A local woman adjusted to living with MS, with help of friends and family
Living with MS in Caledon
By Anneleen Naudts

Nancy Verta, a member of the MS Society's Bolton- Caledon Support Group, was diagnosed with MS five years ago.

Nancy Verta was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in July 2003, dramatically changing life for the woman in her early 30s.

From her diagnosis to today, Verta has learned to take life day-by-day, incorporating yoga into her lifestyle, and becoming a member of the MS Society's Bolton-Caledon Support Group.

Her battle with MS began one morning, when she awoke to find she had lost vision in her right eye. While she had previously experienced some tremors, she blamed these on a car accident she was involved in years before.

Not overly worried, Verta went to a walk-in clinic, where she was immediately referred to a hospital. There, doctors concluded her loss of vision was optic neuritis, a very common symptom of MS. Soon after, she was diagnosed with MS.

The diagnosed changed Verta's life "big time."

"I have to take a nap twice a day," she said, adding that if she doesn't, she can't get through the week.

Aside from fatigue, Verta regularly experiences tremors, spasticity and pain, although she said living with the disease varies from day to day.

"What they say about MS being unpredictable is true," Verta commented. "You learn to take it day-byday." Some mornings she will feel fine, while others she may have a hard time getting out of bed.

MS also affects people in different ways.

"Everyone is different," she explained. "Some people might experience pain, while others have more trouble walking."

She has the relapseremittance strand of MS, the most common type, which involves sporadic relapses. People tend to fully recover from the relapses, she explained.

She regained her vision after four weeks, though there is some residual damage, particularly in her ability to see colour.

Since the diagnosis, she has had "quite a few" relapses, some severe enough to confine her to bed for up to three weeks. She usually maintains residual damage from each relapse, and her condition is progressing slightly.

Living with MS entailed a lifestyle adjustment for her and her husband.

"You have to change," she explained. "You start doing things during the day rather than at night. You plan your day, but you can't plan too far ahead."

Verta said husband Gerry, her high school sweetheart, offered a lot of support and friendship. "He's been amazing with helping me."

"It's been very hard for him," she added. "He wishes he could fix things. He has known me most of my life, and I think he has a harder time dealing than me."

Verta said she feels lucky to have so much support from both sides of her family, and her friends. "MS affects them as well," she observed.

Her husband, sister, brother-in-law, and niece have joined Verta in learning to administer needles, so there are lots of people on hand for the injections she needs three times a week.

Verta has been off work since 2004. She used to be a customer service supervisor. Due to another relapse and experiencing more fatigue, pain and problems with concentration and coordination, she was ordered by her doctor to stay home until she was better. Unfortunately that time has not come.

Soon after, she began attending the monthly meetings of the Bolton- Caledon MS Support Group, funded by the MS Society of Canada.

Verta believes the group is a great concept. "It's good because there are other people like you - you can relate to one another," she remarked.

They have group discussions, and host guest speakers, such as massage therapists, pain management specialists, pharmacists and chiropractors, to list a few.

The MS Society also sponsors weekly yoga and monthly aquafit classes. Verta took a liking to yoga, and incorporated it into her morning routine.

"Yoga helps with improving balance, strengthening, concentration, and relaxation," she said. "Everyone with MS should do it."

She also helps sell flowers during the MS Carnation campaign in May.

Being an avid participant in the Super Cities WALK for MS, Verta regrets she will miss this year's event, but she won't let this stop her from donating and raising funds. In 2004, her husband raised more than $1,000, earning him the title of one of the Top Fundraisers.

Even before her diagnosis, Verta supported the MS Society. Verta's sister had been diagnosed with MS, and another sister has a neurological disease as well.

There is some evidence that certain people are more susceptible to developing MS because of genetic factors. The MS Society suggests that while there is no evidence that MS is a directly inherited disease, a number of genes are probably involved in making some people more susceptible.

An estimated 55,000 to 75,000 Canadians have MS, according to the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada. It is more than three times as likely to occur in women than in men.