When you’re a mum of three small children and running two businesses, sometimes you need a good holiday to unwind. We know many of our readers can relate to this, but imagine finally getting away on that holiday only to fall ill.
This is exactly what happened when Amy Dowling took off to a resort for a well-earned break with her husband and three children aged just seven, four and one. Waking up one morning with a completely numb arm, Amy thought she had slept on it the wrong way. She tells what happened next:
I tossed and turned for a while, but it didn’t go away. I sat up and breastfed the baby; it’s still there. Then I started to get chest pain from panic. After an hour, a call was made to a duty nurse who then called an ambulance as a stroke was a concern. Back home a neurologist refered me for an MRI which revealed three brain lesions; my first MS attack.
Fast forward six months and I am fundraising to walk in the MS walk as well as trying to raise awareness for this disease. I didn’t know that the average age of diagnosis of MS is just thirty years and that MS affects three times as many women as men and I bet many others don’t either!
My husband, three kids and I, along with some close friends – one also with MS – are taking part in the 2012 MS Walk and Fun Run in order to raise funds for people affected by multiple sclerosis. MS is is the most common disease of the central nervous system and affects more than 21,000 Australians.
We can only imagine the heartbreak of such a diagnosis at such a young age, and with three children to care for. Amy runs both Mudd Kids and Allergy Riders so she is part of the business community in which Babyology circulates – our hearts go out to Amy and her family.
To mark World MS Day on 30 May, for every new liker on Facebook in June, we’ll give twenty cents to MS Research Australia. You can help by sharing this post with your Facebook friends, your real-life friends and everyone else you know. Ask them to like Babyology’s Facebook page and each like will earn 20c for MS Research. It really is as simple as that!
6 Comments
My mum has MS (diagnosed in 1996). The doctors think it started when she was 25 (and pregnant with my sister) but back then they didn’t have a clear way to diagnose it. The she had nothing more until she was 46, then bam – our owrld changed forever. Thank you Amy for sharing your story and generating awareness and to Babyology for getting behind this important research. Its research like this that might make the difference to my baby getting a chance to know his/her grandmother.
I said it on Facebook, but I’ll repeat it here… Thanks for supporting mums with MS, Babyology! xo
I am also sick, I have store online with organic clothes. My husband is working. We have mortgage.
Anyone is raising money for me. Soon we will lose our house.
Rene that is absolutely heartbreaking to hear. We are raising money for MS Research Australia so hope to contribute to finding a cure for everyone who has this disease. If you have a recommendation of an Australian charity, we would be happy to add it to our list for consideration for future charity drives, which we do quarterly. We also hope you can access some government and/or community assistance.
All the very best
Team Babyology
Im a 24 yr old female who has been diagnosed with MS, just want to say thank you and keep up the great work!
Wow Amy, your story is so similar to mine. We had just returned from our first big holiday as a family of 5 in Queensland when I fell ill. I was admitted to hospital and a week later an MRI revealed MS. I have 3 young boys and had just started my own business a few months before. Well, that was 3 years ago for me. Today I am managing my own health drug free (following a program called Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis), running my business which has grown beyond my wildest dreams and raising my 3 beautiful boys with my gorgeous husband. Some days are harder than others, but with love, support and determination, you can continue to live a full and happy life with this horrible disease. All the best Amy and thank you so much for sharing your story. xxx