I wanted to help the NAF and spread awareness about Ataxia. One way I could help support the NAF and also bring about awareness was by having fundraisers. I have two fundraisers per year.  Introducing the NAF to my friends and acquaintances or by telling them to go directly to the website www.ataxia.org.

I have had my accounting and consulting business for over 18 years. I started out by going to small businesses and teaching them how they could do their own books. As I became more concerned about my ability to walk, I started to decrease the number of businesses visited. Because this was starting to affect my ability to work, I tried to explain to the
doctors that I thought something was wrong. This happened over the course of about thirteen years and several different doctors. I was even treated for vertigo and saw in one of my doctor’s notes “chronic anxiety”. This is when I stopped going to the doctor.

In early 2013, I was on a treadmill for a stress test and almost fell, I blamed it on my knees. I went to an orthopedist, then to a neurologist. It was that neurologist that listened to me and sent me to Gainesville, Florida for a second opinion. I was glad to get the correct diagnosis even though it is not a good one.

I am starting a support group here on the east coast of Florida. I have ataxia, which won’t  change, but I do want to help as many people as I can. The NAF is a great resource. I will definitely get as much information as I can from the NAF. I want to help others plus it’s helping me.