Living Not Dwelling
- Chelee-Mark Finch
- Nov 15, 2021
- 5 min read
"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" Jeremiah 29:11
Optimism is defined as "hopefulness and confidence about the future or the successful outcome of something" (web). Those that are optimistic, expect good things to happen. I grew up with my dad being known as the "eternal optimist." He always saw the good in things and expected good to happen in his life. I loved his attitude and it radiated to those all around him. In a lot of ways, I considered myself an optimistic person. I maybe was not an eternal optimist like my dad, but optimistic none the less. I'll be honest, my optimistic attitude got crushed 7 months ago when my world as I knew it came crashing down. It has taken a lot of soul searching, change in myself, change in Mark, change in our marriage, and numerous self-help books to start to regain my optimism. Thankfully, it is returning. Optimism and positivity really do go hand in hand. "Optimism is a happiness magnet. If you stay positive, good things and good people will be drawn to you."
Justine was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis at the age of 15. She was diagnosed at an extremely young age. The average age of diagnosis is 34 years of age. There is no cure for MS, and it is a lifelong disease. Everyone's symptoms are different, and the progression of the disease varies greatly. In my previous posts, I talked about Justine's severe symptoms; in which with this disease, we refer to as "episodes" or "exacerbations," that lead to her diagnosis. Within 2-3 months of diagnosis, she had another minor episode. The MRI they performed at that time did not reveal any further lesions on her brain, but she was officially diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. She continued the Rebif (injections) three times per week.
In April 2014, we returned to Rochester for another checkup with her pediatric neurologist. Another MRI was performed, and it did not reveal any new lesions and her old lesions were starting to heal. She entered a 5K that spring with me, Bailee, and my dad. She again wanted to prove that nothing was going to slow her down and she could do whatever she put her mind too. A local doctor got us in touch with a neurologist in Fargo so we would not have to travel so far for appointments. She continued to see the neurologist every 6 months with yearly MRI's.
In the fall of 2017, Justine was headed to college and didn't want to have to give herself injections three times per week. Her neurologist transitioned her over to a daily pill. Her MRI's (to this point) did not reveal any new areas of concern. In June of 2019, Justine was taken off her oral medication. She was approved to do an infusion, Lemtrada, that studies had shown to put Multiple Sclerosis into remission in other patients. This was a game changer, especially due to her age. MS medications are very hard on people and any woman of childbearing age cannot get pregnant as these medications can cause severe birth defects. That June, she went to Sanford in Fargo where she underwent 5 days of infusions each lasting 6-8 hours.
January 2020, Justine experienced severe headaches and left sided numbness and tingling (her first episode affected her right side). She immediately contacted her neurologist, and an MRI of her brain was ordered for the next day. I went with Justine to Fargo and the MRI confirmed she had a new lesion on the other side of her brain. Since she was already on Lemtrada and the next dose was due for the summer 2020, medication changes were not made. She was placed on high dose oral steroids for five days and given migraine medication for her headaches. The numbness and tingling did subside after a few weeks and her headaches subsided after a couple of months. She was in her senior year of nursing school and had no time to wallow in self-pity.
Justine graduated from North Dakota State College of Science with a nursing degree in May 2020. She took her boards the end of May and found out she passed. She officially became Justine Finch, LPN. In June 2020, she had her second round of Lemtrada infusions given for 6-8 hours per day for three days. Her sister Bailee accompanied her for this round of treatments. The main side effect Justine had from these infusions was insomnia. She had to have monthly labs drawn and these labs continue to be drawn monthly for at least 2 years post infusion. In August of 2020, Justine's thyroid level went through the roof; literally, it was at a critical level. The Lemtrada infusions caused Hashimoto's Disease. This is an autoimmune disease in which the thyroid gland is gradually destroyed. She knew that this could possibly occur. She will now have to take thyroid medication for life. Not the end of the world, just a little bump in the road. The endocrinologist did have a hard time getting the right dose, but finally found it.
February 2021, Justine found out she was expecting a baby. She was excited, but so nervous due to her MS, thyroid problems, and only being seven months post infusion. She was monitored closely, and her endocrinologist was actively involved, and her thyroid medication was again adjusted several times to get the correct dose. She did have frequent labs and ultrasounds to check the baby's growth and Justine’s thyroid levels. Everything turned out better than expected, and she made it to 39 weeks. Justine and Justin welcomed Paislee Mae Edland on September 29, 2021. She weighed 6 lbs. 2 oz. Justine and Paislee both did great and there were no complications.
Paislee has brought so much joy into our lives already. During some of my darkest days over the past seven months, our girls and the anticipation of her arrival gave me hope and the will to fight for myself and our family. I look back at Justine's battle with MS. It has been eight years. Eight years of endless doctor's appointments, tests, medications, and unknowns. Eight years of Justine showing the world she isn't going to let MS slow her down and she's going to live her life to the fullest, just as her Grandpa John taught her. If someone tells her she can't or she shouldn't, you better believe she CAN and she WILL.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) awareness
Most have heard of MS. Many personally know someone with MS. Here are a few things you should know...
1. It's a chronic condition-Multiple sclerosis is a chronic condition, which means it’s long-lasting and there’s no cure for it.
2. Symptoms vary-The list of possible MS symptoms is long. It includes numbness and tingling, vision problems, balance and mobility issues, and slurred speech.
3. MS involves relapse and remission-Most people who seek treatment for MS go through relapses and remissions. A relapse is when you experience a flare-up of symptoms. Relapses are also called exacerbations.
4. There’s a cognitive side of MS-The damage MS does to your nerves can also affect your critical thinking and other cognitive (mental) skills. It’s not uncommon for people with MS to have problems with memory and finding the right words to express themselves.
5. MS is a silent disease-MS is labeled as a “silent disease” or an “invisible disability.” Many people with MS look no different from someone without it because some of the symptoms, such as blurred vision, sensory problems, and chronic pain, are not visible.
6. It helps to stay cool-Doctors recommend that people with MS stay cool whenever possible. Heat intolerance is a common problem and often causes an exacerbation of symptoms.
7. Vitamin D plays a role-research has shown a link between vitamin D!
Just for you Justine! "Let it Be."
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