Isabel was flooded with emotions when she learned she had multiple sclerosis (MS) nearly two decades ago. "I was feeling very sad, alone and scared because I didn’t know what was going to happen; at the time not many people were talking about the disease."

For Isabel, telling people that she had MS was one of the hardest parts of having the condition. "Sometimes when you explain that you have a disease, people start treating you like a different person. I don’t want that."

Often, she avoided talking about the disease with her coworkers because she didn’t want them to think she needed special treatment. Luckily, her boss at the medical center where she worked handled the news well. "He was very supportive at all times." Eventually she decided to move to a different center where she could work fewer hours.

Keeping her new marriage strong was also a concern for Isabel. "I thought my personal life would change completely. My husband and I were just settling down." Despite her insecurities, her husband, Francesc, acted as her best ally during these challenging times. "He has continued to support me to be strong, and to go on living a normal, healthy life."

She hadn’t always been sure if she wanted to be a mother—at first, she had fears about being a mother with MS, but leaned on her husband to overcome them. When she and her husband had a child, Isabel decided to quit her work to become a full-time mother. When her son was seven years old, she talked to him about her MS. "I explained it in a very natural way. He can see that his mother is fine, and so he has never worried about it." Now her son is a major source of support for her.

As an avid golfer, staying active is important to Isabel. She says herself, "you’re only as healthy as you feel." She takes medication every other day to delay her disease progression and believes that adhering to treatment over the long-term is key to maintaining activity for as long as possible.

From her experience, Isabel learned that it’s best not to jump to conclusions about how MS will affect your life. "It affects everyone differently, so before worrying about what you can or can’t do, wait to see what is actually true for you."