How my husband helps me fight multiple sclerosis

One week into their young romance as teens, Jenny Bennett told Charlie she had MS and her life would be crippled by a disease. What he did next – and for the rest of her life – will warm your heart.

One week into their young romance as teens, Jenny Bennett told Charlie she had MS and her life would be crippled by a disease. What he did next — and for the rest of her life — will warm your heart. Jenny and Charlie Bennett share their story.

Jenny and Charlie Bennett at New Farm Park. Picutre: AAP/Megan Slade

Jenny Bennett, 61, Loganlea

I met Charlie when I was 19 through a mutual friend, we went to watch his team play cricket. We clicked right away and became inseparable. About a week into dating Charlie, I told him I had MS. His reaction was so unexpected and not like any of the boyfriends I’d had before him, they’d asked if MS was contagious. Charlie was kind, gentle and willing to take me as I was.

I was in grade 10 (about 15-years-old) when I was diagnosed with MS. I started noticing strange things were happening to me when I was sitting in class. I started to lose my balance; I couldn’t tell the difference between hot and cold and kept feeling weird sensations in my body that wouldn’t go away. Luckily my mum was a nurse so she took me to the GP. Then things got really bad, one time I was holding a knife and fork and felt an excruciating pain ripple through my arms. Mum took me to the hospital and within a few hours, I was paralysed on one side. I was in and out of hospital doing numerous tests for months, back then they didn’t have MRIs.

WHAT I’VE LEARNT FROM FIGHTING MS

They just kept giving me steroid injections until I was eventually back on my feet. When I was diagnosed with MS, it was in the 70s so I had no idea what it was or the impact it would eventually have on me. I didn’t understand it was neurological or that eventually, I could end up in a wheelchair and be paralysed.

After Charlie proposed to me, mum sat him down and said to him: ‘do you know what is going to happen to Jenny?’ But he said whatever happened to me, we were in it together and he was marrying me, not the disease.

Jenny and Charlie Bennett

Charlie has been there beside me through thick and thin. After I had a few falls, I had to give up work and Charlie has been my full-time carer since 2013. He helps me with my meals, to get dressed, takes me everywhere I need to go and without him, I’d probably be in a nursing home. We’ve gone through this disease together and we deal with what is thrown at us. I’ve fallen over countless times and often there’s tears but he always makes sure there is laughter too. I don’t want to think what my life would have been like if I didn’t have his unwavering love and support, I’m the luckiest woman in the world to have Charlie.

Charlie Bennett, 63, Loganlea, full-time carer

Jenny really is the light of my life and I knew that from the moment we met in 1978. I got to know Jenny through my flatmate because his girlfriend was sharing a house with Jenny in Annerley at the time. We invited the girls over for dinner one night and I remember we couldn’t afford four pieces of barramundi so we just got two for the girls and we had the cheaper option, mullet.

The next time I met her was one night after work at the Acacia Ridge Hotel and Jenny was there with her friends from work. I remember looking over at her and I knew then that I wanted to be with her forever.

She told me she had MS after we’d been dating for a week and said she could end up paralysed or in a wheelchair. I knew she was the love of my life and I wanted to be with her no matter what happened. There are tough days when it can get frustrating and upsetting to watch Jenny in so much pain, especially when she losing the ability to do the things she used to love, like cooking.

MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS CLINICAL TRIAL CHANGES BRISBANE MAN’S LIFE

MS robs you of your independence and self-esteem, Jenny can’t even go and make herself a cup of tea anymore. But we’re fortunate that she can still talk and has use of her hands. I’m also grateful that I’m fit, healthy and in a position where I can look after Jenny and it’s my pleasure caring for her. I can’t imagine not looking after her. She’s always been there for me as well. Back in the day, she would never miss one of my cricket or football games. Jenny has always had the support of MS Queensland and we’ve made some wonderful friends. It was for an MS Queensland fundraiser that initially got me into cycling. Now, I go for a bike ride most days, it’s my way to unwind and take some time to relax. At the end of the day, I’m not superhuman, I’m just someone who loves their wife and will do anything for her.