From a recliner in her living room, Deanna Kirkpatrick works on a podcast about multiple sclerosis. Kirkpatrick has an aggressive form of the disease and spends up to 80 percent for her time in bed or in a recliner.
EAST
WENATCHEE — Deanna Kirkpatrick spends 80 percent of her days in bed or in a
recliner. She walks short distances with a cane.
WENATCHEE — Deanna Kirkpatrick spends 80 percent of her days in bed or in a
recliner. She walks short distances with a cane.
Multiple
sclerosis has condensed her world to a small apartment in East Wenatchee. Once
an avid skier, runner, softball player, Seattle radio host and pharmaceutical
sales representative, she’s lost her job and her lifestyle to the disease.
sclerosis has condensed her world to a small apartment in East Wenatchee. Once
an avid skier, runner, softball player, Seattle radio host and pharmaceutical
sales representative, she’s lost her job and her lifestyle to the disease.
What
she hasn’t lost is her ability to communicate.
she hasn’t lost is her ability to communicate.
The
45-year-old’s voice has gone global.
45-year-old’s voice has gone global.
The
podcasts on multiple sclerosis that she produces with two others with MS have
been listened to 17,000 times in the past year, she said. Listeners are from as
far away as Australia, Japan, Germany, Italy and India.
podcasts on multiple sclerosis that she produces with two others with MS have
been listened to 17,000 times in the past year, she said. Listeners are from as
far away as Australia, Japan, Germany, Italy and India.
The
shows have been picked by Blog Talk Radio, which calls itself one of the
largest platforms for Internet radio, as one of their featured productions.
shows have been picked by Blog Talk Radio, which calls itself one of the
largest platforms for Internet radio, as one of their featured productions.
“I love
it,” she says. “The show has just given me a passion for helping other people.
I’ve lost my health and my career and a lot of loss happens when you’re
diagnosed with a chronic disease. But there are blessings that come out of
this. I’m here to say, there are opportunities to help yourself and other
people.”
it,” she says. “The show has just given me a passion for helping other people.
I’ve lost my health and my career and a lot of loss happens when you’re
diagnosed with a chronic disease. But there are blessings that come out of
this. I’m here to say, there are opportunities to help yourself and other
people.”
She and
her two MS friends create podcasts under the name Multiple Sclerosis Unplugged.
They interview researchers, physicians, MS patients and others knowledgeable
about the disease for the one-hour show.
her two MS friends create podcasts under the name Multiple Sclerosis Unplugged.
They interview researchers, physicians, MS patients and others knowledgeable
about the disease for the one-hour show.
Her
mediums are her laptop and her phone.
mediums are her laptop and her phone.
“I usually
have a cup of coffee next to me, my reading glasses on and the phone up to my
ear,” she said. “I have a cat in my lap and a dog on the side of me and I’m
doing this show from the comfort of my living room.”
have a cup of coffee next to me, my reading glasses on and the phone up to my
ear,” she said. “I have a cat in my lap and a dog on the side of me and I’m
doing this show from the comfort of my living room.”
Kirkpatrick
grew up in Wenatchee and was drum major for the Golden Apple Marching Band in
1986, the year she graduated from Wenatchee High School. She went on to
graduate from Washington State University with a degree in communications and
worked for 10 years as a radio host in the Seattle area.
grew up in Wenatchee and was drum major for the Golden Apple Marching Band in
1986, the year she graduated from Wenatchee High School. She went on to
graduate from Washington State University with a degree in communications and
worked for 10 years as a radio host in the Seattle area.
In
2000, she switched careers to become a pharmaceutical sales representative and
worked in that field until 2006. That year, she suffered a paralyzing episode
and was, about a year later, diagnosed with an aggressive form of multiple
sclerosis.
2000, she switched careers to become a pharmaceutical sales representative and
worked in that field until 2006. That year, she suffered a paralyzing episode
and was, about a year later, diagnosed with an aggressive form of multiple
sclerosis.
“At
first, I was optimistic that I would be the exception to the rule, that I would
still be that girl skiing and climbing the mountain and bike riding,” she said.
first, I was optimistic that I would be the exception to the rule, that I would
still be that girl skiing and climbing the mountain and bike riding,” she said.
Gradually,
though, she realized that the disease was making her dreams impossible.
though, she realized that the disease was making her dreams impossible.
“The
last two years, the disease has been very aggressive,” she said. “To be only
six years in and be 80 percent bedridden is not good.”
last two years, the disease has been very aggressive,” she said. “To be only
six years in and be 80 percent bedridden is not good.”
In
June, she moved from the Seattle area to East Wenatchee to be closer to her
family. A few months before that, she was researching MS on Facebook and found
Stuart Schlossman from Florida, and Amy Gurowitz from New Jersey. Within days,
they agreed to partner on an Internet radio show.
June, she moved from the Seattle area to East Wenatchee to be closer to her
family. A few months before that, she was researching MS on Facebook and found
Stuart Schlossman from Florida, and Amy Gurowitz from New Jersey. Within days,
they agreed to partner on an Internet radio show.
“We’ve
never met face-to-face, yet we produce these podcasts together and you’d think
we’d known each other for years.”
never met face-to-face, yet we produce these podcasts together and you’d think
we’d known each other for years.”
Kirkpatrick
said she thought the audio portion of the Internet was the perfect way to
connect MS sufferers. Many of them have lost all or part of their vision to the
disease.
said she thought the audio portion of the Internet was the perfect way to
connect MS sufferers. Many of them have lost all or part of their vision to the
disease.
“I know
my eyes go blurry for hours or for up to a day and I can’t really read anything
but I can certainly listen,” she said.
my eyes go blurry for hours or for up to a day and I can’t really read anything
but I can certainly listen,” she said.
The
three, who do all their work as non-paid volunteers, do an hourlong show once
or twice a month. They always interview an expert or someone with the disease,
and topics range from treatment, to medications to how sufferers can afford
their health care.
three, who do all their work as non-paid volunteers, do an hourlong show once
or twice a month. They always interview an expert or someone with the disease,
and topics range from treatment, to medications to how sufferers can afford
their health care.
Kirkpatrick
wants to do as many shows as she can for as long as she can. She is hoping to
to have stem cell treatment in 2013 that may help her condition.
wants to do as many shows as she can for as long as she can. She is hoping to
to have stem cell treatment in 2013 that may help her condition.
“I used
to be very active so, if I could have that again, even for a few years, that
would be a huge blessing,” she said.
to be very active so, if I could have that again, even for a few years, that
would be a huge blessing,” she said.
She
said she also considers it a blessing that she can combine her radio-host
experience with her knowledge about pharmaceuticals, and ask intelligent
questions on the podcasts.
said she also considers it a blessing that she can combine her radio-host
experience with her knowledge about pharmaceuticals, and ask intelligent
questions on the podcasts.
“It
really is much more of a God thing, than a me thing,” she said. “Everything has
just lined up perfectly so I am now a patient and can be a voice for other
patients and help them get the information they are looking for and the answers
to their questions.”
really is much more of a God thing, than a me thing,” she said. “Everything has
just lined up perfectly so I am now a patient and can be a voice for other
patients and help them get the information they are looking for and the answers
to their questions.”
Dee
Riggs: 664-7147
Riggs: 664-7147
deeriggs@wenatcheeworld.com
Visit our MS Learning Channel on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/msviewsandnews