MS WEEK
Posted on: 2013 03 12
Do you remember Laura Palasciano? She was the young woman who submitted a blog post recently regarding her experience living with MS? I was so impressed with her honesty and writing that I asked her for a sit down interview so I could meet her and learn more about her life. I wanted to feature Laura this week since it is MS Awareness week. Lara’s “D” day was 1/15/10. But it was a long journey to figure out a diagnosis. Her first symptom happened on 10/18/08, 2 days before she started her new job at Fletcher Allen Hospital where she is an Administrative Assistant to the Department of Nursing Operations. She was uninsured and facing a barrage of tests to determine why she went blind suddenly in one eye while driving down the highway. What gets me about Laura is that she explains all of this; her weird symptoms, being uninsured, having to decide whether to wait for testing until her insurance kicked in from the new job, multiple MRIs, anxiety, fear, a $15,000 bill- with such calm and poise. Laura explains, “I work for the Vice President and Directors of Nursing and they are amazing. It was the best possible work environment to be going through what I was going through. There was lots of support. A lot of people don’t want to tell their employers when they have an MS diagnosis or they don’t know when to tell. For me it was never a question. I was going through it and immediately my co-workers and supervisors were a huge part of my support system. I don’t know how I could have done it without them. They were incredible.” Laura adds that she couldn’t afford the minimum monthly payments for her first round of testing and had to apply for financial aid from the hospital. FAHC wrote the whole bill off. “I cried. That was the best day of my life. Okay not the best day of my life but top 10. “ She repeats, “I’m not a crier. I didn’t cry through the whole process. Laura does struggle with anxiety. She has to manage the stress of living with the disease and her anxiety so as not to bring on any new symptoms. She sees a therapist regularly and encourages others to as well. “To be able to see someone who is impartial and will Iisten, where you can vent and not worry about burdening a family member or friend is invaluable. My therapist isn’t bothered by my pity-party. I can really be honest. My neurologist recommended I get therapy when she saw how much I was struggling. I’m grateful for it.” Laura has a great support system, which includes her family, her neurologist, Dr. Applebee and her therapist. I started noticing a recurring comment from Laura. She kept referring to her MS as an invisible disability. As she explained, there is a misconception of what a disability is. “People give me dirty looks when I park in a handicap space. People have rolled down their windows and questioned me. People feel that if you are not in a wheel chair you are not disabled. I live with MS every minute of every day and even though it is not visible from the outside, I struggle. It’s the hardest thing.” Laura continues, “At the end of the day when I have to go to the store for 3 items, I’m dead dog tired and need to park in a handicap spot. I try not to park in a handicap spot because I feel like there are people out there who need the spot more than me. But it is just ignorance when someone questions me. Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not very real to me, “ she adds about her disability. Laura is a remarkable woman. She is outspoken and honest about her disease and its process, her anxiety, managing her energy level, her job and bringing up her daughter. She brings this refreshing approach to the many people who are newly diagnosed by way of a self-help group she runs through the National MS Society as well as individual conversations with folks who don’t know where to turn. If you have been diagnosed with MS and are struggling, I know Laura would be willing to speak with you. You can find her running the above mentioned support group on the 3rd Monday of the month from 5-6:30pm at the Fanny Allen Campus in the Dunbar room. For more information visit: http://www.nationalmssociety.org/chapters/mam/programs-services/community/support/vermont/index.aspx Feel free to contact me as well via email at Rachel@armisteadinc.com.