by Brandi Hignight

(Editor’s Note: Six years ago Brandi Hignight was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Several weeks ago Brandi sent out an email to her close friends updating them on the past year of her life. An adaptation of her email and story follows.)

A list.

Make mental note of the following items that apply to you:

Please continue reading if you checked any of the above.

A quote:

"A chronic, often disabling disease that attacks the central nervous system (CNS), which is made up of the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. Symptoms may be mild, such as numbness in the limbs, or severe, such as paralysis or loss of vision. The progress, severity, and specific symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis (or MS - not MD) are unpredictable and vary from one person to another."

The Results:

On the check-list above, the characteristics listed first are the most common for people diagnosed with MS: Caucasian females, between 20-50 years old that live far from the equator.

**Disclaimer - The list is not exhaustive (thus the parenthesis). Just ask Clay Walker (country singer), Montel Williams (talk show host), Richard Pryor (comedian), Teri Garr (Phoebe's Mom on Friends), Tamia (R&B singer), all who have been diagnosed.**

That being said, I can't believe that I have been diagnosed with (my husband, Josh, says I can't say “had”) MS for 6 years! Where has the time gone? A lot has happened. I've moved out of my parents house, attended The Baptist College, moved again, earned a degree, got married, moved back, joined a church plant…

I busted out my journal the other night and read about the events and blessings of April 5, 2002, the day I was diagnosed. I wanted so desperately to go to Atlanta to visit a friend, and nothing, I mean nothing, was going to stop me! I was invincible, except I had a pesky MRI at nine o’clock in the morning. Despite that, I was still hopeful that I could pull the trip off. That is until the doctor called my mom at three that afternoon, resulting in me spending my entire weekend in the hospital, eating chocolate and Whataburgers, and hanging out with friends and family. We packed that place out!

There was a Disciple Now the following weekend where I met one of my dear friends, Jennifer Dukes, and she blessed my life. She told me that God could use my MS to reach my parents, and of course I had not thought of that.

Upon being diagnosed, I read John 9, about the man who was blind from birth. I read this in a completely new light. The third verse brought about a new understanding: "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life."

Dean preached on John 9 on Easter Sunday, and my mom was there at The Moon! I was so thankful. I’m not sure what rationalization she has made for me having MS and being a Christian, because to her that is contradictory. Needless to say, I was happy, glad, overjoyed, jubilant, and ecstatic that she came and heard the word and the truth.

(Brandi Hignight lives with MS on a day to day basis. In an attempt to bring awareness to this often silent and misunderstood disease, she has shared about her condition. Brandi is married to Josh and lives in Crawfordville, Florida.)

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