Nan Stewardson – Adventure Racer

Nan Stewardson - Adventure RacerI was 37 when I first noticed my speech was slurred and as time went on it got worse. I knew what I wanted to say but it wouldn’t come out. From my first symptoms it took 3 years until I was finally diagnosed with MS.

I was devastated.

All I knew of MS was that I was destined to be in a wheelchair like my Dad who also had MS. It was the worst time of my life after being diagnosed, I think I cried a sea of tears in the 6 months that followed my diagnosis. I was not in denial that I has MS but I did not want to read about it or do any research or even go to the local MS Society to meet other people.

It was mind over matter, when I had relapses I gave myself 3 days to be sad then on day 4 I gave myself a talking to and got back up used my crutches and got on with my day!

Now that I am on medication the tough days are not so frequent, thank goodness for my MS nurse she was incredible she talked me through support that was available and what I may need in the future.

One of my proudest moments was completing in the Oxfam 100km trail walker challenge. I was part of a work team. There was no sleep or breaks apart from meeting our support team at each check point where they had prepared meals for us. The feeling at the end coming down into that finishing shute was amazing. There were tears and lots of jumping up and down form out support team. I loved it so much I have signed up again for March 2019.

Nothing is impossible. That is what I tell myself often ‘NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE’.