Those of you old enough to have watched the early days of television will understand when I say that my favorite Mouseketeer was Annette Funicello because I thought she was talented and my brothers wouldn’t miss an episode because they were in love with her.

And by now, you know that Funicello died on Monday of complications of multiple sclerosis, a disease she’d suffered for more than 25 years. Articles written about her this week describe her first sign occurring on the set of a revival of the Beach Blanket movies.

She said that her feet became numb and she stumbled. Later she said that she went public with her diagnosis because people were accusing her of being drunk in public.

MS affects approximately 2.5 million people worldwide according to U.S. Public Health Department. More than 400,000 of cases are in the U.S. and the average age of diagnosis is 37.

WebMD.com states that most often symptoms begin between the ages of 20 and 40, although children have been diagnosed as have the elderly. The disease is difficult to diagnose quickly because symptoms often come and go. Or lessen and get worse. And it can look like other diseases.

Early symptoms include blurred or double vision, an inability to think, clumsiness or lack of coordination, loss of balance, numbness and tingling or a weakness in an arm or leg. Since no two people have the exact same symptoms, treatments are uniquely designed for the individual.

And, most of the symptoms can be treated. People may experience bladder or bowel problems. Dizziness and fatigue are common complaints. Half of MS sufferers will have tremors, some minor, some that make doing ordinary daily chores difficult.

Leg muscle spasms are an early sign of MS in 40 percent of those with the disease.

“In progressive MS, muscle spasms affect about six out of 10 people. You might feel mild stiffness or strong, painful muscle spasms,” WebMD’s website says.

So, what’s going on in the body? MS is a disease that affects the brain and spinal cord resulting in the above symptoms and others not described here. It’s a case of the immune system damaging the nerves of the brain and spinal cord. It’s an autoimmune disease.

“The central nervous system is made up of nerves that act as the body’s messenger system. Each nerve is covered by a fatty substance called myelin, which insulates the nerves and helps in the transmission of nerve impulses, or messages, between the brain and other parts of the body. These messages control muscle movements such as walking and talking,” Webmd says.

MS gets its name from the buildup of scar tissue (sclerosis) which forms when the protective and insulating myelin covering the nerves is destroyed. That process is called demyelination. Without the myelin, electrical signals throughout the brain and spinal cord are interrupted and the brain can’t send or receive messages.

Scientists don’t know why it happens. Some believe it’s a combination of genetics and environmental exposure. There have been several studies over the years and one can assume there will be many more in the future before a definitive cause is identified.

There are a variety of medications on the market that can reduce the frequency and severity of symptoms plus there are drugs that can slow the progression of the disease. It’s important to state here that not everyone’s MS is progressive. There are cases of diagnosed individuals who are not symptomatic.

If you would like to learn more about Annette Funicello’s journey, go to her official website “annetteconnection.com.”

Kathy Hubbard is a trustee on Bonner General Hospital Foundation Board. She can be reached at 264-4029 or [email protected].