance of our family learning about the disease with us and supporting us on our journey. Katie explains her DMT journey and how her body did not do well on many of the medications and how she had to make the decision to stop and then having to start back up after new lesions were found. Katie talks about the importance of community and how she started sharing her journey on TikTok and Instagram and how she uses that for her mental health. We also talk about the amazing people we have met on social media like the SWAB in the UK and how he is such an inspiration to all of us all over the world. SWAB lost his voice because of MS and we are his voice to spread awareness. Follow Katie on TikTok and Instagram @Katie MS + Fibro Journey. Thank you so much Katie for sharing your story with me to help people understand what it's like living with MS and Fibro! You are incredible and I'm privileged to call you a friend! Follow me on TikTok @msmichiganman64 Instagram @msmichiganman64 Facebook @brian Wallace Brunswick Ohio

David is a football coach at Riverfield High School and an MS warrior who first recorded with me in Ep. 33 and wanted to come back on to talk more about his PPMS diagnosis and recent testing he went through to track his disease progression the last five years. Dave and I talk about how he was transitioned into a PPMS diagnosis after his disease worsened a couple years. Dave explains that even though he has a PPMS diagnosis he still finds himself having relapses and getting a steroids but now it has lost its effectiveness. Dave and I have a great conversation about how we struggled with using mobility aides and how we have learned to accept using them. Dave tells me how he thought his coaching days were over recently after realizing his disease was progressing. Dave stepped away for two weeks and the head coach of Riverview High School called Dave up and said they wanted him to stay on as a coach and they would figure it out to keep him coaching with the program. We talk about how important it is for our mental health to have people around us that support our value. Dave's attitude is absolutely amazing with how he never quits no matter what MS dishes out to him. We also have an awesome conversation about the MS Rebels Facebook group that Dave and I are administrator's for and how supportive the Rebels are for people that are battling MS or any chronic disease. Dave also talks about the importance of taking care of your mental health and finding a passion. Thank you so much for coming back to share more of your journey with me Dave! You are a badass my friend! Keep fighting the fight! Follow on TikTok @msmichiganman64 Instagram @msmichiganman64 Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick Ohio

Mando is an MS warrior from Chicago, Illinois that started his journey in 2013 when he suffered a torn meniscus that he had repaired but he never recovered. He spent the next year limping and struggling to walk and in October of 1014 Mando went to a hospital where an MRI and spinal tap was ordered with a diagnosis of PPMS on his 30th birthday weekend. We have an great discussion about how Mando understood and accepted his new diagnosis and how he wasn't afraid of it because he didn't know anything about it so he figured why fear the unknown. Mando explains how he has always been a positive person so his attitude was that he wasn't going to change just because of adversity. Mando talks how he learned quick that MS is so different from person to person and how he learned how to get an attitude with his new lifestyle learning how to manage his MS. Mando shares the tools he has learned along his journey and how he keeps his stress low. We also talk about how important support is and how Mando's family is also there to support him. Mondo talks about how he keeps his life as normal as he can and how he keeps a daily schedule to keep him motivated. Mando shares his DMT journey and how he chose 3 years ago to stop treatments after giving a lot of thought to the risk and benefits of the medications. We discuss how we have to customize our journey and their is no correct way to attack this disease. Even though Mando is limited he still tries to keep himself as mobile as a can because if you don't use it you will lose it. Mando motivates himself by watching ESPN because of his love for sports and he also has a YouTube channel with 80,000 subscribers spreading awareness about his MS journey. Check out Mando's YouTube channel below: UCa5yvAtY4qaUSYqz3r6RVOw . Mando thank you so much for joining me to share your journey! You are an incredible warrior with an amazing attitude! Follow on TikTok @msmichiganman64 Instagram @msmichiganman64 FaceBook @Brian Wallace Brunswick Ohio

