Hi, my name is Amber Mazyck. Many of you know me through my advocacy work. I pride myself in using my passion and authenticity to serve my community in the hopes for a better world. I’ve most often focused on college campuses and student centers because so often these young people are unaware or unsure of places to reach out to for support and inclusion. I never imagined that I would need support of my very own.
The last three weeks have been a whirlwind. On August 20th I woke up to a tingling and numbness in my feet that continued to spread. Without knowing why my body was numb, why my tea had no flavor, why I couldn’t grasp my laces to slip on shoes, or why all of these simple actions have now become painful, I continued seeking medical help. I didn’t want to accept the countless “I don’t knows” that I had received.
After spending time at two different hospitals and a doctor’s office with no direction or diagnosis, a third ER visit left me with a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Suddenly so many of my “quirks” and weaknesses finally had a viable cause. Unfortunately with MS, so many symptoms remain unknown or dependent on the individual. Essentially, MS is a disease in which the immune system eats away at the protective covering of nerves. Unpredictable and often disabling, MS disrupts the flow of information within the brain and from brain to body. My particular strand of MS is currently known as RRMS where I have episodes of relapse and remission with either continuing or worsening symptoms. For me, symptoms look like numbness and shooting pains, a clinching band surrounding my stomach, inability to walk correctly, weakness and continuous fatigue, and disorientation.
At the beginning stages of diagnosis, much is unclear, especially regarding medication. I have rheumatologist, physical therapist, and neurologist appointments all vying for time and, unfortunately, payment.
Currently I am in an active relapse. My body’s immune system attacks its own central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord). In MS, the immune system attacks and damages or destroys the myelin, a substance that surrounds and insulates the nerves. These cause numbness and pain (among a variety of other things) and lesions on the brain. Though more than someone with an initial diagnosis hopes to have, I currently have over ten lesions on my brain and more in my neck. My body is currently fighting itself every step of the way but I have been prescribed a new self-injection that I am waiting on the medication for. It could be 3 weeks until I get this medication, and up to three months before it begins to take effect. At this point I am unable to work and have been placed on leave. While I have been using my available benefit hours, those will unfortunately run out sooner than I will be able to return to work. I’m asking you all to please give your time, positivity, social media presence, funds, and prayers in this time. It will be a long road ahead but it is one that I know I will have continued love and support with. Thank you in advance for all the love you are able to share.
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