Living past
MS “I’m not about to sit back
and let it get to me’
By Tiffany Allison
With N.C. Gov. Beverly Perdue declaring last week, March
2-8, Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week, the Central North Carolina
chapter of the National MS Society held several events in recognition
of more than 2,300 members in the community suffering form MS.
Ri and Josephine Nakamura
enjoy their time together even though life has taken quite
a turn.
Photo by Tiffany Allison
MS is a chronic, disabling disease that attacks the central nervous
system including the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms may vary
between individuals. Mild cases include numbness in limbs, fatigue,
vision problems, vertigo and loss of coordination. Paralysis and
vision loss are two of the most severe effects of MS.
The theme for MS awareness week was, “Move It.” Stephanie
Phipps, the group’s marketing and public relations coordinator,
said she wanted everyone to become more aware of this commonly
misconceived disease.
“We want everyone to take action and move it towards a world
free of MS,” she said. “There are many misconceptions
out there about MS and we want the public to understand what over
400,000 Americans deal with on a daily basis.”
Todd resident Josephine Nakamura recently shared her struggle
with MS and how she and her husband, Ri, have learned to overcome
the trials of the disease. Nakamura was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting
MS in 2000 the day after her birthday.
She first noticed a change when her vision would become blurred
and her ability to remember everyday tasks became impaired.
“On my way home from work, I sat in my car and tried to remember
how to back up, but I couldn’t,” she said. “When
your eyes are aflutter and you don’t know why, or you forget
how to drive or someone’s name, it’s frustrating.”
When she was first diagnosed, Nakamura had never heard of MS.
In time and through National MS Society programs like Camp Carefree,
she has learned to cope. Camp Carefree is a camp designed for
those struggling with disabilities like MS. It provides an opportunity
for people to gather together and share personal stories of success.
“We can gather together and know that we are not alone in
this battle,” she said. “We feel like we can have a
kinship in that way.”
Former natives of New York, the Nakamura family moved to Todd
in 1994. Although the disease has rendered her unable to work,
Nakamura spends her time volunteering at her church, Mount Vernon
Baptist and at Boone-based relief organization Samaritans Purse.
“You find you do things that you want to do,” she said.
“Well, I’ve always wanted to do this. Sometimes it’s
like an opportunity. God doesn’t do things despite us. He
does it to get our attention. And he got my attention.”
In her free time, she cooks dinners for church members, manages
the prayer room and attends mission trips. She has traveled to
Mississippi, Louisiana and Grifton, N.C. to provide disaster relief.
Ri, her husband, is determined to aid his wife in any way.
“As a caregiver, it’s hard for me to see her suffer,”
he said. “It’s my wife, and I’ll do anything for
her. I married my wife for better of for worse, and I’m not
about to abandon her just because she is sick.”
“A few years ago, I was in a lot of pain. So much pain, I
could hardly lift my head,” she said. “ I couldn’t
sit for vary long, and I couldn’t lay down for very long.
At one point, I could hardly walk myself. Fortunately with medication,
I can walk now.”
She started a chemotherapy treatment for MS and she could immediately
tell a difference. The only problem with her disease is most of
the time there are no outward physical side effects.
“You don’t look sick,” Ri Nakamura said. “This
is an MS thing. You may look fine on the outside, but you have
no idea how inside the person is hurting.”
“I’m not about to sit back and let it get to me. People
have to know that we are all in this together. Everybody has something.
One person may have diabetes and another person may have heart
trouble,” she said. “I think we all need to take care
of one another.”
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