Billie was involved in a horrific horse related accident in July of 1992 and exactly a year to the date, July 1993, she was diagnosed with MS.  

Billie had been working at her job at the medical clinic like any other day when, as she describes, "I put my head down to look at the computer and I got what felt like a thousand jolts of shocks running all through my body.  I suddenly became completely numb.  I was unable to move my arms, which was followed by the rest of my body."  Billie was taken via medevac to a larger hospital that could care for her.  Her physicians initial suspicion was that this complete numbness was related to her horse accident the year prior where she had broken both collarbones, fractured nine ribs and suffered from collapsed lungs.  Billie was sent for a CAT scan and although her neurologist suspected MS, nothing was conclusive, and she was sent home with medication to try to help alleviate the symptoms.

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     A few months later Billie was sent to her neurologist for a follow up appointment and MRI.  Billies neurologist also performed mobility testing and it was at this time that she was given an official diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis.  Billie remembers, "I was shocked, mad and immediately started looking for answers (of which I could find none and nobody else seemed to have any answers either).  The neurologist just prescribed more medication and sent me home with no instructions on what to do next or how to deal with this disease."

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     Over the course of the next number of years Billie struggled.  She had many bouts of loss of vision, loss of mobility and struggled with depression.  "I tried steroids and had a terrible response to them.  I quit taking them because when I did, I ended up doing things like thinking I was talking to Garfield (which was a stuffed animal on my sister-in-laws bed).  I also tried Interferon injections for a while, until I had an adverse reaction to them as well."

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     Despite doctors advising against it, Billie gave birth to two boys!

"I had my first son, named Wyatt Steele in 1997, after the doctors had recommended me not having children.  My second son was born in 2001, named Colton Storm (trust me, he was like a storm; he was a handful)".  Billie recalls that she felt her health even further deteriorating after her children were born, "It was like my body couldn't keep up."  Upon revisiting the mainstream medical system looking for help, she found there just simply wasn't any, except for the same drugs that her body was incredibly sensitive to.  At a loss, she went back on the injections to only have her body reject them terribly again.  

Billie remembers, "by this time I had a marriage that was falling apart, a job that I couldn't keep up with and two young boys who were highly active."

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     Billie had always been a very active person, having rode horses since she was very little and participating in barrel racing, she loved all of it! Billie states, "horses were always my restitution, but now they too, were becoming another stressor."  In 2007 Billies marriage ended and she, her boys and horses relocated.

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     "To say this caused a lot of stress was an understatement.  My health once again deteriorated.  My "git-er done" attitude was no longer working.  I went back to the medical doctors at this time and they praised me for doing as well as I was after having MS for over 15 years, but they could offer no help in putting my MS into remission or advice as to how to cope with it, other than more drugs.  I was starting to become very frustrated with our Canadian medical system.  There was no cure and no hope of a cure (just more drugs).  There was no strategies for helping or living a productive life with MS.  They really gave me no hope for any progression towards a normal life." 

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     Once again, in 2009, Billie was hit with yet another devastating relapse and became paralyzed.  "My children were by now living with their father (which was a "saving grace").  I became determined to walk and function again, but this time it really took a toll on my balance and fine motor skills.  I struggled along looking for a "light", something that would help me live with this disease."

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     Billie remembered that her original family doctor, in 1992, had mentioned diet and lifestyle choices and at this point she started looking for all the information on food, diet and lifestyle that she could possibly find.  While on this path she learned of CCSVI (Chronic Cerebrospinal Venous Insufficiency) which is also sometimes referred to as "Liberation Therapy" and at the same time learned of the place "Synergy" in Orange County, California.  The science/history behind CCSVI is connected to an Italian vascular Surgeon whose wife had MS.  In 2009, he published a study that found narrowing, twisting and blockage in the veins leading from the brain in MS patients.  The Italian surgeon found that when he dilated these veins, the MS symptoms of the patients improved.  Upon this finding, Billie decided to try it!

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     December 12 of 2012 Billie had the CCSVI treatment.

"During my time at Synergy, they spoke of different ways to manage my MS; significantly about lifestyle, including food, toxins, and different ways we could increase our immune system to fight disease.  The CCSVI treatment increases the blood flow to the brain and when I had it done it was like somebody had just turned my lights on.  I could see more clearly.  I could feel my feet for the first time in 20 years.  What I realized at that point, is that this was the best thing that anybody had done for me.  I know that people need to have hope that something is possible before it can happen.  This treatment offered me hope.  I began to appreciate the things we can control and learned to have faith in what we can't."

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At this point Billie returned home and completely changed her lifestyle, in hopes that she could potentially return to a so-called "normal" way of life.  She recalls that "it was extremely hard, but I remembered that when I was down in California at Synergy, they had been pretty direct in stressing the fact that if I did not change my lifestyle, my diet, my management of my daily stress, etc. etc., that I would be back there again for another procedure."  

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     Billie goes on to say, "there is much talk, and some controversy as to why this treatment doesn't work for some people.  I think what happens is, people don't commit to the lifestyle changes.  The biggest thing I learned while being down in California was that for the body to heal you must have the right environment.  So....I changed my lifestyle, and focused on creating the right environment around me.  I also started a daily practice of thanking God.  And to everyone wondering, YES!!! It affected my whole family.  It did.  Thankfully though, soon I was able to return to riding and being more active.  I started swimming, doing yoga, meditating, and numerous other things.  This is not to say that it wasn't an everyday challenge to stay with in my parameters.  It was, but I was determined."

     Billie concludes saying, "After a time, I began feeling wonderful, and today, I feel as good as I have felt since before my boys were born (not perfect, but manageable.)  I feel that my greatest attribute is my determination and resilience.  Despite all of my challenges, I have bounced back and met them all with grit and strength.  I am a totally determined person.  For me, this strength of character has been a blessing from God."