Meet MS Warrior Gayle Alderfer Fisher
She said, “No thank you” to her neurologist and walked away.
Gayle Alderfer Fisher faced a pivotal moment in the early 1990s when Multiple Sclerosis first made its presence known during an exceptionally stressful period in her life. She was experiencing a whole host of odd sensations throughout her body like numbness on the left side of her face, the feeling of fullness in her ear that impacting her balance, tremors in her thumb, and weakness in her left leg. As Gayle went through the process of testing for MS, she was confronted with a dilemma. Her doctor cautioned her that an official diagnosis could lead to harsh consequences, such as potential loss of health insurance due to lifetime benefit limits—a concern particularly prevalent before the Affordable Care Act of 2010. Furthermore, the treatment options for MS were very expensive with harsh side effects.
In a bold decision, Gayle chose to forego further testing to safeguard her medical records and preserve her insurance coverage. Instead, she took control of her health by embracing alternative paths to wellness. She changed her eating habits by following the Swank MS Diet and cutting out all inflammatory foods like processed foods and refined sugar. Gayle started practicing daily stretching in the mornings that gradually increased to daily yoga routines. Yoga not just enlivened her body, but she became more mindful as she went about her day. She concentrated on doing one thing at a time like focusing on her meal rather than eating in front of the TV. Gayle also prioritized her sleep by being strict with bedtime to allow the best possible chance for a restful night. This radical self-care brought down stress levels and immensely improved her well-being.
It took several years of trial and error to adapt to her new lifestyle but once it became ingrained, Gayle was able to manage her symptoms very successfully for decades. She was stronger and felt healthier than she ever had.
However, as life often challenges us, Gayle had a serious exacerbation in November 2021 that derailed not just the training for her first marathon in Philadelphia, but also her walking. Her entire right side was extremely weak and way off balance. She was also having tremors. She spent most of her time in bed because her neck was too weak to support her head for long periods of time. She felt best laying down or sitting with her head against the wall. Understandably, Gayle was absolutely crushed and she cried a lot. Yet, she somehow willed herself to do some form of exercise, mainly reclined yoga poses. After a week, she started walking short distances, starting with ¼ mile and building her way back up. Due to years of mindfulness training, Gayle is very in tune with her body and she knows when she can push forward and, more importantly, when to ease off.
Even though the official MS diagnosis in January 2022 caused Gayle a lot of anguish, it also gave her a sense of relief. It wasn’t new news, but a confirmation of something she already knew. Gayle is an incredibly positive person with a strong work ethic and focused on her path to recovery. Timing was fortuitous because she was introduced to Run A Myelin My Shoes and she ran with the team at the Shamrock Marathon, Half, and 8K in Virginia Beach. She drew strength from her newfound friends and her hope for running was reignited.
Gayle concentrated again on marathon training, and to test the waters, she met up with RAMMS in October 2022 where she absolutely crushed the Baltimore Half Marathon with a sub two-hour finish! That time goal is something many runners strive for, but for Gayle, the significance was even grander… an achievement of epic gale-force proportions?
The forecast for Gayle’s first ever marathon in Philadelphia was for freezing temps and gale-force winds! Maybe the fact that Gayle had already proven to herself that she is stronger than MS, a disease that can take you down overnight, she knew she could take on anything. Maybe she was still riding high on being with RAMMS and running a superb half a few weeks prior. Or maybe because her 27-year dream of running a marathon was stronger than any 30 mph gusts of wind. Whatever super power she possessed that day, it was more than enough to not only carry her to the finish line, but to do so with such gusto that she finished in 3:59:26 – a Boston qualifying time by nearly 6 minutes! (Apologies for my many bad puns!)
The Boston Marathon was a whirlwind of emotions, challenges, and unforgettable moments for Gayle. It was a particularly warm day and the Boston spectators, renowned for their enthusiasm and encouragement, provided essential relief like ice, orange slices and frozen popsicles. Still, heat and MS don’t play well together and Gayle started fatiguing before mile 16, something that did not happen to her in training. The infamous Newton hills were intensely harder under the hot sun. Plus, the warm Gatorade at the hydration stations made Gayle feel nauseous. But with every mile marker she passed, she knew her loved ones were receiving tracking notifications and she could feel them cheering from afar. Also, years of practicing meditation helped her concentrate on the task at hand rather than the pain. She repeatedly chanted “1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3” in time with her pace to keep her body moving forward. Gayle was exhausted by the time she rounded the final corner to Boylston Street and had to use every last ounce of energy to push herself across the finish line. Gayle admits her time was slower than she had hoped, but it was a huge accomplishment that she is proud of. And needless to say, RAMMS is immensely proud of everything Gayle has achieved!
For Gayle, running marathons is not just about personal goals—it was about defying the limitations that MS tried to impose on her life. Her journey is a testament to the power of resilience and community in pursuit of personal goals. Her story resonates beyond the finish line, inspiring others to embrace their dreams and celebrate every hard-fought victory.