World MS Day

Today is World Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Day.  Seeing the reminder in my calendar pop up prompted a moment of reflection. It made me think about not just my experience (circa 2 years), but the experiences of over 4000 Kiwis who are faced with this challenge, in some cases, for many years.

On Friday, 11th August 2023, I officially ended a 14-year chapter with the Royal New Zealand Navy. It was a day full of mixed emotions, excitement for the road ahead, and nerves as I left behind the only professional world I had ever known. The following Monday, I was set to start my new role at a small private consultancy, stepping into an industry I felt largely unprepared for.

But life had other plans.

On Sunday morning, 13th August, the day before my new job, I was out with friends when I noticed my vision in my left eye beginning to fade. Being a classic Kiwi bloke, I ignored it at first. But by 3 pm I had to come clean to my wife – I couldn’t see a thing.

That afternoon, I made my way to the closest after-hours medical centre, where the triage nurse wasted no time ushering me to the doctor’s office. Shortly after, I was referred to Greenlane Eye Clinic to see a specialist, and by 9 pm, I was in a small, quiet room, alone with the ophthalmologist being told I had Optic Neuritis – A condition typically caused by Multiple Sclerosis.

What followed was a whirlwind. 3 weeks in hospital, where I was treated with a combination of high-dose steroids and plasma exchange. A brief return home and back to work, only to suffer a second attack of optic neuritis a week later. That meant another couple of weeks in hospital on plasma exchange, which all but confirmed the diagnosis.

The care I received in Auckland Hospital’s Neurology Ward was incredible, but it wasn’t easy. Hospital life is tough. It’s even tougher when your wife is solo parenting a 2-year-old and a 3-month-old. Chelsea is the real MVP of this story. I can’t express in words just how much I appreciated her strength and resilience while she kept things going at home.

If getting diagnosed with a life-changing disease and not being able to support your young family wasn’t enough, I was supposed to officially start my new job with Height Project Management on the 14^th August –the day after I first lost my vision.

I remember calling my new boss, letting him know I wasn’t going to make it in, and that I was likely going to be in the hospital for a week or so. I remember him telling me,

Chris, you’re part of our whanau now, we’ve got you buddy

Reassuring words at a time when I was most anxious. frequent communication from the team checking in on me along the way helped to keep my worries (largely) at bay.  I recognise, especially now, how extremely lucky I was to have found a place to work that is supportive, caring, and values-driven.

I also want to acknowledge the Navy. Even after I left, I was supported as if I were still serving. The then Chief of the Navy, David Proctor, visited me in the hospital. He said two things that stuck:

Time to start training for the Invictus Games, and
We are going to support you and your family through this, as if you were still in.

And they did. I was assigned a special case officer who helped my family, connected us to support networks, and guided me through the complexities of insurance and care. (Pro tip to my military mates: sort your insurances before you leave)

Big thanks to all my friends and family who were there for us then and still are now. From messages and care packages to hospital visits, quick bites on K Road, and helping out around the house. It was both an awesome and humbling feeling to be supported by so many.

As I reflect on my journey with MS, the first word that comes to mind is “lucky”.

Lucky that I was diagnosed in 2023, when disease-modifying treatment is available.

Lucky that I got a diagnosis quickly, where many often wait years,

Lucky that I had such a supportive wife, family, and friends, where others may not.

Lucky that both HeightPM and the Navy chose to show, where other workplaces could have done little to nothing.

Lucky that I am largely unaffected by MS, where others struggle with basic day-to-day tasks.

And finally, lucky that I can finally blame falling asleep at parties on MS fatigue.

On World MS Day, I feel incredibly lucky for early diagnosis, effective treatment, and a support network that cares deeply. Not everyone with MS is as fortunate, and that’s why awareness matters.