Very first patient....literally.

Today was my first appointment at the brand new Multiple Sclerosis Center for Excellence. I literally was the first patient. Dr. Farhat Husain and Dr. Gabriel Pardo and the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation  have opened up the Multiple Sclerosis Center for Excellence on the campus of the OU Medical Center. Dad and I pulled up to the building this morning and literally they were still constructing the thing on the inside, but it was sure a sight to look at. It was gorgeous, and in the back of my mind I thought, this will be the place I will be spending a lot of my time at pretty soon. I am happy. I am ready to get this started and treated.


We walk in to the freshly put together office. I say that because they were still hooking up the printers, men in construction helmets and tool belts were walking in and out of the office, and all the women behind the glass looked as confused about what exactly to do about the first patient, as I was about my newly discovered condition. I looked at my father, and said "I keep picturing one of the construction men walking out to the lobby and saying, "Erica", just like a nurse would do to call you back at the doctor's office." He laughed.

My father, Miguel Rey Sabedra M.D. is a family physician. He went to Oklahoma Christian College his first year of college and then he transferred to South Western Oklahoma State University in Weatherford, Oklahoma. He had met my mother, from a small town called Hydro and they both attended college there. My father changed his studies from wanting to become a preacher, to biology. He had told me at one point that he just wanted to be able to provide a great life for his family. Not only that, but he has a love for science and the body. He always talks about how amazing the human body is and how God put it together. My father was accepted to the University of Minnesota Medical School, at this time it was one of the top medical institutions in the nation. He also got accepted to Oklahoma University, but he felt this was where he needed to be, and he loved it. He graduated from the University of Minnesota Medical school in 1987. Then we, mom and dad, and my sister and I, moved to Wichita, Kansas. He then continued his residency at St. Francis Hospital. There my brother was born and we then moved to Marlow, Oklahoma. My dad has always been a positive influence in my life. He has always pushed me to stop thinking negatively, no matter what. I know that through this journey, God and my father will be my biggest encouragement.

Dr. Husain is a small Middle Eastern woman. She has short brown hair, dark complected skin, and dark eyes. She wore a navy blue suit jacket with a matching skirt and white collared shirt. Her shoes where brown loafers and she had on glasses. Simple, yet refined. I was referred to her by Dr. Morgan. He said very positive things about her and assured us that she was the best he knew for my condition. She asked me about the symptoms I had and looked at my MRI's. Even Dr. Husain was not prepared for the first patient. She kept running in and out of the room to get paper, then a pen. As she walked back into the room she confirmed what Dr. Morgan had diagnosed. Multiple Sclerosis. We then discussed the treatments that were available today and we decided on Copaxin (sp). The company will travel to my house for a length of time, teach me how to do the subcutaneous injections, and then it will be up to me. She then told me that she wanted me to do a study and I of coursed agreed to all she asked and recommended. I met with Amy, my physical therapist who specializes in MS therapy. I am oh so ready for this recovery. Everything is looking up and I am excited.

Do not Google medical terms.

Here you go Jess, you have basically begged me for three days to enter the blogging world and so I am doing it. I guess I will take your advice and turn this into a book when the time is right. Jessica is my sister, who was at my most recent neurological appointment along with my parents. Let me tell you, if you have never experienced a stressful wait as finding out the results from a brain and spine MRI that took three hours and two Valium, be thankful. Valium because I'm claustrophobic, and three hours of spinal and brain MRI's because I have not ran in about four years.

About four years ago, I was living in Norman, Oklahoma with my ex husband. We had five dogs in our house. Two that were ours, two that were my moms, and one that was his mothers. A mutt, Gizmo, wow I miss that dog. He was dirty, stinky, and fun all in one. I guess that is the case for most dogs. Two Yorkshire terriers, a pit bull with the most gorgeous blue eyes, and a weenie dog. All of them were escape artists, and although they would run away they would always come back. I am telling you this because It was a mad house to say the least. We did not regularly have this many dogs, just ended up dog sitting them all at once. Only the pit bull and the mutt were ours.

As anyone knows it is windy in Oklahoma, we are in tornado alley for goodness sakes. Not only is it windy but we have the most unpredictable weather. It will be hot as hell, or cold and icy and those could occur with in days apart. In 2006 we had a horrible ice storm. I remember it well. Trees were frozen and snapping all over town. It sounded like a war outside. When a tree snapped, you would have thought another bomber had dropped another bomb miles or even blocks away. The neighbors house behind ours had a huge tree that happened to do just that. I am telling you this because it was around this time in my life when I realized something was not right. Unfortunately when it snapped, it fell on our fence. And guess what the dogs did when they realized this? They Ran.

I have never been so relieved to hear the words that I heard two days ago in the office of my second neurologist, Dr. Charles Morgan. Some might think it is ridiculous for me to think so, but in my case, and that day, I was. After years of worrying, praying, anxiety attacks, begging for answers, and unexplained medical issues, I was told that I had multiple sclerosis. The reason I am relieved to hear that I had this life changing illness, was because I would rather have this, something controllable and in my case curable, than an inoperable brain tumor. The reason I say don't Google medical stuff is number one because my dad told me not to, it is crap and always gives the worse examples. Number two because Dr. Morgan also told me not to. If you ask any doctor they will tell you not to. So my advise to you "Don't Google medical things" Curable you ask? Yes, I believe that God will cure this disease. Why? Because I have faith in Him.

My friend Noah Cooley is such an inspiration to me. I had asked him to pray for me because if you want to know, this man has stronger faith than most people I know. I wrote him a message asking for prayers and mentioned that I was worried and scared. He wrote back plainly "FIRE FALL DOWN!". Take it as you want. I know that coming from him it meant the following things: "Satan, get the hell away from my dear friends thoughts and body!", OR "Holy Spirit fall down on my friend." Most likely now that I think about it, Noah meant both and probably more. After that message I texted him and thanked him for the prayers and went on to say praise God I have MS, not something like an inoperable brain tumor. Noah replied saying "Erica, disease is NOT from our God. He will cure it just have faith He will." And so my focus has gone from thanking God for answering my prayers of wanting something controllable to having faith that God will heal this disease. Not only in me but anyone else who believes.