I am a warrior. I am my own advocate, and I will prevail.

Just about a month ago, I was feeling like crap. I had a difficulty walking through an airport without being winded and coughing. My legs are tired and my lungs just weren’t working as I knew they should. Still had an event to do in Alabama and I made it work. Though I needed a lot of rest.

Going home the same thing. Winded when walking through the airport?

Knew something was not right, but had no clue what it was.

A few days later I started getting sick. Lost my voice, which, for those that know me, is extremely important. Began wheezing and coughing too much and had a fever. My lungs felt uncomfortable.

The next morning feeling worse. I decided to go to an urgent care. They saw how I was, they took my temperature, they wanted to do a swab of my nose to determine if Covid, RSV, or the Flu,.

I told the medical assistant that I wanted a chest x-ray.

The Nurse Practitioner came in and listened with her stethoscope to my lungs and told me that I don’t need a chest x-ray. I told her I still wanted a chest x-ray. She asked me why, and I said because it felt uncomfortable. I said what difference does it make to you if I am paying for this.

They did the chest, x-ray, and then they told me to go home because it’ll be about 45 minutes before they can get back to me. I guess they didn’t want to sick person waiting in their waiting room.

Approximately 40 minutes later, a nurse practitioner was giving me a call to tell me that the Swabs were all negative. I did not have Covid, I did not have the flu, and I did not have RSV.

But what she did tell me, I knew damn well sure that I was being correct in being my own advocate.

 She told me I had Pneumonia! My remark to her was, I’m damn glad I demanded the chest x-ray.

So this is what I’m trying to tell you all, Is that you need to be your own advocate!!

  If you feel something is not right, and that you’re not being treated correctly, you better be damn ready to defend yourself and ask for more tests.

For me, Strong medications and rest came next.  

It’s now been about a month since I first started feeling crappy. And now finally making the turn and beginning to feel better. It’s been a long road, And many medications, but taught me a lesson. The doctor may not always be right.

Having MS, a fear of mine, knowing that I couldn’t do my infusion therapy that I would have to put this off until we know for sure that this pneumonia / infection and the use of all these antibiotics is clear before I can actually do my infusion treatment. My concern, was having a relapse due to all those foreign invaders being able to get into my body because there’s nothing there to protect my brain if I’m not able to do my MS medication.

As mentioned earlier, I Will prevail. Currently, I’m getting stronger and hopefully in another week or two I will be back to my normal self. HOPEFULLY SOON< I will be Able to Travel again as this sitting home stuff and handling our MS in-person programs virtually, is Truly Depressing and Not for me.

I wonder though how many others are out and about around the Country thinking that they may only have a form of an respiratory infection, but what might it actually be and in being out and about, how many others are being infected?

I AM ASKING YOU ALL to Learn to be Your Own Advocate if you are not already, and if you cannot do this, make sure that you have somebody in your camp, that can do this for you!

Have a blessed day!

Best Regards, 

 Stuart Schlossman
MS Views and News

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