Welcome to Hail Media I'm Brian Wallace, MS Michigan Man 64, Left Tackle for Michigan Wolverines 1988-1991. This is where a former Wolverine gets real about life after football - battles you don't see coming and training that prepared us to take everything on!
Today I'm talking with Brandon, an Army veteran who served 15 years including deployment to Afghanistan. Diagnosed with MS in 2016 while 12 years into his military career, Brandon's journey started with pelvic numbness and leg paralysis. The ER dismissed it as back-related, but a familiar doctor performed an exam and suspected MS based on inflamed nerves. Brandon went through 45 days of testing including a robotic spinal tap and multiple MRIs before getting his 2016 diagnosis.
Brandon went through divorce shortly after diagnosis. He hit rock bottom but found support from phenomenal military leaders at the Pentagon who told him to take care of himself. He tried multiple DMTs - Tecfidera caused severe flushing and bowel issues, Copaxone created massive injection site welts. A coworker nicknamed "Nurse Amy" helped with injections.
After failing three DMTs, Brandon researched Ocrevus and brought documentation to his neurologist. Got approved same day and all nine lesions went inactive after first infusions.
We discuss the mental game of diagnosis, hoops to jump through for medication changes, and finding support when you need it most.
Connect with Brandon on TikTok @orangefighter_msf
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Find me on Instagram and TikTok @msmichiganman64. Original podcast on Spotify, YouTube and Apple - @BrianWallace-p6f - MS Michigan Man 64.
Keep fighting. Go Blue!
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Hail Media is proud to add the MS Michigan Man 64 Podcast to the Hail Media family!
We also want to call your attention to Football Alumni of Michigan - an organization that we care deeply about. Follow them here at @michiganfootballalumni . FAM is a 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to mental health and assisting former Michigan team members with life's struggles after football, whether they are mental or physical. Division 1 football at the level we played it is brutal, and not all players come out of it in one piece. Visit www.michiganfootballalumni.org for more info and to make a tax-deductible donation.
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