At just 17 years old, Luigi began experiencing strange sensations in his legs—tingling and numbness that didn’t go away. He consulted his general doctor, who suspected inflammation of the sciatic nerve and prescribed anti-inflammatory medication. The symptoms subsided, but only briefly.
Over the next several months, the symptoms returned—spreading from his feet to his legs, and eventually to his hands. By early 2015, visual disturbances added to the mystery: a painful, split image in one eye. "I didn't even know what diplopia was, nor that this was a symptom linked to what was happening to me in the previous months,” Luigi recalled.
It was then that he sought out a neurologist in Rome. An MRI revealed spinal cord lesions. A week of hospital tests followed, including his first brain MRI and motor evoked potentials. By February 2015, Luigi was diagnosed with a demyelinating disease—Multiple Sclerosis.
Through the haze of tests, fear, and new vocabulary, one figure stood out for Luigi: the nurse.
“The nurse was key. I could talk with them in a very open way… I was 17, I didn’t know what was going on. I thought there was nothing so bad going on that could justify being in the hospital. The nurse was kind, explained things in a very simple way, and helped me understand there was nothing to worry about.”
It was the nurse who helped make sense of the medical whirlwind. Especially when Luigi was faced with the possibility of a lumbar puncture—a source of deep anxiety—the nurse’s presence and support made a difference.
Luigi’s experience reminds us how vital nurses are in the diagnostic journey for MS. They are often the ones who:
As diagnostic criteria evolve, the need for human connection remains constant. Nurses are not just part of the care team—they are a lifeline for patients navigating the unknown.
Luigi Azzarone’s story is a testament to that.
