The diagnosis about her Leg Condition devastated Fox News host Janice Dean!

I had my first multiple sclerosis (MS) episode in 2005. I remember it well. We had just come off the most active hurricane season in history. It was the year of hurricanes: Dennis, Emily, Katrina, Rita, and Wilma.

I was working long hours and was feeling overwhelmingly tired, stressed, and depressed from all the devastation we were seeing on television.

Little did I know my body was dealing with its own neurological storm, one that had been forming for years.

I decided to take some time off and get some rest. The first day of my vacation, I woke up to numbness in my feet and parts of my legs. I felt like I couldn’t get out of bed. I had no idea what was wrong.

The first doctor I went to was blunt and honest. “This could be anything from a slipped disc to multiple sclerosis. You need to see a neurologist,” he said.

“MS? Isn’t that the wheelchair disease?” I thought. So I did as I was told and got in to see a neurologist who gave me MRIs and a most unpleasant spinal tap.

The result: I had lesions on both my brain and spine. The spinal tap fluid had also shown the protein they look for in MS patients.

The doctor gave me steroids to help with the numbness and tingling and told me I more than likely had multiple sclerosis: an unpredictable, chronic, incurable, and possibly disabling disease of the central nervous system that interrupts the flow of information within the brain and between the brain and the body.

At that moment I thought my life was over. My career would be finished. The man that I was dating would probably leave me. How would I support myself?

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I began researching and reading as much as I could on MS while trying to remain optimistic. I was able to find a wonderful, kind MS doctor, and his nurse Jennifer was an angel in a white coat. She would calm my fears while holding my hand—sharing stories of perseverance and how one day we would find a cure for this illness. Jen was a bright light in a diagnosis that seemed so dark.

During that time, I also found people to talk to who were living with MS, and who were not just functioning, but thriving.

In the 13 years since my first MS episode, I’ve tried not to stress about things that used to bother me throughout my life. Weight and body-image issues are something I have had since a very young age. I was teased about my “curvy” figure in my teenage years and throughout my career on television.

But since my diagnosis, I’ve tried to remind myself to be appreciative of the body that has supported me for 47 years. It allowed me to walk down the aisle with the love of my life who stood by me when I was first diagnosed. This incredible body that delivered two beautiful children and has taken me to so many places.

But when I was looking through my Facebook page last week for no particular reason, I stumbled on a comment that made me pause:

“Dear Janice please stop allowing fox to dress you in those short skirts. They are not flattering on you. Your an attractive lady, love the 80’s hair, but your legs are distracting every time you walk on screen.”

I was shocked at how cruel it was. This person who had never met me, but felt compelled to comment on my body. I decided to respond:

“Hi JoAnn,

Fox doesn’t dress me. I dress myself. I’m sorry if you don’t like my legs. I’m grateful I have them to walk with. You’re right. I don’t look like the typical person on TV, and I’m proud to be a size 10. Imagine that! You can always turn the channel if you’re offended by my huge legs. Hope you don’t mind. I may share your post with everyone on my FB page. All the best, Janice”

About 15 minutes later a familiar name came up on my Facebook page. It was from my MS nurse Jen. The angel in a white coat. She wrote:

“Dear Janice, I LOVE those strong legs. I LOVE that you stand tall, walk, run, squat, lunge, skip, jump and hop on those legs. You are blessed and a blessing to have STRONG legs!!! Wear skirts proudly and show your STRONG legs!!! Love you!”

You won’t believe these photos were taken 60 seconds apart:

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You’ll Never Believe These Photos Were Taken 60 Seconds Apart
Women’s Health US

That’s when tears started falling down my face.

Living with MS there will always be are reminders that my immune system isn’t the greatest, and this illness remains unpredictable (much like the weather I forecast), striking when you least expect it.

But my MS has also given me strength in ways I never imagined. So this too is a reminder. Be proud of this body. There’s so much more I want to do with it. And I will. With my head held high. On my big strong legs.