“JESSICA, YOU CAN come in now. I’m Maggie, I don’t think we’ve met before.”

Jessica smiled and followed Maggie to the exam room. “Okay, sweetie, here we are. Why don’t you hop onto the table?”

Jessica complied and sat still as Maggie checked her vitals.

“How are you feeling?”

Jessica sighed. “I’m hanging in there.”

Maggie took her hand. “I can only imagine how difficult this has been on you.”

“Things were really bad for a while after the initial diagnosis but I want to focus on the future.” She pictured James and remembered how sweet his lips felt on hers. “I’m trying to be optimistic, even though I’ve hit some snags.”

Maggie finished taking the blood samples and squeezed her hand. “Things will get easier, sweetie. The important thing is that you have the very best neurologist in the city. I can tell you’re a tough cookie. You’re going to get through this.”

“Thanks.” She didn’t feel so tough right then, but it was nice to hear those words.

“I’ll let Dr. Martin know you’re all set.” Maggie left and closed the door.

Jessica sighed again and sat back in the exam chair with her eyes closed. The pins and needles sensation in her feet was localized but the sudden numbness caused concern. Two symptoms at once could mean another lesion formed on my brain. And who knows what that episode in Oakland could mean? Dizziness, extreme fatigue…what the hell is happening in my body? I know I shouldn’t think this way, but I’m petrified of what will happen next. And nobody can tell me what to expect. She took a deep breath. Stay focused, be positive.

A knock at the door. Dr. Martin’s handsome face peeked in and he greeted her with a friendly wink. “Jessica! So good to see you! You look great!”

It was hard not to smile. He was such a charmer. With his twinkling blue eyes and graying hair, he always reminded her a little bit of Frank Sinatra. It didn’t hurt that he was also one of the top neurologists in his field and a close friend of her dad’s.

“I’m glad I at least look that way.” She clasped her hands together. “The tingling still hasn’t gone away and I’ve been experiencing some numbness in my right arm. It started a few days ago. And something weird happened the other night. My memory is a little hazy, but my best friend filled me in the next morning.” She paused, not anxious to reminisce but Dr. Martin needed all of the information. “An overwhelming feeling of intense exhaustion came over me. I was acting strange—babbling, wobbly, not able to stand. And then I just passed out in the car. It freaked me out because that was why I came to you in the first place, when I had that constant exhaustion, remember?”

Dr. Martin wrote something down. “Have you felt that type of fatigue since then?”

“No, just the sporadic tingling and now the numbness.”

“How much did you have to drink that night?” He raised an eyebrow.

Jessica felt her face flush. “One or two glasses of champagne.”

He shook his head. “Anything since then?”

“No, I’ve been going easy. I only have it once in a while.”

“The good news is that I don’t think that incident was related to the MS. It doesn’t sound like you experienced an episode because the fatigue wouldn’t have gone away after just one occurrence. It sounds like an isolated incident. Maybe you didn’t eat very much that day and drinking the champagne on an empty stomach could certainly have that kind of effect. Especially if you really have cut down on the alcohol and your tolerance isn’t as high.” He gave her a pointed look.

Jessica breathed out a sigh of relief. “Thank God!”

“The numbness is troublesome, though. I’ll be very honest with you. It could signal a progression of the disease, at a more rapid rate than we initially thought.”

Jessica swallowed hard. “What does it mean for me long-term? How long do I have before things get really serious?”

“Well, we need to get you in for another MRI to properly evaluate the situation. There may be evidence that the disease has advanced and you need to be prepared. Unfortunately, we can’t predict how things will unfold. But Jessica, you’re in good hands here. I will be with you every step of the way, making sure that you have access to the best possible treatments available.” He paused. “You know a lot of this is your responsibility as well. It’s very hard to go through such a life-altering experience but the better you take care of yourself, the better your long-term prognosis will be. You have to trust me.”

“I know.” She looked down at her hands. “Doc…if you were in my position and met someone, how would you bring this up? I mean, it didn’t work out too well for me the first time around and I guess I’m scared of the reaction I might get.”

Dr. Martin sat down and folded his hands. “I’ve known you for a very long time. I’ve seen you grow into a wonderful young woman. You shouldn’t let this illness detract from everything you have to offer. Any guy would be lucky to capture your heart. Just be honest with him and trust your instincts. If he’s worth it, he’ll take it in stride. And if not?” Dr. Martin shrugged. “Well then, he’s just not the one for you and it’ll be his loss. It’s as simple as that.”

Jessica nodded. “You’re right.”

“I know this is really frightening. But there are a lot of treatment options available that can help you manage the pain and discomfort. Let’s take things one step at a time. Make the appointment with Maggie. We might be able to get you in for an MRI this week and then well go from there. In the meantime, keep up with your exercise routine and limit the alcohol.” He wagged a finger at her. “You also might want to rethink those heels. Try flats once in a while and give your feet a break.”

“I will! I promise.”

“Stay positive, Jessica. You have your whole life ahead of you. Make plans, look forward and be happy. This is a tiny blip on the radar. Concentrate on what’s important.” Dr. Martin saluted her and walked out.