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The profile of the month is chosen by the MSIF editor from those submitted.
Kathy Balt
 "I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails.”
Email: Email Kathy
Year of Diagnosis: 1995
Country of Residence: Australia
My name is Kathy. I am a very ordinary, Australian wife and mother of two, with a dog and a mortgage and Multiple Sclerosis. I was diagnosed in 1995 when I was 29 years old and at the peak of fitness and health. I have endured a few ‘attacks’ and as I was clawing my way out of an ‘attack’ in 2001, I put pen to paper and Oops, I wrote a book.
If you are reading this Profile, you may very well have already read a profile or two of mine I have submitted to this site over the years since diagnosis. If you are anything like me, you also find much comfort in knowing that you are not alone. You probably also find much comfort reading about how others in a similar situation are getting on with their lives. For that very reason, “My Story” emerged …
…… the Neurologist did some more tests. I was starting to feel like I had missed my vocation, I should have become a ‘crash test dummy’. He told me he would like me to go into hospital for even more tests.
He sent me home saying that it could be a tumour of some description, a viral infection of the spinal column or perhaps even Multiple Sclerosis. I thought at the time that the MS sounded like the lesser of the three evils. The lesser of three evils for sure, but not exactly on my agenda.
When I went home and told Mum what he thought it might be, understandably she was quite distressed. And again, for whatever reason, I was still not worried. I felt sure that it wouldn’t be anything to worry about.
I had always enjoyed really good health and the only time I had ever been to hospital in the past, was when I had my son, in 1993. I was in Private Health Cover then and had the luxury of a private room with ensuite. Because our whole family was sickeningly healthy, we made the decision to pull out of Private Health Cover. I knew this hospital visit was going to be a different story.
My husband and son drove me to Perth on the Sunday morning and left me in tears. I knew I was going to miss them, and just maybe, I was starting to worry a little. I shared a four bed room on the Neurological Science ward. Sounds impressive doesn’t it? Not! I spent most of my days out and about walking. It was too depressing watching other people going through their rehabilitation.
Over the period of a week I had numerous tests and on about day three I had an M.R.I (magnetic resonance imaging) scan. Now that is an experience!
I had to put on a gown and these beautiful, what looked like, white footy socks. Then I was ‘production lined’ into a cylindrical machine and there I laid for over an hour while they x-rayed my brain and spinal column. All I could think of while I was in there, was how would Mum cope with this? She is quite claustrophobic and I didn’t think she would cope at all well. I kept my eyes closed and just kept telling myself that nothing could happen. I made a mental note that if I ever had to do that again, I would take in my own C.D. An hour of Nana Maskouri was just a little too much for me.
I had an orderly take me back to my room in a wheelchair. What a cop out! I was perfectly capable of walking.
I went back to my room and not long after, the Registrar came in. Because I was not a private patient, I rarely saw my Neurologist. The Registrar told me that through the MRI scan they had been able to diagnose me. He started to tell me that I had, “Lesions on my spinal column that were consistent with a scleratic disease.” He did not mention the words Multiple Sclerosis, but I knew what he was saying, I had MS. Tears started welling up. I could not have MS, I wasn’t sick and besides I was only twenty nine years old! I felt so alone.
I sat and stared blankly into space, trying to absorb what I had just been told. The absorb bit was optimistic. I sat and played the Registrar’s words over and over in my head. Had I heard him correctly? Kathy Balt has MS, how could that be?
I rang home and Dad answered…
And Why The Ladybird?
I have used ladybirds for the theme on the front cover of “My Story”
And Why The Ladybird?
My daughter started Year 1 in 2002 and because I had been so sick in 2001, Stefanie had become a little ‘clingy’. Although she was very much looking forward to starting school, she seemed to be suffering with separation anxiety.
Mum bought Stefanie a necklace with a little ladybird on it, she then bought me one too. We decided that we would both wear our necklaces everyday and when Stef felt as though she needed me, was missing me or just wanted to think about me, she would give the little ladybird a rub. We decided that we would always think about each other every time we touched the ladybird.
The more I thought about how this little ladybird was uniting my daughter and I, through what was a really tough time for Stefanie, I realised it could be used to unite people the world over. People affected directly or indirectly with MS need to know that they are not alone. This little ladybird could be the symbol that has the power to unite strangers in the street.
Further information:
“My Story” : $19.95 (Aus)
Silver Ladybirds : $20.00 (Aus)
Gold Ladybirds : $36.00 (Aus)
($2.00 from each Ladybird will be donated to the MS Society of Western Australia)
ORDERS
Cheque or Money Orders (made out to Kathy Balt) can be sent to;
Kathy Balt
513 Roediger Drive
NORTHAM WESTERN AUSTRALIA 6401
Ph: 0896 22 1919
E-Mail: Email Kathy
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