Nadia Cayce is a delightful committed young
woman who has requested her story to be posted on
the LaRuelist Report. Since we connect our
community once person at a time...we share this story
with you.
Having multiple sclerosis means that you may
suddenly have blurry vision. Or that your memory will
fail you for no apparent reason. Or that you may not
always be able to walk around the house, let alone for
miles on end. The symptoms of MS are different, and
devastating, for everyone - the only certainty is that it
will affect yet another person every hour of every
day.
My father Lewis A. Cayce Jr., a Vietnam-Vet, died of
complications of MS the same year I turned 18. In the
70s, when my father was first diagnosed, there wasn't
much that could be done especially because our
access to quality care was limited. As you could
imagine, at age 24 my father was overwhelmed and
challenged with depression.
At 28, his needs grew greater than my mother could
handle raising 3 children and working 2 jobs. The
Veterans Bureau would only cover admission to a
nursing home and with my mother working at
McDonald's we didn't have enough money to provide
any other care for him.
Shortly, after at age 28, he was moved from the
nursing home to an acute-care facility where they
treated everything from emergencies to elder care.
His case was extremely progressive, partly due to the
physical and psychological challenges from the war.
My father was hospitalized for 15 concurrent years
before he died the day after Thanksgiving in 1996.
With all this said, I am writing to inform you that I will
be participating in an event to raise money for Multiple
Sclerosis research. My goal is to raise $2000 to
participate in the 30 mile walk. This adventure has
always been a life experience. My first time walking, I
was almost 70 pounds heavier BUT with a cross, the
support of my family and a walking stick that I found in
the woods, I made it!
Any donation you can offer, would be greatly
appreciated. I will be wearing a shirt commemorating
my father's life and all of you who make a donation,
will be scribed on the shirt as well.
I promise to send you a picture of me crossing the
finishing and YES... I still have the stick from 5 years
ago!
