Colleen's Thriving Statement

Hello,
 
My name is Colleen Petrone. I am 31 years old and I have relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis. I was diagnosed in 2007 at the age of 22, and my son was 3 years old at the time.  Here is my thriving story:

MS has changed my life for the better because I am now connected to a bunch of people that also have MS. Either as Facebook friends, or meeting people at MS events, I love the connection I have with other people that know what I'm going through. I also belong to a support group for MS that meets once a month. My best friend Heather and my mom have been a huge support system for me. Heather always goes to MS events with me and is someone I can talk to about my issues. I live with my mom, so she is always reminding me to take my MS medication and is also someone I can talk to. My now 11-year-old son is a huge inspiration for me. He was 3 when I was diagnosed and he saw me doing my Betaseron injections. Now that he's older, he told his class that I have MS, I think it's a way for him to talk about it with his classmates. My son keeps me going!
 
I have been on 12 different MS medications in the 8 years that I've been diagnosed, so I think I've learned a lot from a medical perspective. I am thriving with MS! I can still walk without the help of a cane or a wheelchair, and I can drive. I have recently lost 27 pounds with the help of diet and exercise. Thanks to the support of my family and friends, multiple sclerosis is not going to stop me!
 
Sincerely,

Colleen Petrone