Posted by: The Sumaira Foundation in NMO, Patient, Voices of NMO
While I was pregnant, I began having blurred vision. I went to see ophthalmologists, opticians, and general practitioners, but they kept saying nothing was wrong. I was sent to see a neurologist at a public hospital, but there were long wait times. Knowing I needed answers, I chose to go to a private hospital. The […]
Read MorePosted by: The Sumaira Foundation in NMO, Patient, Voices of NMO
Hi, my name is Noelani. I am 30 years old, was born and raised in Hawaii but currently reside in Nevada! Looking back, there were signs throughout my childhood of NMO, bowel/urinary incontinence, spurts of tingles, and needles in my extremities. In my early teens, I had episodes of numbness in my left arm and […]
Read MorePosted by: The Sumaira Foundation in NMO, Voices of NMO
It started innocuously. In 2008 we moved to Ottawa with my employer for my career in pest control. On a gray, cloudy but humid day, I was out removing a wasp nest for a client. She pointed to the nest hanging off a tree branch, about 10 feet away, and I thought to myself, “not […]
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In August 2019, while at work, I began to notice a change in my right eye. I thought it was the contacts I was wearing, so I removed them. Still, my vision felt strange. I realized that I was going blind and needed to go to an eye doctor. The eye doctor mentioned multiple sclerosis […]
Read MorePosted by: The Sumaira Foundation in NMO, Patient, Voices of NMO
A native Portuguese speaker and resident of Denmark, Leda wrote her story in English, Portuguese, and Danish. Please scroll down to read Leda’s story in Portuguese and/or Danish. In 2018 my life was peaking. My family was doing well. I had the most amazing job and spent my spare time teaching Zumba classes, boxing, and […]
Read MorePosted by: The Sumaira Foundation in NMO, Patient, Voices of NMO
Part I and II of this story were originally published in 2015 by NMO Stories, presented by The Guthy-Jackson Foundation and the Connor B. Judge Foundation. It was shared again on November 14th, 2019 in In Their Own Words by SRNA (Siegel Rare Neuroimmune Association). Part I Sometimes I think I could write a book about my story with NMO… […]
Read MorePosted by: The Sumaira Foundation in NMO, Patient, Voices of NMO
My name is Pauline Richardson nee Grant. I grew up on a farm in Jamaica. My mom, being a cheerful giver, would invite people over all the time, always making sure they were well fed. My parents instilled in us strong values, the importance of family, faith, and community. My parents’ caring and compassionate attitude […]
Read MorePosted by: The Sumaira Foundation in NMO, Patient, Uncategorized, Voices of NMO
The bad news is that apparently I’m about to die. The good news is that both my fantasy doctor boyfriend and my ex-husband are at my bedside for this moment… I’m in the hospital with a collection of mysterious and life-threatening symptoms. My heart monitor is beeping at a speed that seems un-survivable and I […]
Read MorePosted by: The Sumaira Foundation in NMO, Patient, Voices of NMO
December of 2020 started perfectly. I recently accepted my first job offer after completing my undergraduate degree and anticipated my start date in the new year… In the second week of the month, I fell ill to what I thought was the stomach flu. I was soon rushed to the hospital after extreme nausea refused […]
Read MorePosted by: The Sumaira Foundation in NMO, Patient, Voices of NMO
My name is Hali and I am a 19 year old Scottish Law student living with NMOSD. — It all began in August 2021 when I developed a rash on the left side of my neck. It caused extreme nerve pain in the brain when touched the area and would trigger shaking spasms. I then […]
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