Story of my… Multiple Sclerosis - Beginnings / ArtStation '22 - Part 2: Alchemy Dragon / Draft
- Joanna Hinc
- Aug 15, 2023
- 8 min read
Updated: Oct 9, 2023
I've always believed that sharing our experiences, and that is why I'm opening up about my life with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), sharing how it all started for me and the many different problems I've faced along the way.
I'm hoping my story can offer insights and support to others on a similar journey and to those who would like to, but don't know how to react to similar problems in their own surroundings... Or simply those who are curious.
My story begins with this video where I'll talk about the early stages of my MS experience. I'm trying to share personal anecdotes, tips, and valuable information. This video is just the beginning of this story, concerning different aspects of living with multiple sclerosis - showing how small signals or our environment can make a huge difference.
Text from the Video:
PART ONE:
Intro…
Hey. Soo… let's get started.
This time I'll start by telling you about the next section of my project - the Alchemy Dragon. Then I'll switch to the topic of Multiple Sclerosis and tell you how it started for me.
And to begin with, a brief announcement:
I have decided in what order I will present my characters and creatures, and I am staying with the order in which they were actually created. I will not show them according to the given numbers or from the worst to the best. That doesn't make sense. It's best to keep the actual continuity and that way I will be able to better visualize the whole process for you and show how things evolved along the way.
This approach will also help me address the happenings on my challenge page and how everything played out practically, including the feedback I received. Now, on to the challenge!
PART TWO:
Developing a New Character…
Crafting a character or creature that fits seamlessly into their world, interacts with others effortlessly, and makes sense can be quite a puzzle. Imagine doing that for an entire group! It's a time-consuming process that demands a lot of imaginative thinking. You know, it may seem obvious, but it's not as easy as it sounds. But hey, challenges are what make the creative journey exciting!
And although I started creating my characters with Arnys, it was Saelkilia who breathed life into the entire group and stole my heart. Speaking of which, I've been thinking about giving her a makeover… in the future, a little redesign perhaps. But here's the thing, with so much going on in this project, I wonder how much more I can improve it. Maybe it's time to move forward and explore other aspects.
Then again, we're dealing with an alchemical dragon here, and its appearance is influenced by the mixture used to summon it. So who knows? Maybe you all might be interested in seeing a new version. But for now, it's a plan for another day, as I'm not quite sure when I'll find the time to do it justice.
PART THREE:
CR01 - Alchemy Dragon…
However, one step at a time, first an introduction to a BIO for my dragoness:
Theoretically, she should not exist, she is not a representative of any known species on Faerun. She was created as a result of continuous and persistent alchemical experiments. It is not even clear by what means she gained consciousness and by what means, with each summoning, she is still herself, but her appearance and abilities may be different from her previous summoning.
At first, she was a small and cuddly dragon, fitting Arnys on her lap, but she soon began to gain weight and strength. All this was mainly due to the stubbornness of her creator.
Additionally, you can discover more about my Challenge Entry and Saelkilia on the page linked in the description below.
PART FOUR:
New Chapter Plus…
Actually, I had different plans for this video, but it seems essential to maintain coherence in what I'm sharing here. Therefore, I will first tell you the story of what the first symptoms of the approaching disaster were and what my beginnings with MS were like.
As I mentioned, my MS was officially confirmed a decade ago, but the signs of the problem has emerged even earlier. I can't recall precisely if it was 2009 or 2010 when I first noticed a peculiar numbness in my right hand. At that time, I simply brushed it off, attributing it to exhaustion from dealing with a multitude of university exams. Little did I know that it was the beginning of a much larger concern.
Of course, I visited the doctor back then, and the medical diagnosis was rather simple, assuming it was just a vitamin B12 deficiency without any specific tests conducted. It left me with mixed feelings; it seemed like a low-cost solution for the doctor, perhaps underestimating any serious concerns since I was young and supposedly healthy - a situation I've encountered many times.
PART FIVE:
MTHFR Gene…?
However, as time passed, I began reconsidering that diagnosis, especially after a conversation with one of my older cousins, who happens to be a chemist. It was late in 2021 when these thoughts started to resurface.
During our conversation, my cousin brought up a possibility of an MTHFR gene mutation in our family, which could lead to issues with vitamin B12 and folic acid absorption. She also gave me a link to an article on the subject, which I will of course include in the description below. I could also add it here, on a screen, but for that, I need your support.
As it happens, though, life has been a rollercoaster for me since late 2021. With three moves and a series of other peculiar events to handle, it's been quite a whirlwind. I probably would have found the time and funds to do a genetic test for it, but I forgot eventually. It wasn't until now, while preparing for this video, that it came back to me. And actually, I already know what one of the following videos will be about...
