My first visit to a doctor that specialized in Multiple Sclerosis was interesting in that he told me that if I could just hold on for ten years that there would be a cure for MS. Not knowing much about the disease at that time, his statement gave me hope. I was convinced that if I stayed on the prescribed DMT I would halt anymore relapses from occurring, thus reducing the chance of any further disability. 

After that visit I read everything I could get my hands on to learn more about what was destroying the nerves in my brain and c-spine.

I dutifully tried every drug that was available at the time, applied for clinical trials, and used any alternative therapies with little to no success. 

So, eighteen years later there is still no cure for MS.

Sure there have been many advances in new therapies, a vaccine and understanding what possibly triggers the MS in a person to become active, but as of now no cure has been discovered.

Obviously, this realization has dampened the hope for a cure in my lifetime. When I look at the big picture,(without being too pessimistic), I can’t imagine the monetary loss that a cure would have on pharmaceutical companies, MS specialist, doctors, nurses and scientists.

So at this point in my journey, I hope for no further disability, in myself and others with autoimmune diseases. Maybe there will be a cure in the future, so that my adult children, my grandchildren and great grandchildren will not have to suffer and will remember me as a fighter.