The MS Recovery Diet by Ann Sawyer and Judi Bachrach

My name is Tara Burns and I have Multiple Sclerosis. I want to share with you about how I am winning the fight against MS. Apparently, the disease started a number of years ago when I was a teenager. I was always struggling through school and had to take my eleventh grade English over again my senior year. When I was twenty-nine, I woke up and went to work as usual. Later that night I became dizzy. This lasted for about a month and no one knew what this was about. It was extremely difficult. I would wake up and go to sleep feeling sick.

When I was thirty-six I was going through a divorce and custody battle. One morning I woke up and I could not see out of my left eye. I continued to go about my day thinking perhaps this was an allergic reaction to something I ate. I decided in the afternoon that I should go to the emergency room. I went with my son, thinking this was not going to be a big deal. This was when I found out that I had optic neuritis, which one can get if they have MS. I had heard of MS but I did not know anyone with this disease. I asked the eye doctor what the treatment plan would entail. He explained that I would have to give myself shots a couple of times a week. He also said that this was a widespread disease and not to get upset about anything. He said that with a dose of steroids, one usually regains their vision. This gave me great hope.

I went and got the dose of steroids after seeing the MS doctor. My vision did return later that evening! I was so relieved. What happened next was a complete nightmare. I woke up the following morning with both of my eyes completely foggy. I could barely find my way to the bathroom. I was shaky, as well as rattled with fatigue. This was later found to be an allergic reaction. I was, however, excited to start taking Rebif that day. Maybe that would help me. I became allergic to this also. I went back to the doctor and he started me on another drug. Again I became allergic. During this period, my head was in a cloud. Speaking was becoming difficult as well as walking. I had to stop going to school, which was frustrating as I was half way through my Master’s in education. I was so scared and angry at this point. I was losing control of my body, as well as my mind. Lifting my son was out of the question at this point.

My whole physical body was just giving out. I kept thinking that I was a young person who had great health up to this point. The doctor will find something that works. Completing simple tasks became difficult. I was glad I was living with my parents so they could help me. I stopped talking to almost everyone. I did not go anywhere, primarily because I was told I was legally blind and was not allowed to drive. My life crashed very hard and I was just beginning my fight. I continued trying all of the ABC drugs for MS but I found that I was allergic to all of them. If only that was the worst part.

I was crashing very hard physically. The doctor was extremely concerned. He felt he needed to treat me, but could not find anything that I was not allergic to. I then went for a second opinion from a doctor that the MS Society recommended. I was told that I would be in a nursing home and dead within a year and that there was nothing that they could do for me. I was also told that in the thirty some odd years that she had been practicing, she had never come across anyone like me.

At this point I was devastated and angry. I went back to my MS doctor and explained what I had been told. He wanted me to try the Tysabri drug. What I found out is that an allergic reaction to this drug is death. I talked to my family; they all agreed with me that I would not try this drug. So the doctor tried other drugs and I became very weak and unable to do a great deal of everyday things. For example, going to the bathroom was a major chore for me. I had to sit on the toilet for ten minutes at least and run water to relieve myself. The showers that I used to enjoy, I now dreaded. My skin was so sensitive due to all of the different drugs I was on, that the water hurt. I was exhausted and had to concentrate so hard just to be able to do simple things, like make the bed. My family was scared for me and avoided me when they could, only because they did not want to see how MS was affecting me. I was either seeing a doctor every day or going to the hospital for one treatment or another. I was having a difficult time seeing my son’s books he liked me to read to him, let alone understand what I was reading.

All I kept thinking is that I will end up in a nursing home within six months and who will take care of my son? When will I be able to see him? How will I make sure he goes to college? I wanted to see him grow up! My brothers came to visit and I lived between my grandmother’s house and my mother’s. I had no real home. I could not pay my bills because all I was getting was $135.00 a week for child support and day care was $175.00. I needed daycare because I could not take care of my son all day while going to all of these doctors’ appointments. Physically, it was becoming impossible. My mother was frantic to find some way to help.

I finally got the call that saved my life. It is one I will never forget. My mother’s friend called and said she had a phone number that I needed to call. She explained that she went to church and realized that a woman at the church also has MS. Her name is Ann Sawyer. My mother became very excited, gave me the phone number, and told me to call her. I would have right away, but I was having too much trouble seeing and comprehending what was going on. About an hour later, my mother called and spoke with Ann. She put me on the phone with her. Ann explained that she was writing this book and would send me part of it to get me started on the diet. She then gave me her phone number. My mother did not understand why I wasn’t more excited. The problem was I could not read the book and I would not be able to understand it.

My mother read it to me. She understood what I needed to do and she got me everything I needed to start the diet. I was hopeful that perhaps it would make things better. What happened amazes me and continues to every day. I can now pick up air conditioners and my three year old! I stay up past seven o’clock. I am back in school finishing my Masters and getting A’s, something that seemed impossible before. I found out that I am intelligent! Who knew? I feel great! My eyes are better, not perfect yet, but this will take time and I am willing to wait. I got my life back! I am living alone with my son and loving it. Thanks to this diet, not only am I better but I lost weight as well. There is another perk; the lesions on my central nervous system are disappearing! This diet has taught me that one can beat MS. I am living proof.