Hi, my name is Anna. I happen to have Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis. As of this date, there are not too many options for me to slow down the progression of this monster disease. Instead of sulking and getting depressed, I choose to live my life to the fullest and thumb my nose to MS.

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:

Written by Marisa Bonanno

Thirteen years ago, I was told those four words that changed my life: "You have Multiple Sclerosis."

I had no idea what MS was, nor did I know anyone with MS. There was tingling in my arms, I felt fatigued a lot, and my right leg would drag so badly that I had trouble crossing a room. My symptoms would come and go, but I never knew when I would have another relapse or how long it would last. I had a 2-year-old child and feared how I would be able to take care of myself, and my son.

When it comes to how I “thrive with MS”, there is no single answer. God’s love, the support of my family, having a creative outlet (writing, in my case) and my support group are all key parts of what has kept me going since my diagnosis. None of those, however, translates well pictorially so I’ll talk about my other passion, one that has become an integral part of my therapy: bicycling.