CARLYLE
Carlyle resident Shelley Vail is a fighter. For years, she has been battling multiple sclerosis.
Born and raised on a farm near Maryfield, Vail began having medical issues at the age of 16. She started dragging her left leg and developed a constant searing pain in her right arm. Doctors were unable to diagnose it, and life carried on.
Vail married Ken at a young age and in 1980 gave birth to their first son Adam. From that time on, she suffered from horrible fatigue and brain fog.
“It was like my head and entire body were getting squeezed,” said Vail.
MS is a demyelinating disease in which the insulating covers of the nerves in the brain and spinal cord are damaged. This damage disrupts the ability of the nervous system to transmit signals, resulting in serious physical problems.
Specific symptoms can include double vision, blindness, muscle weakness and trouble with sensation or co-ordination. It is difficult to diagnose and there is no known cure.
The Vails had another son, Jordan, four years later, but Vail continued to suffer in pain without a specific diagnosis. Over time, fatigue, eyesight, balance, depression and pain became a daily part of her life. Slow but steady regression was constant.
In 2004, Vail started to use a cane and a few months later, a walker. With the forceful and welcome insistence of Dr. Cathy Meyer, Vail was finally referred to the proper specialists and officially diagnosed with MS. She has been in a wheelchair since 2008.
Vail is basically homebound and requires 24-hour personal attention. When Ken is away working in the oilfield with Vermillion Energy, personal care workers are needed and four of them are rotated regularly.
The Vails have lifts in the bedroom, the bathroom, and the living room. She sleeps in a hospital bed and they also own two vehicles that are equipped with wheelchair lifts. The Vails purchased a motorhome a few years ago and can go camping for one or two nights at a time.
“It is such a great feeling be able to leave my house occasionally. Entering a store or a friend’s house might not mean much to you, but it means everything to me,” said Vail.
MS is a tiring and frustrating disease. To compound matters, people like Vail must continually fight off aggressive attacks, known as relapses. She had an extremely painful relapse back in November but has mostly recovered from it.
Despite her medical problems, Vail is a very positive person and lives her life one day at a time.
“I am married to a good man,” she said, referring to her 43 years of marriage to Ken. They have two wonderful grandchildren. Ava is 12 and Carter is four.
In her childhood, Shelley vividly remembers she and sister Karen singing together at several talent shows, and that one time they won the incredible sum of $10 each. The sisters also had the opportunity to perform on the Profile show in Yorkton. She was also a member of the Wawota Hints of Harmony and sang high soprano.
The Vails are people of faith.
“I am a very thankful person. Life makes you realize what you have instead of what you don’t have. I love my home and I love my family,” said Vail.
She has an impressive collection of dishes, ornaments, trinkets and china. Vail has a green thumb, and her residence is a virtual jungle overflowing with plants. This year’s amaryllis grew to over 30 inches in height with six blossoms. Her mother of tongue plant is thriving and has had a special place in her heart since 1982.
Now 63 years old, Vail has suffered from MS for most of her life but is never one to complain.
“I consider myself upbeat and always encouraging. Anyone is more than welcome to visit me on Second Street West, and I have friends that do. When you leave my home, my policy is always to remind you how important and valuable you are. Life is short and life is fleeting. Enjoy it while you can.”
