Multiple Sclerosis: A Patient’s Perspective

SEPTEMBER 2014 WAS a happy month for William Stiles. The 37-year-old married his wife, Amber, and by October, the couple were expecting their first child. William’s good fortune continued, and in February 2015, the young attorney won the first court case he tried at his new law firm. In March, his good fortune came to a screeching halt, and all he remembers is waking up in a hospital room. “I was very confused because I have been healthy my entire life,” he says. “I was hospitalized for half of March, and when I woke up, I didn’t recognize Amber or my family members who came to check on me. The doctors advised Amber that I was not likely to regain my memory and gave her the name of several nursing homes. We’d been married six months.”

An infusion of Rituxan eight days later helped stabilize his condition and restore his memory, but his health did not improve. MRIs revealed countless lesions on the left side of William’s brain. As it turned out, the nagging vision troubles and leg pain he’d been experiencing were symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS).

At a friend’s recommendation, William was referred to Shepherd Center in Atlanta, a private not-for-profit hospital specializing in medical treatment, research and rehabilitation for people with spinal cord injury, brain injury, MS and other neuromuscular conditions. It was there that William embarked on a treatment plan that helped him get his life back.

Learning to Live with Loss

As devastating as a diagnosis of MS was for a young husband and father, the initial loss of health, memory and mobility was only the beginning of a series of setbacks for William and his growing family. “While I was hospitalized, I received a termination letter from my company. Apparently, my termination was communicated to me and my wife via telephone, but I have no recollection of the conversation. I wrongly believed I was still employed when released from the hospital.”

For William, the only thing more painful than the job loss was the way close friends suddenly disappeared when they learned of his diagnosis: “The most difficult aspect of this journey has been the loss of individuals I once regarded as true friends and family. It is an unfortunate reality that in your hour of greatest need, your true friends are revealed.”

Getting Back in the Game

William considers himself fortunate to have been referred to a center that specializes in MS treatment. His treatment plan is very focused and includes a Rituxan infusion once every six months, coupled with vitamin B, vitamin D and fish oil every day. The regimen has helped keep his memory intact and has removed the lesions that had developed on his brain. He also has no vision issues and no physical pain. “The lifestyle changes that have been the most significant for me have been dietary,” he adds. “I have a mostly vegetarian diet with chicken and fish at times. No soda or products with preservatives or high fructose corn syrup. I lost over 50 pounds while in the hospital (dropping to 187 pounds). Despite the change in diet, I am now up to a healthy 241 pounds, with no real physical limitations other than I can’t run as far as I used to, and my basketball game has gotten very bad!”

Today, William is the active father of a 22-month-old and 2-month-old and is optimistic about the future. Within a year of his diagnosis and release from the hospital, he received a lucrative job offer, and this past year, he was sworn into the U.S. Supreme Court’s bar association, making him eligible to argue cases before the highest court in the land. “The diagnosis of MS should not be considered a disability. It’s an opportunity to overcome a difficult challenge and to provide an example to others to overcome any challenges they face,” he says. “Without question, there are moments of uncertainty and fear. But I have kept a keen focus on recovering and returning to the world in a manner in which I would not be a burden on others. For me, it was getting the right treatment plan and the power of love and faith in God. He provides a way, he heals and helps us overcome all obstacles.”