I was diagnosed with a form of MS in 1999 at the age of 19. I was by no means surprised by the diagnosis because my mother had been diagnosed with it in 1990. However, my symptoms were not textbook to say the least. I have gone through about 20 bouts of optic neuritis with only having lesions on my optic nerves, and not my spinal column. My spinal tap was inconclusive.

Fast forward to 2012. I am trying to set up my family doctor to work in conjunction with my MS specialist. He says, “”Only if you agree to seeing them first. To set a new baseline.”” After agreeing, I travel to Omaha, NE to the UNMC MS clinic and have the usual gamete ran: MRI, blood work, and visiting with the neurologist. And then the doctor informs me, “”I believe you do not have MS, but have NMO. “” Now, after being diagnosed as MS for over 10 years, going to Mayo Clinic where Dr. Pirko informed me I have a forme fruste of Multiple Sclerosis, I now see that it has been NMO all along. And I don’t know where to go from here. I guess, I will just wait and see where it takes me.