My health JOURNEY with MS

When Rachael was diagnosed with MS, she invited husband Richard to leave her. She worried that her health issues would cause strain and resentment in their relationship and negatively impact on their two daughters.

“It’s not very nice,” she said. “This is going to take me a while to recover [from]. It’s okay and I understand.”

Richard wouldn’t hear of it. “I’m not going to leave you. That’s crazy talk,” he said. “I love you and I want to be with you.”

And that was that.

Since then, they’ve moved twice and are currently living in the small South Canterbury town of Waimate. The quiet, says Rachael, does her good.

Early signs

Rachael has a long history of health challenges. As a teenager, she suffered from and eventually overcame chronic fatigue syndrome (also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis or ME). She’s extremely sensitive to most foods and reacts badly to many