Meet Danica Whitlow

Danica was diagnosed with Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis. This is her story.

On living with MS . . .

“Living with MS is something that you never really get used to. Your symptoms and certain struggles you deal with are frequent, but as you try your best to live your “normal life,” you grow to expect that you never will be normal. Our normal is pins and needles in our appendages; it’s brain fog for most days of the week. Life with MS is like having a handful of good days during a month of so-so days.

Being diagnosed at 15 years old completely shattered any normalcy from my life. Yes, I was able to recover from my first attack and finish high school on time, but I realized that no one ever really knew what I was going through and they never really would. It felt like the world was always working against me, but then after being diagnosed, the universe just knocked me out. I struggled with depression, anxiety, OCD and I was suicidal. I got help for my mental illnesses and continued to grow more comfortable with who I now was.

As each session passed, I felt my perspective begging to shift. I realized that every day I got through was a success. Every morning that I woke up, I realized that I have so much to be grateful for. I realized that I was completely limiting who I was and defining anything I was capable of by my diagnosis.

At the age of 21, I volunteered to be a part of a MS research for Hispanic/Latinx patients. Stepping into that room was stepping into a greater reality and an idea of how much life I still had and how much more I was going to do, even if things were to get harder.

Life with MS is unruly, it’s fighting against yourself every single day. but the biggest weapon against it is keeping your perspective positive.”

What Danica wants you to know about MS . . .

“MS is completely different for every single patient. Everyone’s body works differently and there are varying differences when it comes to MS.”

Despite having MS . . .

“I am now married, working towards my educational career and continuing to give every day all I have and not letting a day go by without being somewhat productive.”

Fun fact about Danica . . .

“I have two self-published poetry books!”

Where you can find Danica online . . .

Instagram:
@danica_r_w
@danica.r.poetry

Books of Poetry:
Every Cliché Written So Well
Coffee and a Cup of Dreams

Imagine being 15 years old and receiving the worst news of your life: you have an incurable, chaotic, unpredictable disease. Danica fought hard for a life of normalcy. Her path to acceptance was extremely difficult. But Danica had that one pivotal moment that changed the trajectory of her life: She wouldn’t allow her disease to define the woman she was.

I’m so proud of you, Danica, for stepping outside of your disease and tackling life head on. You’re an inspiration not only to me, but I’m sure to so many others.

If you struggle in coping with Multiple Sclerosis or any other disease and you have feelings of depression or thoughts of suicide, please, get help.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (United States) – 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or text HELLO to 741741
To find a crisis center in other countries and regions – International Association for Suicide Prevention