‘This isn’t the end’
COEUR d’ALENE — For Tom Greif, the hardest part of being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis wasn’t the physical symptoms.
It was the mental hurdles — the fear, the uncertainty, the sleepless nights.
Greif’s diagnosis in 2020 came as he was raising teen daughters and hoping to become the new chief of the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department, where he’d worked since 1997. He wasn’t ready to retire or lose the ability to do the things he loved, but he was suddenly unsure of what his future held.
“The difficult part was thinking how this was going to affect my family and my livelihood,” he said. “It was a big mental challenge trying to figure out if I was even going to have the ability to go after the next level.”
Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune condition that affects the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. With MS, the immune system attacks the protective sheath that covers nerve fibers and disrupts signals to and from the brain. This disruption causes varying symptoms, such as numbness, weakness and vision changes.
Greif said the care he’s received from the MS clinic at Kootenai Clinic Neurology has made all the difference.
“It’s changed my life and afforded me the opportunity to continue on with my career,” he said.
With treatment, Greif’s symptoms have greatly diminished. He still experiences some numbness in his forearms and hands, but that doesn’t stop him from doing anything, including being a fire chief.
“When I was diagnosed three years ago, I couldn’t hold onto a golf club, which is something I love to do,” he said. “Today, I can golf again. The disease isn’t curable, but a lot of my symptoms went into remission.”
Greif wants other North Idahoans living with MS to have access to the same level of care. That’s why he worked with Kootenai Health to help organize an outreach event geared toward people with MS and their caregivers.
Kootenai Health will host a free multiple sclerosis community education event from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 1 at the hospital’s health resource center.
“This is an opportunity to continue to build our community of people living with MS, caregivers and providers,” said Dr. Nina Bozinov, who runs the MS clinic at Kootenai Health. “I really want people to bring their questions and feedback. Come with an open mind.”
Bozinov specializes in multiple sclerosis. She said each person living with the disease is different.
“You have to take a really unique and tailored approach in the care of MS,” she said.
It’s not known for certain what causes multiple sclerosis. Bozinov said genetic, environmental and lifestyle-related factors may all play a part. The disease is more likely to affect women than men and is more likely diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 40, though pediatric and elderly patients are also diagnosed with MS.
In 2020, the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation estimated there are 2.8 million people worldwide living with MS, nearly 1 million of whom are in the United States.
There is no known cure for MS. But Bozinov said early diagnosis and intervention can make a big difference in patient outcomes.
“We do have treatment options,” she said. “We know that if we start them early on, people are less likely to have disability in the long run.”
Greif said he wants to reach North Idahoans living with multiple sclerosis and help them connect with the care options that are available locally.
“I hope we can get them in a room with folks who will be in their corner,” he said. “This isn’t the end of things. You can live a good, successful life with this disease.”
For information about the free community education event, call Tolli Willhite at 208-625-5599.
