I grew up in Detroit during the time of the ’67 riots. My neighborhood was the hub for the army. We had tanks and service men in our front yard, and the women of the neighborhood would feed them as they patrolled. At the end of our street was one of the most notorious MC bike clubs in Detroit. But our neighborhood was protected by their presence. They became like family and we often had them over to our house for dinner. When I was 15, I went with a couple of friends to Woodstock. I did not have permission and went on my own with $5.00 in my pocket. Yes, there was sex, drugs, and all that went with the journey. But it taught me about a community is. It taught me about how a half of a million people came together without violence and cared for one another. This is what my MS community is about. We come together and love and support one another.
I was officially diagnosed in 1999 but took almost 10 years to get there. I had doctors tell me: “its all in your head”, “you’re depressed”, and it’s just a female issue”. I had every imaginable test done to me. I even had one doctor take out a broken tooth pick and run it over my leg and told me I was ok! When I was diagnosed I was told to go home and wait! What am I waiting for? Is the sky falling! I was told never to have children because I would give it to them. There was a lot of ignorance in treatment to the disease. I now have Secondary Progressive MS, black holes, brain atrophy, and cognitive impairment. And that’s just with my MS. I have been a single mom for almost all of my children lives. I survived cancer 3 times with uterine cancer and both basil and squamous skin cancer. I also have 2 other autoimmune diseases, ITP and Hashimoto’s. To top it all off, I’ve had shingles 7 times.
I am the most stubborn, pigheaded woman you will ever meet. I am a A1 personality and I am like the energizer bunny. I never stop! I went on disability in August 2014, partially because I needed to but also my hand was forced because my company dissolved my department and we were all fired. I have worked every day since I was 15 yr old and never new what it was like to be out of work. I had a great job. I loved my job and I was good at my job. And then I found myself sitting on the couch doing nothing. For 15 years I was a legal collector for a subprime automobile loan company. I was that awful person that took your car and garnished your wages. But I was also that woman who went out of her way to make sure you didn’t get to that step. The day my department was fired, I felt like I was just given the death sentence. It made no sense. But now I had no purpose, no reason to get up every day. We started attending MS events, walks, and educational events. Little by little, I found something to take away that emptiness and found a purpose again. I found a new way to help those who needed help.
My house is filled with love and laughter. We are always laughing about something stupid that happens. My next door neighbors are my daughters spies. They tell her when I’m doing something that I’m not supposed to be doing. When she comes home they run up to her and say “do you know what Ms. Faith did today?” It’s all out of love and I wouldn’t have it any other way. My son is my comic relief. He takes away the stress by something silly he says or does. My daughter is my best friend and partner in crime. She makes sure I am getting out in the world and enjoying what life has to give us. I couldn’t do it without them.
I can’t change what has happened to my body. I never look at the disease as a negative part of my life. I accept it as who I am. I try and live my life to the best I can despite the conditions I have to deal with. I have started advocating more publicly and find great joy sharing my story with others. It’s given me a great sense of purpose. If I can help just one person, then my job is done.
What an amazing post—full of wonderful advice and insight. And imagine it taking 10 years for the doctors to get the diagnosis right!
Thank you, it was a pleasure writing this. ❤❤
I read your blog I did and a lot of it I was relating to. t I was diagnosed eventually from an MIR scan , my diagnosis was in August or September 2017. My neurologist wrote that there wa sa heavy load of MS on my brain as seen in the scene we saw from the MIR SCAN, he showed me the pictures he did that were on his computer. I said that it reminds me of the apocalypse it did and he said that it was my brain he did but then he said they are quire difficult to look at if you don’t know what you are looking at . I have seance been pensioned off work i have, Don’t have to worry about going to work anymore. I live in London which is in the united Kinddom. I wa living in Canada I was from 1995 to 2000 before I started to live here but Iwas living in France for like 15 years before that I was. have no idea where I got my MS from. I have been diagnose as MS is primary progressive it is , that means it has always been progressive it has so that mean I have never had time when I have been well again. i think your story said something to me it did and this why I wrote this to you. My neuroloist said that I should just learn to deal with it and make it work for me as best I can. That is what i am doing. I draw and sometimes write poetry I do about my condition. Not all the time though I like it when I do. Drawing is my therapy it is. Also I monitor mty weight a best I can because i can no longer exercise. I have stopped eating all dairy products I have and do not drink alcohol anymore but occasionally I might drink a beer I will.
