MS in the Media

I was very surprised the other night while watching one of my favorite shows “Elementary” which is on CBS. It is a show with the modern day Sherlock Holmes and has Lucy Lu as Watson. I really like this show and have not missed an episode. There is a character, Capt. Gregson, which had been dating a former detective. In this episode one of the threads was that Capt. Gregson’s girlfriend broke up with him. It seems strange since they were getting on so well and Capt. Gregson wanted to marry her. She gave a reason for breaking up with him that her past as a detective would interfere with his role as police captain. Both characters are in their 50s.

Watson realizes there is something more to her breakup and encourages her to tell Capt. Gregson the truth. She finally comes clean with him and tells them she has progressive MS. Her prognosis would lead her to be severely affected by this disease. Watson confirms this to the Capt. Gregson that is indeed a very serious disease and that they can expect a severe disability. Of course Capt. Gregson makes it clear that he still wants to marry her in spite of the future.

This is the 1^st time I’ve seen progressive MS in the media. Relapsing Remitting MS is by far the most common type. There are many commercials about medications to treat Relapsing Remitting. One in particular shows a lady hiking and ending up diving into a pool and coming out and going out for an evening with a man. I am so glad there are treatments for this type of MS. The type I have has no treatments. All the doctors can do is treat the symptoms such as spasms and such. It was nice to see accurate portrayal of the progressive type of MS in the media.

If you have primary progressive MS please note that the progression I outlined in some of my earlier posts is not typical. Mine has proved to be extremely fast progression. I know of no one with my type that is progressed as fast as me. Most plateau at a certain level of mobility and then it stays steady. Mine has not been so. I’m not looking for sympathy but don’t want to scare people who have progressive.