My MS Story

Hi! I’m Anthony, but most people call me AJ. I’m 38 years old and I work full time as a training specialist at a utility company called Central Hudson in New York. Prior to this I worked at a nuclear power plant, Indian Point, for 13 years where I worked in Human Performance and Nuclear Independent Oversight. These career choices have encouraged me to become an outgoing individual by putting me in front of different crowds daily/weekly.

Most of my life I have been active in the combat sports field, from wrestling to boxing and currently I’m a pro grappling black belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu. I’ve learned to fight because I hate running. I tell people MS is the fight I have been preparing for my whole life I just never signed up for the competition.

When I worked in the nuclear industry, I would fly to different southern plants once every month or every other month. In January of 2018, I was flying to Jackson Mississippi to attend and present at a safety conference. My PowerPoint was fully prepared which I was studying and thinking of what I would say on the flight down. After I got to the conference center and checked into my hotel, I was ready for bed. The next morning, I woke up and my eyes seemed to not be able to focus but as a professional and not thinking much of it I got ready and went to the conference.

I did my speaking part (luckily memorized the presentation) and as the day went on my eyes continued to get worse and seeing became a bigger problem. I wasn’t familiar with the area, so I just wanted to get back home to New York and get checked out for what I believed was probably an inner ear infection because that’s what the internet was telling me.

By the time I got back to the airport in New York I could no longer drive, and my balance was not great, so I had a friend pick me up and drive me home. The next morning, I went to a walk-in doctor’s office, and they ran their usual tests on me but determined I would need to see an ophthalmologist for my eye issues. After the ophthalmologist checked me out, he said I had sixth nerve palsy (one eye moves faster than the other causing double vision) but he said I would need an MRI to determine what was causing this. I thought I was lucky getting an appointment the same day for an MRI. After they did it, the tech came out and said nothing to worry about, we will look over the information and give you a call on Monday, have a good weekend.

Well, a couple hours later I received a call from them telling me to go to the hospital as soon as possible but they wouldn’t tell me why. When I got to the hospital, they admitted me and told me I had MS. From there I had a spinal tap, more MRIs, IVs of steroids and had little to no information on what MS really was. I was in the hospital for five days where I acted as tough as I could, telling as many jokes as possible to not let anyone know I was very scared. My mom would sit there with me daily and although she hid it very well, I could tell she was frightened for what could come next since no one really knows what to expect with MS.

That was the moment I began this journey and thankfully found an MS specialist in NYC who I trust and has played a huge part in guiding me through everything. Over the past 5 years, I have gone on and off five different medications and most recently we decided together that I wouldn’t be on anything for now due to my progression staying under control. Although I have dealt with many different symptoms over the years such as numbness in my arms and legs. Quickly after being diagnosed and going down the internet rabbit hole that we find ourselves in, I realized there was a need for a more positive MS community. So that has become my mission.

I have started my own YouTube Channel called “Kicking MS Ass” where I share about my experience and let newly diagnosed people know they are not alone, and they don’t need to see all the negativity. I have visited schools and spoken about MS and how to deal with adversity that you couldn’t plan for. I began dating the person that would have my back and push me to become the most evolved version of myself and that luckily would become my wife and give me the most beautiful daughter in the world.

I have continued to compete in jiu jitsu matches and have won belts and medals. I’ve been a fighter my entire life and now I have an opponent that has challenged me to become my best self. All the best things that have happened to me in my 38 years have happened since I have been diagnosed. I will Kick MS Ass and help anyone else that needs it along my way.