Michael is an MS warrior from New York that was working on Wall Street as a stock trader in 1998.During a meeting Mike lost the use of his arm and he knew something wasn't right. Mike immediately went to see a doctor because his biggest fear was a brain tumor. Mike was referred to a neurologist and Mike was diagnosed with MS. Mike and I talk about how he accepted the disease but kept his struggles to himself. Mike actually chose to not take a DMT for first year but had three episodes. We have an awesome discussion about how Mike attacked his MS on a bike. He started getting into bike events and competing all over the world. Then in 2013 Michael was on a routine follow up for his MS when a tumor was discovered on his brain. Mike tells me that after the brain tumor his career as a trader on Wall Street was over. Exactly 19 months later he had a reoccurrence of the tumor so Mike had to battle cancer again this time with chemo. We also have a great conversation about attitude and how Michael will not let MS stop him. We talk about how we need to use whatever is going to help us, even a scooter. Mike can't bike like he once did but he figured out he can swim. Now Mike swims daily for exercise and he even swam the English channel virtually. We also talk about how we adjusted living with MS as we got older and worse. Michael is getting ready to dance with his daughter at her wedding which has been one of his goals. We even have a great conversation about how we separated from our old self and how Michael handled it. Mike is incredible to talk with and his attitude is absolutely amazing. Thank you so much for sharing your journey with me Michael! Your attitude with how you deal with this life of MS is inspirational! Fuck MS!! Follow on TikTok @msmichiganman64 Instagram @msmichiganman64 Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick Ohio

Jennylyn is an MS warrior from Florida that started her MS journey at the age of 16 years old when she was playing basketball in high school and she fell for no reason and lost the use of her legs. Doctors could not explain the reason she went paralyzed even after a spinal tap. Doctors treated her with steroids and Jennylyn rebounded back to her normal. During her senior year Jennylyn went deaf and was told it couldn't be MS related so she was sent to an ENT. Jennylyn was eventually treated with steroids again and her hearing came back. A year after high school while in college, Jennylyn had abdominal pain that were diagnosed as a gall stone attack after being blamed on MS but still not diagnosed. Jenny graduated from college and was out in the work force doing her thing when her eyes started giving her issues. The next day she saw an eye doctor and was told her optic nerve was inflamed but they still would not diagnose her with anything. Jennylyn and I talk about how she met her husband in college and they were married when they were 25 years old, two years before her official diagnosis. Jennylyn experienced vertigo and saw a neurologist who ordered an MRI. Jennylyn was finally diagnosed with MS in 1999 at the age of 27. Jennylyn chose to not go on a DMT because her and her husband were trying to start a family. Jennylyn got pregnant and within the first six weeks of her pregnancy Jennylyn went paralyzed again causing her to have to be admitted to the hospital because of her baby. Jennylyn was again treated with steroids and she was able to regain ability to walk allowing her to go home but not before her needing her heart to be shocked back into rhythm. At 37 weeks Jennylyn's water broke and she was getting shooting pains down her spine. Jennylyn was immediately taken to the hospital and she had her pregnancy induced. Jennylyn was the best mom she could be to her new daughter then when her baby was 7 months old Jennylyn was hit by her MS and was now quadriplegic. Jennylyn and I have awesome conversation about the mental health part of it and also how her husband is a warrior also being her rock. We also have an incredible discussion about her DMT journey and how all DMT's made her worse but she responded very well with steroids. Jennylyn actually found a doctor that was willing to treat her with monthly steroids and that's what she did. In Janruary of 2009 Jennylyn decided to stop all treatments and attacking her MS her way. Jennylyn is amazing to speak with and she actually publish a book called "Jenny's Journey's Celebrating One Step at a Time" that is incredible. If you would like to contact Jennylyn about a copy of her book, her email is [email protected]. Thank you so much for sharing your journey Jennylyn. Follow on TikTok @msmichiganman64 Instagram @msmichiganman64 Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick Ohio

Traci is an MS warrior from California that was diagnosed with MS in 2020. Traci went through her diagnosis at a time when she was working a very high paced job putting in 14 hour days and she thrived on the lifestyle. Traci explains how she woke up one day and she struggled to walk and talk. She immediately saw her doctor for fear of a stroke. An MRI was ordered and in three days Traci found out she had multiple brain lesions and was diagnosed with MS. Traci also explains how she had an MRI five years earlier and there were no lesions so her MS popped up over night. Traci and I talk about how when she was diagnosed she had no knowledge about MS and how she attacked researching immediately. We also talk about how her husband dove into Traci's diagnosis and together they learned as much as they could about their new life. Traci talks about the mental health part of her diagnosis and how she actually used her husbands health issues to work together as a team to fight together. Traci and I have an awesome conversation about her DMT journey and how she didn't stop searching for ways to improve outside traditional medications. Traci changed her diet and what she put on her skin topically because she wanted to stay as natural as she could. Traci also talks about how she found Frequense and Dr Robb to help her with managing her MS with supplements and topicals and she has seen improvement with her MS symptoms. Dr Robb actually treats the bodies frequency through supplements and his website has excellent information about the science behind frequency. Traci is an incredible warrior with an awesome attitude fighting this fight! Thank you for sharing your journey with me Traci! You can check out Frequense link below: https://frequense.com/tracikossow/rise-vibe-landing-page Follow on TikTok @msmichiganman64 Instagram @msmichiganman64 Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick Ohio