I certainly won't fail to ask my GP about this test, at the next opportunity, but for now, I encourage you to read this interesting article. MTHFR is currently just a hypothesis for me, it could be one of the potential factors behind my condition. But… There is one problem with autoimmune illnesses... who knows where they come from? There are suspicions, but no concrete answers.
PART SIX:
Back to the Story…
Now, let's return to my story. The episode with the vitamin B12 deficiency was resolved with a few injections, and the issue seemed to vanish - at least, that's how it appeared at the time.
After successfully defending my Master's degree, I headed back to my family home for what would be my last long holiday before facing the "real world". I had made up my mind to make the most of this precious time and not rush into finding a job just yet. Wise or unwise, it didn't really matter to me at that moment. I simply didn't want to plunge blindly into the chaos of adult life right away.
Tell that to my father though, who began to urge me on, after just one month (mind that, in Poland, students get a three-month holiday). Give me a break... Passing everything at university really gave me a hard time and I truly needed a rest, and instead, I got even more stress.
From what I understand about my father's perspective, he seemed bothered by my late-night computer gaming sessions and my mostly absent during the day as I explored the countryside on my bike. According to his thinking, I should be dedicating myself to working hard, finding a husband, starting a family, and solely focusing on household responsibilities, without any personal life. Old ways of thinking, don't you think? However, I want to set the record straight here: I wasn't idling away my days. I took on the role of cleaning the house, taking care of the garden, and preparing meals, so it's not fair to label me as a freeloader. I was doing my part, after all.
And actually, when I'm thinking about this right now. I was also learning about the new way of creating 3D models. Because at that time it was changing from this process when you take a Low Poly and do a High Poly from it. To, do you High Poly and Retopologized it to a Low Poly. So during this holiday, I did one of my characters for RPG sessions.
Eventually, my father came up with a brilliant idea - he decided to unplug my Internet and grant me just one hour a day to search for a job. As you might have guessed, that approach didn't quite work out as intended. I'll save the full story for another time. What's amusing is that in the end, I became the sole household member with Internet access... These younger generations, always ahead with technology, right?
But. what am I getting at though? The entire situation was incredibly stressful. In my small town, there were no job opportunities for computer graphic designer, which meant I had to seek employment elsewhere. And I needed a job with better conditions to be able to sustain myself.
It took me approximately six months of seeking, and eventually, I found myself on the opposite end of Poland. There was just one thing...
In early 2011, while driving to a job interview, I experienced a mild MS episode. It brought numbness to my left hand and the left side of my face. Fortunately, it subsided on its own after about a week. However, the MS episode resurfaced again, 2 or 3 weeks later when I was visiting my grandparents in Gdynia. It led to my admission to the hospital, where I had several tests, including an MRI scan of my head and a lumbar puncture. I was not given any medication, and the episode eventually resolved on its own again. In the end, the medical staff informed me that they would contact me once the test results were available.
It was incredibly unfortunate timing; just a few days before I was about to relocate permanently to Gliwice and start a new job. Oh my gosh... I thought I was going to die. If someone has ever experienced a lumbar puncture, they know how it alters the pressure in your head. I suffered from a migraine for an entire week unless I was lying flat. And go and work effectively in such conditions - It's a lie but, my excuse for that first week at my new job, became "fatigue after moving", and painkillers became a necessary part of my daily routine as I tried to cope with the pain and carry on with my assignments. Fortunately, I survived...
PART SEVEN:
The news…
Around three weeks later, the long-awaited test results finally arrived. I vividly recall the moment as if it was yesterday - talking to the doctor on the phone, standing in the parking lot in front of my new company building. The day was sunny and very nice, my head didn't hurt anymore, and work was going well, people were nice, but the news I received made me cry. Although not confirmed 100%, the doctors suspected Multiple Sclerosis. It was a lot to process, and I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with emotions at that moment. Like right now…
Alone, with no support and no one to talk to face-to-face about it, I found myself in that parking lot circling like a zombie, unsure of what to do next. And that was just an illness that I might have. An incurable illness of unknown origin and with no effective cure…
Sorry to leave you at a moment like this, but "to be continued"... And in the meantime, I encourage you to switch on that subscribe button below. And if you enjoyed this content, a thumbs-up would be greatly appreciated! I'll be back in two weeks with more of my story. Thank you for watching! Take care, and see you soon! Bye-bye!
PAR EIGHT:
Just in case...
And again - I am not a doctor or any medical professional. The information I share is based on my personal observations, insights from healthcare providers, physical therapists, and various written sources. It's important to note that what works for me may not necessarily be suitable or effective for others. Before adopting any practices or techniques mentioned be me, I strongly advise you to consult with a healthcare professional to ensure that you are not putting yourself at risk or causing harm.
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Thanks for watching!
Challenge:
Character Design - https://www.artstation.com/challenges/dragons-rise-the-forgotten-realms/categories/159/submissions/67960
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