Thank you it was a pleasure writing this ❤❤
Thank you Beccas mum (couldn’t find your name in the article) for sharing your story. A positive inspiration. Love your outlook. A woman after my own heart. 🤗
Thank you for your comments and positive thoughts. It’s been a pleasure. Faith ❤❤❤
Definitely my kind of person1
Great post. Keeo on keepin’ on, Ms. Faith!
This was such an insightful and inspiring post and I feel grateful to be given the opportunity to read it so thank you for sharing it! 💕 I have so often been told that my pain is in my head too but luckily because I haven’t given in I am finally being looked at with a spec of respect now and I’m going to not give up until I receive a diagnosis for my chronic pain, whatever it may be ✨
God bless you in this long journey you have been on … I have a big distrust of doctors, always had as my mom was hit by a car at age 11 and as she had many orthopedic issues as a result (42 operations from 1937 through 1991 – her last operations) … doctors never listened to her. She had cellulitis, but her dermatologist said “this is minor – it will go away” – she had to nearly lose her leg before he admitted it was “over his head” and she was referred to an infectious disease doc. I was born in Canada and my father came to the Detroit area in 1966 when he was transferred with Ford Motor Company. We were barely here a year when the ’67 riots broke out … I live in Lincoln Par, which is about 13 miles from the center of the action. I watched the TV reports but I don’t think as an 11-year old, I saw the full impact until a few years ago when they did a 50-year “lookback” … unbelievably the shells of some buildings still stand burned out and neglected. Yes, community like back in Woodstock – you were all as one, whether you indulged in the drugs, etc. or not – it was a gathering like none before it. Our world lacks that community and likely it won’t ever be found again. Bless you and your daughter. I was very close to my mom – my father took off, stopping at the bank to draw all the $$ out and going to an annuity fund, leaving my mom penniless at age 58; she could not work, and could not collect any aid and too young for social security. Luckily the house was paid for … we lived together before and managed to get by without him – who needed him? I miss my mom every day.
wow! thank you for sharing the story of such an amazing woman. she is a true hero.
Thank you so much I’m glad you enjoyed it ❤❤
🙂
I’m with Mrs Faith every step of the way. We sound very alike.
Great story
Thank you everyone for the beautiful words. Im truly blessed to have this woman as my mom. She’s my best friend and my biggest inspiration. I hope to become half the woman she is. She inspires me every day. We have a bond like no other. Im the luckiest girl in the world! To all you figters, keep fighting! You all are amazing, strong, beautiful individuals. ❤❤❤
Thank you very much ❤❤
Most inspirational. I know it takes a lot when the diagnosis is MS and worse with other diseases too. My high school boyfriend the guy who was my first love and I caught up again online. I was so glad to hear he had found his true love and he was happy I had found my soul mate. It was inspirational to find out that he had MS and had married a woman who also had MS. They raised children and had a loving and warm family life. I cheered him on when I found out he was finishing up his education and he got a university degree. MS and all he was living life full barrels Then cancer laid him low and through prayers and with his loving wife beside him he appeared to have beat that. Unfortunately, due to MS complications and other unpleasant things cancer once again reared its ugly head. I was very saddened to find out that he lost the battle over it all in October 2019. I also knew how his wife felt because in August 2017 I lost my soul mate and we were the lucky couple who never got sick but that does no mean a thing when fate moves you along. I could only hope that my two loves my first and my last might have bumped into each other up above. An interesting thought there. I remain strong in my faith and count my blessings every day and thank the Lord for each good thing that comes my way.
What an amazing family…
What a wonderful thing to do, to share her mum’s thoughts. This was so sweet to read, and I love the advice “get a puppy”! ♥ xx
Everyone needs a puppy ❤❤❤❤ Thank you for your comments.
❤❤❤ Faith
I loved getting to know Faith through these posts. What an amazing woman! Love that she went to Woodstock with $5.00 in her pocket. That’s the same kind of adventurous spirit I had as a kid. Living with a chronic illness is so tough, but Faith has a great outlook. I wish I approached my illnesses with the same acceptance and grace.
I started following Faith on Instagram – looking forward to learning more about her journey!