Karen is an MS warrior from England that experienced fatigue from the age of 16 throughout the early part of her life. When Karen was 31 she had her first child and felt even more fatigued and started to question how she was feeling with her doctors and they dismissed her fatigue as being a new mother and and having to run around after a little one. In 2019 Karen experienced an symptom of passing out and falling to the floor that her friend told her she was pushing too hard and to go home and rest. The next day when Karen woke up she felt like she was hit by a train. Karen was now very concerned something wasn't right so Karen and her husband decided to seek private medical treatment in England. Because of their decision, Karen was tested and diagnosed with MS at the age of 38 in three weeks. Karen and I have a great conversation about how important it is to advocate for yourself with doctors because we know our bodies better than anyone else. We also talk about how our diagnosis was actually a relief and how we made a decision to attack our disease and how we have battled the mental part of the disease. We also talk about how our families have learned how to deal with the mental part and how they struggle still. Karen talks about her DMT path and how her doctor told her a DMT would not be beneficial for her so Karen has been kicking MS's ass for the last six years with diet and exercise but she is still open to the discussion about getting on one in future. We have an awesome discussion about how important it is to do your research when making your decisions. Karen talks about how she went from not being able to walk in 2019 and getting an attitude. Karen found a program called, From Couch to 5K, in which Karen went from not being able to walk for 10 minutes to running 90K in a month for charity in exactly 3 years. Karen is just amazing to talk to with how to attack a diagnosis like MS or any chronic disease. If you want to follow Karen on her journey with how she attacks her MS you can follow her on TikTok @mrssparckle2019. Also Dominic's can be found @themsguide_. Thank you for sharing your journey with me Karen! I'm so glad our MS has introduced us! Follow on TikTok @msmichiganman64 Instagram @msmichiganman64 Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick, Ohio

Shaun is an MS warrior from the MS capitol of the world, Saskatchewan Canada and is also the creator and administrator of the Facebook group, Multiple Sclerosis Resources and Education. Shaun started his journey in 2019 when he was going through a divorce and watching his 40 year business crumble which caused a tremendous amount of stress. Shaun explains how he lost feeling from his neck down and how he had to go to an ER because he couldn't find a doctor to give him answers. After finally having an MRI ordered in the ER, Shaun was told a few days later he had MS. Shaun and I have a conversation about how he processed the diagnosis and how he had to do his own research into MS because he didn't have a lot of knowledge about the disease. Shaun explains how he started on a DMT and after a few months and doing his research decided to attack his disease by changing his lifestyle and diet. Shaun kept researching and looked down every rabbit hole he could find until he discovered a stee cell treatment performed in India that was having success. In 2021, Shaun made the decision to make the trip to India by himself during Covid. Shaun had immediate positive results from the treatment and is virtually symptom free and still takes no DMT. Shaun wanted everyone to hear about his success and was banned from multiple Facebook groups because his way was not the traditional way. Shaun started his own Facebook group to share all success stories freely and his group has grown to mare than 40,000 members because Shaun doesn't believe in one way to attack this disease. Shaun is awesome to talk to and his Facebook group, Multiple Sclerosis Resources and Education, is an excellent group to get real information about this disease not influenced by corporate greed. Thank you so much Shaun for helping to understand what it's like, living with MS and how you are kicking MS's ass! Follow on Instagram @msmichiganman64 TikTok @msmichiganman64 Facebook @ Brian Wallace Brunswick, Ohio

