TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — In honor of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Awareness Month, 34-year-old Tucson resident Tiffany Hemmer is shedding light on her disease and why it’s important to talk about.
“A diagnosis is not a death sentence," Hemmer said.
Multiple Sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system.
Dr. David Teeple, neurohospitalist at Tucson Medical Center(TMC) and Center for Neurosciences says when you have MS, your body attacks the coating or myelin around the nerves.
"And when that happens the insulation that allows the nerves to conduct an impulse, gets injured and destroyed and the nerves stop working," Dr. Teeple explained.
Hemmer was diagnosed in December 2020 with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), a type of MS characterized by alternating periods of disease activity (relapses) and recovery (remissions).
"So you have an attack, but after steroids or time, it will go back to close to baseline," Hemmer explained.
Her message to others is listen to your body because she could’ve caught it much earlier.
"One advice I can give to someone else is don't be stubborn. If something's wrong please go to the doctor because I was stubborn and it ended up taking ten years before I was even diagnosed," Hemmer said.
She had symptoms back in 2013 and brushed it to the side.
“I woke up and felt like I was very intoxicated and I couldn’t balance and I couldn’t walk and it was hard to drive. And I’m like something’s wrong and then my left side of my face went numb and so I didn’t know what it was and I thought maybe I’m sick," Hemmer explained.
More symptoms arose over the years that led up to her finally going to the doctor in 2020.
"What I was experiencing at the time, it was really cold that night and I was like oh I need to take a hot shower," she said. "I woke up the next day and it looked as if, you know when it's super bright outside and it's really dark when you go into a room? That's what it looked like on one side and it never got back to normal."
After two days of no vision in her right eye, she went to the ER, got a CT scan, then an MRI, which lit up like a Christmas tree.
"The fact that they saw that many lesions before I even knew what it was, was kind of scary," Hemmer said.
Her vision didn't come back until two years later.
Hemmer says MS attacks people's bodies differently and though it took 10 years to get diagnosed, she’s fortunate the disease is not effecting her physical abilities.
"But it’s had an effect on my speech and my cognitive responses and my ability to think of a word,” she said.
Hemmer says even though the fatigue hits her hard, she stays on her feet as a certified personal trainer and participates in virtual races.
"I like the virtual races because I can do it on my own time," she said. "I might be feeling up for the race in the morning or that day and I can go. If not, I can do it another time."
On top of exercising and dieting, she is on a high efficacy disease modifying treatment called OCREVUS.
Dr. Teeple says he's been practicing for 18 years and in that time, the treatment for MS has been the most amazing to see.
"Because we've gone from when I came out of my fellowship, three, four drugs in the market to now over 20 different medications that treat MS, and they're all designed to affect the immune system and trying to very specifically suppress the immune system over activity that causes MS," said Dr. Teeple. "And so now we have a spectrum of medications that involve injections, pills, infusions, and each year, we find new drugs, new things that we can do that become more and more effective in treating. So it's been one of the most exciting areas of neurology in my lifetime as a practicing neurologist."
He says those treatment options and the ability to treat aggressive MS in Tucson has definitely improved at the Center for Neurosciences.
As far as finding a cure? Dr. Teeple says the sky is the limit.
"I think that certainly what we're doing, we're learning more and more about the immune system and really teasing apart MS. And as we understand more and more about the immune system, we get more and more effective at being able to treat it and stop it and to hope one day that we'll have a cure," Dr. Teeple said. "But I think for now, expecting more effective treatments is what is more reasonable to expect over the next five or 10 years."
Hemmer says through her whole experience, she's learning to advocate for herself and others, and wants to continue to have open and honest conversations about MS.
"I've heard MS called the snowflake disease, because every person is different. So I would ask that people learn about MS, and so that way, they can find ways to help," said Hemmer.
Her husband has been a huge support system and has learned how to be patient.
"And not to offer solutions right away. Say what can I do to help?," Hemmer said. "It takes time and also go with the flow. We've learned to make jokes about things and say hey it's one of those days, it's a messy day, a 'M-S-E' day."
Hemmer says if you know someone with MS, be patient and don’t treat them differently.
"You see the person for who they are and not the disease. And so if they're having a hard time, like, is there anything I can get for you? Or, how are you feeling today, do you want me to get you something? Do you need water? Do you want to vent about things? Do you want to go get something eat? Tell me about your day, so that way I can meet you on your level," Hemmer suggests.
And for those diagnosed with MS, she says you can look it as being an adventure.
"Take it easy on yourself, because everyone's going through their own struggles, especially when it comes to being newly diagnosed," Hemmer said.
She admits there are hard days, but you have to remember that progress is not linear.
"Because some days you're fantastic, some days you're also mourning the loss of who you could have been. So that's also the sad part," Hemmer said.
She does her best to look at the positive side of things and is grateful for what she can still do.
"Find a reason to make every day a fantastic day," Hemmer said.
When she's not working or exercising, you can find Hemmer indulging in art or listening to upbeat music, as well as going on vacations with her husband and attending concerts and shows.
Hemmer says the MS support group at the Center for Neurosciences has also made a huge difference in her life.
"I'm super thankful for everyone that I've met at the Center for Neurosciences, my doctors and the support groups, and Monica has been fantastic and helping me reach other communities and getting in touch with other people that are affected," Hemmer said.
The group meets at the facility on the second Wednesday of every month from 6 - 7:30 p.m..
If you're interested in joining, you can reach out to the Community Outreach Manager Monica Zuniga-Quesnel at 520-795-7750 ext. 7374.
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Vanessa Gongora is KGUN 9's Westside reporter.. Vanessa fell in love with storytelling by growing up in sports. She was fascinated by how sports reporters go beyond the x's & o's to tell players' stories, and how sports bring people together, inspiring Vanessa to provide the same impact as a journalist. Share your story ideas and important issues with Vanessa by emailing vanessa.gongora@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
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