Hello everyone. My name is Lisa and I joined this sight to get more
information about my mother who was diagnosed with MS in 1984. I
myself am a high functioning quadriplegic, hence my user name
alaskanquad.

To make a long story short, my parents (mom is 66 and dad is 80) are
very independent and have always taken on her condition on their own,
going to appointments and so forth. But now my sister and I have
realized that we should have been more involved because our parents
were not really pressing the doctors for anything. For instance, I
just discovered that my mom has no idea there are different types of MS.

Anyway, a new situation had arisen. Five years ago it was discovered
she also had an acoustic neuroma, a type of benign brain tumor. At the
time the Dr. at the Mayo clinic told my parents that surgery would
absolutely aggravate her MS and that radiation was the only option.
Well, the radiation did not work and now the tumor is back and the
only solution is surgery.

My question is how concerned about her MS should we be? We do have a
consultation appointment with a neurologist scheduled. I know everyone
and every situation is different and that she is considered to be in
the early stages of advanced MS. I understand it is a very broad
question - I am just curious if anyone has some major red flags from
experience.

Thank you all so much. And no, I am not a lurker :)