Amber is 26 year old MS warrior from New Jersey that was diagnosed with MS in 2021 after she had vision issues. Amber was having blurry vision that didn't go away and after going to and eye doctor she was told to go to a hospital because of her optic nerve was inflamed. Amber went to the hospital and two months later after an MRI Amber was diagnosed. Amber explains to me that she actually remembers how she had symptoms as early as 16 years old. Amber and I talk about how being diagnosed with MS so young affects us mentally and how our peers treat us with our new diagnosis and life. We talk about how we had to learn what MS was after diagnosis and how important it is for our family and friends to understand. We talk about how our diagnosis changed our lives just starting out life and how we were humbled by our diagnosis understanding other chronic diseases. Amber talks about how she learned to understand her body and how what different things affected her body. Amber talks about how she tried the traditional DMT route and how her body didn't except the treatment. Amber tells me that she decided to stop her DMT and to attack her disease the natural route through diet and supplements and she has been relapse free for three years. Amber is a musician who has recorded multiple original tracks and has a dream of being a professional singer. Amber recently wrote and recorded a song earlier this year and released her recording "I Hate Its For Me" in April. Amber is absolutely an incredible young lady that has an amazing voice and attitude! Amber is a warrior and unstoppable and I know she is going to reach her goal of becoming a recording star and kicking MS's ass! Please check out Amber K's beautiful voice in the link below and hit the subscribe button on her YouTube channel. Thank you Amber so much for sharing your story with me to help spread awareness about living with MS and I can't wait to see you touring and sharing your beautiful voice! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZjTP6ipFpY&pp=ygUeaSBoYXRlIHRoYXQgaXRzIGZvciBtZSBBbWJlciBL Follow on Instagram @msmichiganman64 TikTok @msmichiganman64 FaceBook @Brian Wallace Brunswick Ohio

Steve is an MS warrior from Pennsylvania that was diagnosed with PPMS in 2020, but actually can trace symptoms that he ignored for 12 years prior. Steve explains how he was always athletic and he started tripping and fell a few times. Steve also struggled with hand eye coordination with simple things like judging a fly ball in softball. Steve had a foot issue that required surgery and after he had procedure he experienced a slow recovery and went to multiple doctors with no answers. Steve then ended up seeing a chiropractor family friend that alerted Steve he had neurological issues that needed to be addressed quick. Steve went to a podiatrist and after a nerve conduction test Steve was referred to a neurologist that diagnosed him after an MRI at 55 years old. Steve talks about how his diagnosis affected him mentally because of the fear of the unknown for his future being an established business owner. He also explains how his MS diagnosis was a relief because he feared he may have ALS. Steve attacked his disease in the gym and he had the attitude that he was going to outwork the disease because he was in the fight of his life. We talk about the importance of support and how his wife has been right by his side learning as much as she can about the disease. Steve talks about how his diagnosis affected his business. Steve had to sell his business but he figured out how to still keep employment because he adjusted and figured it out. Steve and I also have an excellent conversation about our mobility aides and how we adjust to our needs but how it wasn't easy mentally being seen with assistance. We also talk about how men have the fear of looking weak and how we struggled with that and how we manage it. Steve talks about his DMT journey with Ocrevus and how it has been keeping him stable. Steve is a warrior and his attitude is absolutely amazing the way he is attacking his MS. Thank you Steve for sharing with me your journey and keep kicking MS's ass my friend! Follow on TikTok @msmichiganman64 Instagram @msmichiganman64 FaceBook @Brian Wallace Brunswick Ohio

