Taupō veterinarian Katy Jones has multiple sclerosis and hopes to build community awareness around MS. Photo / Supplied
Taupō veterinarian Katy Jones has multiple sclerosis and hopes to build community awareness around MS. Photo / Supplied
This week is Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Awareness Week.
The face of MS for Taupō, Tūrangi and Rotorua is Katy Jones.
"But multiple sclerosis doesn't have one face, it has many faces," Katy says.
In New Zealand, 4000 people live with MS, and worldwide 2.8 million people suffer from the disease in which the immune system eats away at the protective covering of nerves. There are many different symptoms, including vision loss, pain, fatigue and impaired coordination. The symptoms, severity and duration can vary from person to person.
Katy shares some salient facts about MS as it occurs in New Zealand: it is the leading cause of non-traumatic disability among young and middle-aged adults, in New Zealand the average age of diagnosis is when a person is 38 years old but people are usually diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50 years.
"People get diagnosed with MS at the prime time for careers, families and building a future."
She says someone may look at a person with MS and think "you look fine" because they don't look sick.
"But what you don't see are the daily struggles, the overwhelming fatigue making daily tasks impossible, the chronic pain, the blurred vision, the spasticity or inability to lift your own hand."
Katy says one of the most difficult parts of living with multiple sclerosis, is the unseen symptoms.
Katy says everyone's story and experience of MS is different and she has chosen to share her story to increase knowledge and understanding of the disease.
Katy Jones' multiple sclerosis journey
"I was diagnosed with MS at 33 years old but had my first symptoms the previous year. During that first experience of MS I had extreme fatigue, lost sensation and had reduced motor skills in both my hands, had weakness down my left arm, my stomach stopped moving, I lost sensation in the skin over my torso, and had Lhehrmitte's sign which is when numbness spread to the base of my spine when I bent my neck.
"These scary and invisible symptoms reduced over a week, but the arm weakness, fatigue, altered hand sensation and Lhehrmitte's sign lasted for another four months."
At the time she had to go on antidepressants, and says depression is three times more common in people with MS than in the general population, "because, without a diagnosis, there was no follow-up support or guidance given".
Katy Jones is the face of Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week (Sep 12- 18) for Taupō, Tūrangi, and Rotorua. Photo / Supplied
Once diagnosed, Katy started treatment, and this has greatly reduced her symptoms.
"I now have altered sensation on one thumb.
"I also have muscle pain known as MS hug, which I manage really well with yoga and exercise.
"I also have fatigue, which has reduced month on month since starting treatment."
Katy, who is still able to work full-time as a mixed animal vet, says she feels though "nothing is off the cards".
She says she thinks her disease is unlikely to progress.
"It is amazing how far treatment and knowledge of MS have come in the last 10 years, we are very lucky."
The Details
Multiple Sclerosis Rotorua & Districts
About:
is an organisation that offers a range of services to people and their whānau, who are affected by multiple sclerosis. A field worker is available to provide support including home visits, referrals to appropriate health services and to a range of other non-health services and support groups.
Aim:
to ensure all our members feel connected and receive direct contact with their field worker, for support over any MS issues that may arise.
to your local MS Society Rotorua & Districts MSNZ: MS Rotorua 2022, to provide ongoing community-based support for your Face of MS, and others like them at https://fundraise.msnz.org.nz/faceofms/MS-rotorua
