"The best piece of advice that I've received to manage my MS is to take care of myself."
Corrie — MS LifeLines® Field Nurse
After being diagnosed with a relapsing form of MS in 2001, Corrie decided to make a difference in the lives of others with whom she shared this diagnosis. She was awarded the John Dystel Nursing Fellowship from the National MS Society for her six-month training program at the University of Colorado MS Center, and now works as an MS LifeLines Field Nurse.
"I figured this was my way of making something positive out of this diagnosis. I wanted to make sure that whoever got this diagnosis had a nurse to support them so they didn't have to go through this alone." Corrie says she has "become even more compassionate about my patients and their families."
One of her greatest rewards is meeting her patients and their support systems, and seeing how that compassion helps her patients move forward. "I am the one they don't want to see in the beginning because they know an injection is coming. After sitting with them and listening to their story, they become more relaxed and ready to start this journey. They are more confident that they can continue doing what they need to do to take control of this disease."
Corrie also has some great tips. For example, she tells her patients to take out three syringes the night before their first injection of the week. When they arrive home at the end of a day they don't have to wait for the medication to warm up*. Perhaps her most important advice, though, is this: "Just look at your own symptoms, take one day at a time, and don't wait for something to go wrong. Just live your life!"
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* If a refrigerator is not available, Rebif may be stored at or below room temperature (25°C/77°F) for up to 30 days and away from heat and light.