Stacey is a chronic disease warrior from England. Stacey was 29 years old and pregnant, working as a hairdresser when she went through what she thought was bad pregnancy symptoms. The doctors were blaming it on pre and postnatal depression. Stacey had to undergo an emergency c-section and after procedure Stacey was bleeding severely and doctors were still blaming on depression. Stacey was finally told by doctors that she had stage 4 rectal cancer and gave her 6 months to live. Stacey explains that she had to have a stoma implanted and how scared she was knowing she had a newborn at home. Stacey went through two surgeries, radiation and chemo to treat her cancer diagnosis. Stacey also had to have a hysterectomy also because the cancer had spread rapidly. We talk about how her husband did not accept her diagnosis and treated her poorly and how that affected her mental health. We talk about how our diagnosis causes us to use whatever we can to cope, whether it's alcohol, drugs or thinking about suicide. Stacey and I also have a conversation about how people take advantage of people that have chronic disease when they are supposed to be our care givers. Stacey is such a fighter and knew she had to take charge of her journey so she found a healing retreat and for the last nine months Stacey has been seeing huge improvements in her mental and physical health but it is a difficult journey. Stacey went to her second healing retreat and now she can actually walk for 30 minutes. Stacey has also found relief from her pain through meditation and breathing techniques. Stacey and I talk about how important finding a community of people that understand what you are going through. Stacey didn't give up on relationships either and she has found a beautiful partner and she has developed an amazing relationship with her. Stacey also talks about how she is working on growing her relationship with her daughter who is on the autism spectrum. Stacey is an incredible warrior that doesn't know the word quit. Thank you so much for sharing your journey Stacey! Follow on TikTok @msmichiganman64 Instagram @msmichiganman64 Facebook @ Brian Wallace Brunswick Ohio

Lauren is an intelligent, beautiful young 23 year old lady from the UK that was studying at the University when she got Covid. While she was at her parents recovering Lauren was feeling fine and went to sleep. When she woke up she struggled to open her eyes and even talk. An emergency call was made and Lauren was admitted into the hospital immediately. Lauren explains the many tests and scans she underwent as they tested for brain bleeds, brain tumor or she was pregnant. Then during a spinal tap procedure Lauren began to rapidly losing her sight and seeing severe double vision. Lauren was rushed to see eye specialist and they found her nerves around her eyes were extremely swollen and two surgeries were needed to save he vision. We talk about Lauren's recovery journey and slow return of her vision and the pain she was experiencing that doctor's at first dismissed as recovery effects but actually lead to her diagnosis of fibromyalgia. We talk about how the diagnosis affected her mental health being so young. Lauren talks about the feeling of isolation she felt because of her new path and also the support she received from her parents that were there to help her adjust to her new condition. Lauren and I have an incredible discussion about how she learned to manage her symptoms. Lauren now understands how she has to adjust her lifestyle and we talk about how our diagnosis changed the way we look at life because we can't take anything for granted anymore. Lauren is now on a journey to complete her doctorate in Medical Law. Lauren is an amazing young lady that has taken a terrible chronic diagnosis like Fibromyalgia and has turned it into a positive by wanting to change the way chronic disease is seen in the UK and around the world. Lauren is 23 years old and she is one of the wisest young ladies I have ever had a conversation with! Lauren thank you so much for taking the time to teach me so much about fibromyalgia! I am your biggest fan Lauren! You are going to change the way chronic disease is seen in the UK and around the world! Follow on TikTok @msmichiganman64 Instagram @msmichigan Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick Ohio

Louise is an author and MS warrior from the state of Florida that started her journey in 1979 at the age of 19. Louise and I have an amazing conversation about what it was like for her going through her symptoms back when very little was known about MS and how it took two years of not knowing what was causing her to lose her balance, vision and fatigue issues. Louise talks about how she had to advocate for herself with her doctors back then when they were telling her she was depressed and she knew that was not her issue. Louise even had to advocate for herself to have an MRI ordered in 1982. We talk about her treatment path in the 80's and how there were no DMT's so she was prescribed Prednisone to try to relieve inflammation. Louise shares her journey with the decision of going on a DMT when there was a lottery for patients because of the demand. Louise has been wheelchair dependent since 1992 and she shares the beautiful story of how her husband, Don, has been with her through every step of the way on her journey and they have been together 47 years. Louise has an amazing positive attitude with how she lives every day of her life with no regrets. Louise is an award winning, best selling author and poet as she tells me how she uses her gift of writing as a tool to manage her MS. Louise wrote, "Rolling with the Punches: My Persevering Battle with Multiple Sclerosis" in 2017 and is working on Part 2 today. Thank you so much Louise for sharing your journey with MS and how you never stop living life! Your story is so inspirational that MS is not the end but a journey through life that can be done! Check out Louise Greenleaf's amazing book about her journey online at Amazon, Books a Million, Thriftbooks.com, Ebay, Better World Books, Alibris and BooksRun. Follow on TikTok @msmichiganman64 Instagram @msmichigan64 Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick< Ohio